Free Trial

MKS (NASDAQ:MKSI) Hits New 52-Week High - Here's What Happened

MKS logo with Computer and Technology background

Key Points

  • MKS Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) reached a new 52-week high of $135.99 during trading on Thursday, marking a notable upward trajectory in its stock performance.
  • The company's latest earnings report showed an EPS of $1.77, exceeding expectations and reflecting a 9.7% increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year.
  • MKS recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.22 per share, which represents a 0.7% dividend yield and a payout ratio of 22.34% for its shareholders.
  • Five stocks to consider instead of MKS.

MKS Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $135.99 and last traded at $134.62, with a volume of 150963 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $131.28.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MKSI has been the topic of several research reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded MKS from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, September 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price target on shares of MKS from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 24th. Needham & Company LLC decreased their target price on shares of MKS from $140.00 to $130.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 7th. Zacks Research downgraded MKS from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of MKS in a research note on Friday, August 8th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $119.80.

Read Our Latest Analysis on MKSI

MKS Stock Performance

The business has a 50-day moving average of $107.93 and a 200 day moving average of $93.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 2.99 and a quick ratio of 1.88. The company has a market cap of $8.95 billion, a PE ratio of 33.94, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.97.

MKS (NASDAQ:MKSI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.77 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.61 by $0.16. The firm had revenue of $973.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $931.05 million. MKS had a net margin of 7.11% and a return on equity of 20.65%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.53 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that MKS Inc. will post 6.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MKS Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 25th were given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 25th. MKS's payout ratio is presently 22.34%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other MKS news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 1st. The shares were 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. This trade represents a 2.47% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Philip Henry sold 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.00, for a total transaction of $650,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 15,571 shares in the company, valued at $2,024,230. The trade was a 24.31% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 5,600 shares of company stock valued at $707,585. 0.57% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MKS

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its stake in MKS by 5.2% during the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 3,515,373 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $281,758,000 after acquiring an additional 173,945 shares in the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of MKS by 9.7% during the first quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,388,639 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $271,599,000 after purchasing an additional 300,356 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in shares of MKS by 41.8% in the first quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 3,250,085 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $260,494,000 after purchasing an additional 958,607 shares during the last quarter. Madison Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of MKS by 52.9% in the first quarter. Madison Asset Management LLC now owns 1,428,143 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $114,466,000 after buying an additional 494,207 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of MKS by 2.9% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,258,108 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $125,025,000 after buying an additional 35,065 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company's stock.

About MKS

(Get Free Report)

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.

Further Reading

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Should You Invest $1,000 in MKS Right Now?

Before you consider MKS, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and MKS wasn't on the list.

While MKS currently has a Moderate Buy rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here

7 Energy Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever Cover

With the proliferation of data centers and electric vehicles, the electric grid will only get more strained. Download this report to learn how energy stocks can play a role in your portfolio as the global demand for energy continues to grow.

Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.