Voya Investment Management LLC Sells 18,000 Shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

Voya Investment Management LLC lowered its holdings in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI - Free Report) by 49.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,098 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock after selling 18,000 shares during the quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC's holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $1,889,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of MKSI. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lifted its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 9,748 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $1,018,000 after buying an additional 94 shares during the period. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 2,143 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $224,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the period. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 18,700 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $1,952,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc grew its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 2,068 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $216,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in MKS Instruments by 68.6% during 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. 99.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

Shares of MKS Instruments stock opened at $75.83 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $76.92 and a two-hundred day moving average of $98.03. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a current ratio of 3.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.08, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.81. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 52 week low of $54.84 and a 52 week high of $147.40.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.92 by $0.23. MKS Instruments had a return on equity of 18.94% and a net margin of 5.30%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.94 EPS for the current year.

MKS Instruments Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th were paid a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments's payout ratio is 31.43%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MKSI has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup upgraded shares of MKS Instruments from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $130.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and set a $140.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of MKS Instruments from $150.00 to $147.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Benchmark reduced their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, MKS Instruments currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $140.08.

Insider Activity at MKS Instruments

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of MKS Instruments stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total transaction of $836,240.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 60,017 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,273,577.01. The trade was a 11.76 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was 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 of the company's stock, valued at $1,607,324.64. This trade represents a 1.56 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.57% of the company's stock.

MKS Instruments 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.

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