Brokerages Set MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Target Price at $123.00

Shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the five research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $123.00.

Several research firms recently commented on MKSI. Benchmark lifted their price objective on MKS Instruments from $85.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on MKS Instruments from $115.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. StockNews.com upgraded MKS Instruments from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. TheStreet upgraded MKS Instruments from a “d+” rating to a “c-” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on MKS Instruments from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 2nd.

MKS Instruments Trading Down 1.8 %

MKSI opened at $120.50 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $124.28 and a 200-day moving average price of $100.97. The company has a quick ratio of 2.01, a current ratio of 3.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. MKS Instruments has a 1 year low of $63.44 and a 1 year high of $135.51.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.28. The firm had revenue of $893.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $845.25 million. MKS Instruments had a positive return on equity of 9.95% and a negative net margin of 50.80%. MKS Instruments’s quarterly revenue was down 17.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.00 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that MKS Instruments will post 4.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Monday, February 26th were issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 23rd. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.73%. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is currently -3.19%.

Insider Activity at MKS Instruments

In other news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.00, for a total value of $33,250.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 16,862 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,242,646. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CFO Seth H. Bagshaw sold 32,865 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.28, for a total value of $4,051,597.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 1 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $123.28. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.00, for a total value of $33,250.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 16,862 shares in the company, valued at $2,242,646. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 60,776 shares of company stock worth $7,326,307. Corporate insiders own 0.51% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MKS Instruments

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in MKS Instruments in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of MKS Instruments during the first quarter worth $26,000. Belpointe Asset Management LLC grew its stake in MKS Instruments by 73.5% during the first quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 295 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Mendota Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in MKS Instruments during the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in MKS Instruments in the 2nd quarter valued at $34,000. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

About MKS Instruments

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.