MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Sees Significant Decline in Short Interest

MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of September. As of September 30th, there was short interest totalling 1,850,000 shares, a decline of 24.2% from the September 15th total of 2,440,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 940,300 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.0 days.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently commented on MKSI. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $120.00 to $110.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 3rd. Mizuho upgraded shares of MKS Instruments to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Tuesday, September 10th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Monday, August 5th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $155.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Benchmark reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $142.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $141.09.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

Shares of MKSI stock traded up $2.37 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $109.40. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 599,746 shares, compared to its average volume of 816,219. MKS Instruments has a 1-year low of $63.44 and a 1-year high of $147.40. The company has a market cap of $7.34 billion, a P/E ratio of -4.10, a PEG ratio of 0.76 and a beta of 1.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16, a quick ratio of 2.31 and a current ratio of 3.58. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $111.16 and its two-hundred day moving average is $121.85.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.51. The business had revenue of $887.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $866.38 million. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 0.25% and a return on equity of 14.91%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.32 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that MKS Instruments will post 5.6 earnings per share for the current year.

MKS Instruments Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 6th. Investors of record on Monday, August 26th were paid a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 26th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.80%. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -3.30%.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In other news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.90, for a total value of $27,225.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 10,283 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,119,818.70. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 250 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.90, for a total value of $27,225.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 10,283 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,119,818.70. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.97, for a total transaction of $31,891.75. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,934 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,079,805.98. The trade was a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 2,575 shares of company stock valued at $303,660. Insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MKS Instruments

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Creative Planning grew its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 5.8% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 33,675 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $3,661,000 after acquiring an additional 1,832 shares in the last quarter. Inspire Investing LLC lifted its position in MKS Instruments by 41.8% during the third quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 3,821 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $415,000 after purchasing an additional 1,127 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in MKS Instruments by 53.7% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 349 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares during the period. CWM LLC lifted its position in MKS Instruments by 470.8% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 5,348 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $581,000 after purchasing an additional 4,411 shares during the period. Finally, Artemis Investment Management LLP bought a new stake in MKS Instruments during the third quarter worth about $21,690,000. 99.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.