Royce & Associates LP Sells 23,950 Shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

Royce & Associates LP decreased its position in shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) by 3.1% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 739,444 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after selling 23,950 shares during the period. MKS Instruments makes up about 0.7% of Royce & Associates LP’s portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Royce & Associates LP’s holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $77,191,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its stake in shares of 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 valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. grew its position in MKS Instruments by 424.1% in the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 414 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 335 shares during the last quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake 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 worth $45,000 after acquiring an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in shares of MKS Instruments in the third quarter worth about $50,000. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 63.9% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 572 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. 99.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.46, for a total value of $25,426.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,384 shares in the company, valued at $1,607,324.64. The trade was a 1.56 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total transaction of $836,240.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 60,017 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,273,577.01. This trade represents a 11.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.51% of the company’s stock.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

NASDAQ:MKSI opened at $86.32 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a current ratio of 3.19. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $76.37 and a fifty-two week high of $147.40. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $104.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $107.10. The company has a market capitalization of $5.82 billion, a PE ratio of 30.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.76.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last posted 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 year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th were given a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.02%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s payout ratio is 31.43%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

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

MKS Instruments Company Profile

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.