MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, nine have issued a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $132.64.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MKSI. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on MKS Instruments from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. Benchmark lowered their target price on MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 14th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on MKS Instruments from $93.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 23rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC lowered their target price on MKS Instruments from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 9th.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

MKS Instruments stock opened at $93.75 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $78.45 and its 200 day moving average is $94.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.04. The firm has a market cap of $6.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.84. MKS Instruments has a one year low of $54.84 and a one year high of $147.40.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.29. The company had revenue of $936.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $913.59 million. MKS Instruments had a return on equity of 18.94% and a net margin of 5.30%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that MKS Instruments will post 6.94 EPS for the current year.

MKS Instruments Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, May 27th were issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 27th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.94%. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is 26.27%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MKS Instruments

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 9,748 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,018,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 2,143 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $224,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 18,700 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,952,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 5.2% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,068 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $216,000 after acquiring an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 68.6% during the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 263 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. 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.