Empowered Funds LLC Has $253,000 Stock Position in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI)

Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) by 14.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,326 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after purchasing an additional 302 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in MKS Instruments were worth $253,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of MKSI. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 17.8% during the 3rd quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC now owns 509,883 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $55,429,000 after buying an additional 77,025 shares in the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its stake in shares of MKS Instruments by 14.0% in the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 418,894 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $54,699,000 after buying an additional 51,540 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of MKS Instruments by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 372,394 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $48,629,000 after buying an additional 17,476 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in MKS Instruments by 219.5% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 348,024 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $45,445,000 after acquiring an additional 239,099 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Shellback Capital LP bought a new stake in MKS Instruments in the 2nd quarter valued at about $34,541,000. Institutional investors own 99.79% of the company’s stock.

MKS Instruments Price Performance

Shares of MKS Instruments stock opened at $116.49 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.98, a quick ratio of 2.21 and a current ratio of 3.42. MKS Instruments, Inc. has a 52-week low of $77.25 and a 52-week high of $147.40. The company has a fifty day moving average of $107.17 and a 200-day moving average of $118.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 258.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.68 and a beta of 1.63.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.45 by $0.27. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 0.90% and a return on equity of 15.79%. The business had revenue of $896.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $874.29 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.46 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that MKS Instruments, Inc. will post 6.22 EPS for the current year.

MKS Instruments Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 6th. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 25th will be given a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 25th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.76%. MKS Instruments’s payout ratio is currently 195.56%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MKSI has been the subject of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley started coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research note on Monday, August 5th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $155.00 target price for the company. Mizuho upgraded MKS Instruments to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $142.00 price target on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Monday, November 18th. Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a report on Tuesday, September 10th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on MKS Instruments from $120.00 to $110.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $141.09.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Jacqueline F. Moloney sold 250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.90, for a total transaction of $27,225.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 10,283 shares in the company, valued at $1,119,818.70. The trade was a 2.37 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 275 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.97, for a total value of $31,891.75. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 17,934 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,079,805.98. This trade represents a 1.51 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

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.