Millennium Management LLC Grows Stock Holdings in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI - Free Report) by 10.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 234,795 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock after buying an additional 21,533 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC owned 0.35% of MKS Instruments worth $24,510,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in MKS Instruments by 766.4% in the fourth quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. now owns 111,946 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $11,686,000 after buying an additional 99,025 shares in the last quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P. raised its stake in MKS Instruments by 39.0% in the fourth quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P. now owns 9,110 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $951,000 after buying an additional 2,558 shares in the last quarter. Ellevest Inc. raised its stake in MKS Instruments by 7.3% in the fourth quarter. Ellevest Inc. now owns 8,633 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $901,000 after buying an additional 585 shares in the last quarter. Ethic Inc. increased its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 68.6% during the fourth quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 16,667 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $1,740,000 after purchasing an additional 6,779 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Expect Equity LLC bought a new position in shares of MKS Instruments during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $3,422,000. 99.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

Shares of MKSI stock traded down $1.07 on Friday, hitting $83.82. 767,566 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,056,483. The firm has a market cap of $5.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.94, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.80. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.84 and a 52 week high of $147.40. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $76.58 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $96.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.04.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.29. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 5.30% and a return on equity of 18.94%. The firm had revenue of $936.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $913.59 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.18 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 27th will be given a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, May 27th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.05%. MKS Instruments's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 26.27%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $93.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday. Needham & Company LLC cut their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 9th. Benchmark cut their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, MKS Instruments presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $134.92.

Insider Buying and Selling at MKS Instruments

In other 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 completion of the sale, the director now owns 17,384 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,607,324.64. The trade was a 1.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.57% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.