Cornerstone Investment Partners LLC Has $517,000 Stake in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

Cornerstone Investment Partners LLC raised its position in shares of MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) by 36.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,954 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,315 shares during the period. Cornerstone Investment Partners LLC’s holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $517,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in MKSI. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 68.6% during the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 263 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 107 shares in the last quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of MKS Instruments during the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 58.0% in the 4th quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 433 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after buying an additional 159 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 424.1% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 414 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 335 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in shares of MKS Instruments in the third quarter valued at $50,000. 99.79% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MKS Instruments Stock Performance

NASDAQ MKSI opened at $85.63 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $5.77 billion, a PE ratio of 30.58, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.93, a current ratio of 3.19 and a quick ratio of 2.04. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $108.52 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $109.31. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 1-year low of $84.97 and a 1-year high of $147.40.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 EPS for the quarter, topping 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%. On average, research analysts predict that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MKS Instruments Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 24th. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.43%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MKSI has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on MKS Instruments in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 target price on the stock. Benchmark lowered their price objective on MKS Instruments from $142.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $140.00 target price on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Citigroup raised MKS Instruments from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on MKS Instruments from $128.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $140.08.

Insider Transactions at MKS Instruments

In related news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $114.80, for a total transaction of $34,440.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 9,983 shares in the company, valued at $1,146,048.40. The trade was a 2.92 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Gerard G. Colella sold 8,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.53, for a total value of $836,240.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 60,017 shares of the company’s stock, 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. Company insiders own 0.46% 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.