MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Stake Boosted by Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank

Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its position in shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) by 12.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 16,091 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,784 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank’s holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $1,680,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Citigroup Inc. lifted its stake in MKS Instruments by 7.3% in the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 444,333 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $48,303,000 after buying an additional 30,216 shares during the last quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its stake in MKS Instruments by 10.4% in the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 2,525,037 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $265,874,000 after buying an additional 237,979 shares during the last quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its stake in MKS Instruments by 3,444.0% in the fourth quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 300,711 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $31,391,000 after buying an additional 292,226 shares during the last quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in MKS Instruments by 25.5% in the fourth quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 35,069 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $3,650,000 after buying an additional 7,136 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. bought a new stake in MKS Instruments in the third quarter valued at $868,000. 99.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

Shares of MKS Instruments stock opened at $88.91 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 3.19, a quick ratio of 2.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $103.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $106.84. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 52 week low of $76.37 and a 52 week high of $147.40. The stock has a market cap of $5.99 billion, a PE ratio of 31.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.75.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.92 by $0.23. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 5.30% and a return on equity of 18.94%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 24th were issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.99%. MKS Instruments’s payout ratio is presently 31.43%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other MKS Instruments news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.46, for a total transaction of $25,426.50. Following 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total value of $836,240.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 60,017 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,273,577.01. The trade was a 11.76 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have issued reports on MKSI. Citigroup upgraded MKS Instruments from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Needham & Company LLC lowered their price target on MKS Instruments from $156.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on MKS Instruments in a report on Friday, December 13th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on MKS Instruments from $150.00 to $147.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $140.08.

About MKS Instruments

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.