Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS) Shares Sold by Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC

Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC decreased its holdings in Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS) by 50.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 902 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 923 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC’s holdings in Axcelis Technologies were worth $63,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of ACLS. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. raised its holdings in Axcelis Technologies by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 2,398 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $251,000 after acquiring an additional 132 shares during the last quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D raised its holdings in Axcelis Technologies by 6.1% in the 3rd quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D now owns 18,065 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,894,000 after acquiring an additional 1,031 shares during the last quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Axcelis Technologies by 70.5% in the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,436 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $360,000 after acquiring an additional 1,421 shares during the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. acquired a new stake in Axcelis Technologies in the 3rd quarter valued at about $493,000. Finally, KBC Group NV raised its holdings in Axcelis Technologies by 30.3% in the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 934 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $98,000 after acquiring an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.98% of the company’s stock.

Axcelis Technologies Stock Performance

NASDAQ:ACLS opened at $57.19 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a quick ratio of 4.05 and a current ratio of 5.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.30, a PEG ratio of 4.52 and a beta of 1.62. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $64.33 and a 200 day moving average price of $78.68. Axcelis Technologies, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $53.67 and a fifty-two week high of $158.61.

Axcelis Technologies (NASDAQ:ACLS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 10th. The semiconductor company reported $1.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.25 by $0.29. Axcelis Technologies had a net margin of 19.75% and a return on equity of 21.02%. Equities research analysts forecast that Axcelis Technologies, Inc. will post 2.55 EPS for the current year.

Axcelis Technologies declared that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Wednesday, March 12th that authorizes the company to buyback $100.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the semiconductor company to buy up to 5.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Craig Hallum cut their price objective on shares of Axcelis Technologies from $115.00 to $105.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. William Blair cut shares of Axcelis Technologies from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Axcelis Technologies in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $154.00.

Axcelis Technologies Company Profile

Axcelis Technologies, Inc designs, manufactures, and services ion implantation and other processing equipment used in the fabrication of semiconductor chips in the United States, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The company offers high energy, high current, and medium current implanters for various application requirements.