MKS Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Director Jacqueline F. Moloney Sells 300 Shares

Key Points

• Jacqueline F. Moloney, a director at MKS Inc., sold 300 shares at an average price of $92.10, totaling $27,630, which decreased her ownership by 2.47% to 11,862 shares worth approximately $1,092,490.20.
• MKS Inc. reported earnings of $1.71 per share for the last quarter, surpassing analyst estimates of $1.42, with a revenue increase of 7.8% year-over-year.
• The company recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.22 per share, with a current dividend yield of 0.9% and a payout ratio of 26.27%.

MKS Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI - Get Free Report) Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.10, for a total transaction of $27,630.00. Following the sale, the director owned 11,862 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,092,490.20. The trade was a 2.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

MKS Stock Performance

Shares of MKSI stock traded down $2.56 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $89.47. 376,130 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,191,346. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.69, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.87, a quick ratio of 1.96 and a current ratio of 3.11. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $96.77 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $90.98. MKS Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.84 and a 52 week high of $125.33.

MKS (NASDAQ:MKSI - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, May 7th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.71 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.42 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $936.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $913.59 million. MKS had a net margin of 6.21% and a return on equity of 20.67%. MKS's revenue was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.18 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that MKS Inc. will post 6.94 earnings per share for the current year.

MKS Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 5th. Investors of record on Monday, August 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. MKS's payout ratio is 26.27%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of MKS from $100.00 to $112.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of MKS in a research note on Thursday, July 10th. They issued a "sell" rating and a $90.00 price target on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of MKS from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $110.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 20th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of MKS from $85.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 8th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC decreased their price objective on shares of MKS from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $120.00.

Institutional Trading of MKS

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA raised its position in shares of MKS by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 9,748 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $1,018,000 after buying an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of MKS by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 11,943 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $1,247,000 after buying an additional 123 shares in the last quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors raised its position in shares of MKS by 25.0% in the 2nd quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors now owns 625 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its position in shares of MKS by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 29,392 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $3,068,000 after buying an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of Michigan Retirement System raised its position in shares of MKS by 1.3% in the 1st quarter. State of Michigan Retirement System now owns 16,140 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $1,294,000 after buying an additional 200 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company's stock.

MKS 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.