Needham & Company LLC Issues Pessimistic Forecast for MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) Stock Price

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) had its price target dropped by analysts at Needham & Company LLC from $156.00 to $145.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock. Needham & Company LLC’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 39.87% from the company’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on MKSI. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Thursday. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $155.00 to $150.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and set a $142.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a research report on Monday, November 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $145.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their target price on shares of MKS Instruments from $143.00 to $128.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, MKS Instruments presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $140.08.

MKS Instruments Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of NASDAQ MKSI opened at $103.67 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $110.77 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $110.30. MKS Instruments has a 12 month low of $97.54 and a 12 month high of $147.40. The company has a current ratio of 3.42, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.98 billion, a PE ratio of 230.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.66.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.92 by $0.23. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 0.90% and a return on equity of 15.79%. Equities analysts expect that MKS Instruments will post 6.34 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.80, for a total transaction of $34,440.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 9,983 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,146,048.40. This trade represents a 2.92 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.41, for a total transaction of $31,187.75. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 17,659 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,002,707.19. The trade was a 1.53 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MKS Instruments

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA increased its position in MKS Instruments by 1.0% during the fourth 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 acquiring an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. increased its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 2,143 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $224,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System increased its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 0.5% during 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 during the last quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc lifted its stake 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 period. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 68.6% in 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 during the last quarter. 99.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.