MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI) Expected to Post Earnings of $2.31 Per Share

Equities analysts expect MKS Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:MKSI – Get Rating) to post $2.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks reports. Three analysts have provided estimates for MKS Instruments’ earnings, with estimates ranging from $2.28 to $2.38. MKS Instruments reported earnings per share of $3.02 in the same quarter last year, which would suggest a negative year over year growth rate of 23.5%. The company is expected to report its next quarterly earnings report on Monday, January 1st.

On average, analysts expect that MKS Instruments will report full year earnings of $10.50 per share for the current financial year, with EPS estimates ranging from $10.00 to $10.85. For the next year, analysts anticipate that the firm will report earnings of $11.77 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $11.25 to $12.15. Zacks’ earnings per share calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that that provide coverage for MKS Instruments.

MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:MKSI – Get Rating) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 26th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.59 by $0.12. MKS Instruments had a net margin of 19.08% and a return on equity of 22.81%. The firm had revenue of $742.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $753.56 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.56 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis.

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of MKS Instruments from $155.00 to $125.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 18th. StockNews.com cut shares of MKS Instruments from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, April 28th. KeyCorp began coverage on shares of MKS Instruments in a research note on Tuesday, January 25th. They issued a “sector weight” rating on the stock. Citigroup cut their price target on shares of MKS Instruments from $170.00 to $140.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 28th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC cut their price objective on shares of MKS Instruments from $215.00 to $185.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 28th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MKS Instruments currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $178.56.

MKSI stock traded down $4.26 during trading on Friday, hitting $118.28. 11,448 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 616,606. MKS Instruments has a one year low of $110.26 and a one year high of $191.85. The stock has a market cap of $6.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.93 and a beta of 1.54. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $130.85 and a 200 day simple moving average of $149.52. The company has a current ratio of 5.18, a quick ratio of 3.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 30th will be issued a $0.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 26th. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.74%. MKS Instruments’s dividend payout ratio is currently 8.57%.

In related news, Director Elizabeth Mora sold 300 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.99, for a total value of $44,997.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.46% of the stock is owned by insiders.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of MKSI. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 0.5% in the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 15,079 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $2,276,000 after acquiring an additional 68 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. lifted its holdings in shares of MKS Instruments by 5.1% in the fourth quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 1,423 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $248,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in MKS Instruments by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 2,105 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $318,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp raised its holdings in MKS Instruments by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. Hancock Whitney Corp now owns 23,983 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $4,177,000 after buying an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Group LLC raised its holdings in MKS Instruments by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Group LLC now owns 5,647 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $852,000 after buying an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. 96.42% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About MKS Instruments (Get Rating)

MKS Instruments, Inc provides instruments, systems, subsystems, and process control solutions that measure, monitor, deliver, analyze, power, and control critical parameters of manufacturing processes worldwide. Its Vacuum & Analysis segment offers pressure and vacuum control solutions, including direct and indirect pressure measurement; materials delivery solutions comprising flow and valve technologies, as well as integrated pressure measurement and control subsystems, which provide customers with precise control capabilities; power solutions products, such as microwave, power delivery systems, radio frequency matching networks, and metrology products used in providing energy to etching, stripping, and deposition processes; and plasma and reactive gas products.

Read More