Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB Takes $50,000 Position in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new position in shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 459 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock, valued at approximately $50,000.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. &PARTNERS acquired a new stake in shares of MKS Instruments in the 2nd quarter valued at $358,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its stake in MKS Instruments by 62.6% in the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 309 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. grew its position in MKS Instruments by 0.7% in the second quarter. Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. now owns 77,836 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $10,164,000 after acquiring an additional 570 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its stake in MKS Instruments by 11.3% during the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 13,689 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,788,000 after acquiring an additional 1,390 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Innealta Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of MKS Instruments in the second quarter worth about $176,000. 99.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

NASDAQ:MKSI opened at $103.53 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.97 billion, a PE ratio of 230.07, a P/E/G ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 1.65. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $95.71 and a fifty-two week high of $147.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a current ratio of 3.42. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $108.49 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $116.29.

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

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 25th were given a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.85%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 25th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 195.56%.

Insider Activity

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.80, for a total value of $34,440.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 9,983 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,146,048.40. The trade was a 2.92 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.41, for a total value of $31,187.75. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,659 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,002,707.19. This trade represents a 1.53 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 825 shares of company stock valued at $92,853 in the last ninety days. 0.46% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on MKSI shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Friday, December 13th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price target on the stock. Mizuho upgraded shares of MKS Instruments to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on MKS Instruments in a report on Tuesday, September 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $129.00 price objective on the stock. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $142.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Monday, November 18th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on MKS Instruments in a research report on Tuesday, September 10th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 target price for the company. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MKS Instruments currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $141.00.

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.