Two Sigma Investments LP Grows Stock Position in Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS)

Two Sigma Investments LP increased its stake in Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS - Free Report) by 169.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 19,635 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after purchasing an additional 12,335 shares during the period. Two Sigma Investments LP owned 0.06% of Axcelis Technologies worth $1,372,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sherbrooke Park Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Axcelis Technologies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $456,000. ProShare Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Axcelis Technologies by 24.1% in the 4th quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 17,066 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,192,000 after acquiring an additional 3,314 shares in the last quarter. Numerai GP LLC acquired a new stake in Axcelis Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $1,660,000. Occudo Quantitative Strategies LP acquired a new stake in Axcelis Technologies during the 4th quarter worth $620,000. Finally, Millennium Management LLC boosted its stake in Axcelis Technologies by 148.7% during the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 290,270 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $20,281,000 after purchasing an additional 173,574 shares during the last quarter. 89.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director John T. Kurtzweil sold 1,682 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.93, for a total value of $104,166.26. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 35,050 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,170,646.50. This represents a 4.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.48% of the company's stock.

Axcelis Technologies Stock Down 1.9%

ACLS traded down $1.14 on Thursday, reaching $60.35. The company's stock had a trading volume of 598,657 shares, compared to its average volume of 652,640. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $52.61 and a two-hundred day moving average of $62.07. The company has a quick ratio of 4.05, a current ratio of 5.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The company has a market capitalization of $1.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.81, a P/E/G ratio of 4.52 and a beta of 1.52. Axcelis Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $40.40 and a fifty-two week high of $158.61.

Axcelis Technologies (NASDAQ:ACLS - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The semiconductor company reported $1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.39 by $0.65. The firm had revenue of $192.56 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $184.86 million. Axcelis Technologies had a return on equity of 21.02% and a net margin of 19.75%. The firm's quarterly revenue was down 23.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.57 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Axcelis Technologies, Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Axcelis Technologies announced that its board has approved a stock buyback program on Wednesday, March 12th that authorizes the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the semiconductor company to reacquire up to 5.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company's board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. B. Riley reissued a "neutral" rating and set a $50.00 price target (down previously from $80.00) on shares of Axcelis Technologies in a research report on Monday, April 21st. William Blair lowered shares of Axcelis Technologies from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC restated a "hold" rating on shares of Axcelis Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $131.00.

Axcelis Technologies Profile

Axcelis Technologies, Inc designs, manufactures, and services ion implantation and other processing equipment used in the fabrication of semiconductor chips in the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The company offers high energy, high current, and medium current implanters for various application requirements.