MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Should You Sell?

MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) shares hit a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $96.90 and last traded at $96.91, with a volume of 148698 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $99.90.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have weighed in on MKSI shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Benchmark lowered their price objective on shares of MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on MKS Instruments in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup upgraded MKS Instruments from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reduced their target price on MKS Instruments from $156.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $140.08.

MKS Instruments Trading Down 3.0 %

The company has a market cap of $6.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.74, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a current ratio of 3.19, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $109.81 and its 200-day moving average is $110.06.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 earnings per share 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%. Research analysts anticipate that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.91%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s payout ratio is 31.43%.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the director now owns 60,017 shares in the company, valued at $6,273,577.01. This represents a 11.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were 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. The trade was a 1.53 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 8,575 shares of company stock worth $901,868 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of MKS Instruments

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Aigen Investment Management LP raised its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 705.3% in the third quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP now owns 12,547 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,364,000 after acquiring an additional 10,989 shares during the period. Citigroup Inc. boosted its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 7.3% during the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 444,333 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $48,303,000 after buying an additional 30,216 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB grew its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 10.4% during the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,525,037 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $265,874,000 after buying an additional 237,979 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. raised its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 3,444.0% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 300,711 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $31,391,000 after buying an additional 292,226 shares during the period. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 25.5% during the 4th quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 35,069 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $3,650,000 after acquiring an additional 7,136 shares during the last quarter. 99.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.