MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Director Gerard G. Colella Sells 8,000 Shares

MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total value of $836,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 60,017 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,273,577.01. This trade represents a 11.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

MKS Instruments Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of MKS Instruments stock traded up $1.35 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $106.82. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 888,444 shares, compared to its average volume of 887,273. The company has a quick ratio of 2.04, a current ratio of 3.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93. The company has a market cap of $7.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.15, a PEG ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.66. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $110.45 and its two-hundred day moving average is $110.11. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 52-week low of $97.54 and a 52-week high of $147.40.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.92 by $0.23. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 5.30% and a return on equity of 18.94%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 7.37 earnings per share for the current year.

MKS Instruments Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be given a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.82%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is presently 31.43%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MKS Instruments

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MKSI. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC raised its position in MKS Instruments by 68.6% in the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 263 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MKS Instruments in the 4th quarter worth $36,000. TD Private Client Wealth LLC bought a new position in MKS Instruments in the 4th quarter worth $39,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in MKS Instruments by 58.0% during the fourth quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 433 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. grew its holdings in MKS Instruments by 424.1% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 414 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 335 shares during the period. 99.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on MKSI shares. Citigroup raised MKS Instruments from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, January 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Friday, December 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price objective on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. 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 research note on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Benchmark dropped their price target on MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $140.08.

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.