MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) Rating Increased to Buy at Citigroup

Citigroup upgraded shares of MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have $130.00 price target on the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on MKSI. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on MKS Instruments in a research report on Tuesday, September 10th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 price objective for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of MKS Instruments from $120.00 to $110.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Mizuho upgraded shares of MKS Instruments to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Friday, December 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Monday, November 18th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $141.83.

MKS Instruments Stock Down 1.5 %

MKSI stock opened at $111.16 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 247.02, a P/E/G ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 3.42 and a quick ratio of 2.21. MKS Instruments has a 1-year low of $97.54 and a 1-year high of $147.40. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $109.78 and a 200-day moving average price of $113.93.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.72 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.45 by $0.27. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 0.90% and a return on equity of 15.79%. The firm had revenue of $896.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $874.29 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.46 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that MKS Instruments will post 6.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 25th were issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 25th. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.79%. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is presently 195.56%.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In related news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.41, for a total transaction of $31,187.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,659 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,002,707.19. This represents a 1.53 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.80, for a total transaction of $34,440.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,983 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,146,048.40. The trade was a 2.92 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.51% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. AE Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in MKS Instruments by 5.9% during the second quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,659 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $217,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Equitable Trust Co. increased its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 5,035 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $547,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in MKS Instruments by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 8,729 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $949,000 after buying an additional 115 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in MKS Instruments by 2.4% in the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 4,942 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $537,000 after buying an additional 118 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its stake in MKS Instruments by 62.6% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 309 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

MKS Instruments Company Profile

MKS Instruments, Inc provides foundational technology solutions to semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, and specialty industrial applications in the United States, Germany, China, South Korea, and internationally. It operates through Vacuum Solutions Division (VSD), Photonics Solutions Division (PSD), and Material Solutions Division (MSD) segments.