MKSI vs ONTO Stock Comparison
Compare MKSI and ONTO across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between MKSI and ONTO?
MKSI leads the current stock comparison as MKS Inc., with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
MKS Inc. vs Onto Innovation Inc.
MKSI leads
MKSI leads by 7 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Momentum, and the lead has widened from 0 points over 30 sessions.
Stable: 4 of 6 evidence groups support MKSI, its lead is widening, and its signal state is cleanly positive.
MKS Inc.
Onto Innovation Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MKSI over ONTO, 44 versus 37 as of Sep 11, 2026. MKSI's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and momentum, while ONTO holds the stronger risk resilience profile. MKSI also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MKSI today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability: analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. MKSI lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 7 points over 30 sessions.
Compare MKS Inc. and Onto Innovation Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare MKSI and ONTO against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value62 vs 28MKSI +34
- Risk Resilience21 vs 40ONTO +19
- Momentum36 vs 32MKSI +4
- Quality45 vs 48Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor MKSI. MKSI’s edge is concentrated in value and momentum; ONTO keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum -9
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum -2
No new signals fired.
MKSI's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MKSI and ONTO both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
MKSI (MKS Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and momentum.
ONTO (Onto Innovation Inc.): the counter-case, on risk resilience, technicals — but at materially higher volatility, 65.1% against 48.1%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
MKSIMKSI on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
MKSIMKSI on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
MKSIMKSI on the peer-relative Value factor, by 34 points.
Momentum
MKSIMKSI on the Momentum factor, by 4 points.
Lower downside
ONTOONTO on Risk Resilience, by 19 points.
Analyst upside
MKSIMKSI on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | MKSI | ONTO | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +47.5% | +32.2% | MKSI has more room |
| Target dispersion | +85% | +36.3% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 7 | 9 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MKSI. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | MKSI | 44 vs 37 |
| Fundamentals | MKSIon balance | revenue growth 15.8% vs 17.5%; EPS growth 107.2% vs 79.4%; TTM ROE 15.8% vs 6.5%; gross margin 44.1% vs 50.4%; operating margin 16.5% vs 12.5% — MKSI takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | MKSI | Value 62 vs 28 |
| Technicals | ONTO | Price vs 50-day -12.9% vs -2.8%; vs 200-day -0.9% vs 10.5% |
| Risk Resilience | ONTO | Risk Resilience 21 vs 40 |
| Analyst expectations | MKSI | Target upside 47.5% vs 32.2% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MKSI and ONTO and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 7 points.
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MKSI.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10MKSI lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 7 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- MKSI +7
- 44 vs 37
- 7 sessions ago
- MKSI +6
- 39 vs 33
- 30 sessions ago
- Level
- 46 vs 46
- 90 sessions ago
- MKSI +10
- 44 vs 34
The lead changed hands once in this window, most recently on Aug 7 when ONTO moved ahead of MKSI.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (16.21%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (5.33%)
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
1 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (18.98%)
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (6.62%)
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
ONTO is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 2 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +2.09%, AIQ -2 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +4.59%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1ONTO closes the Value gap — currently 34 points behind, the largest single contributor to MKSI's edge.
- 2ONTO's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it.
- 3MKSI's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
MKSI leads on balance| Metric | MKSI | ONTO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 15.8% | 17.5% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 107.2% | 79.4% |
| Gross margin | 44.1% | 50.4% |
| Operating margin | 16.5% | 12.5% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 15.8% | 6.5% |
| Debt to equity | 1.4 | 0.77 |
Performance
ONTO leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | MKSI | ONTO |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -14.7% | -20.3% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -17.2% | -0.2% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 16.8% | 39.5% |
| Year to date | 63.9% | 70.4% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 140.2% | 159.5% |
Technicals
ONTO has the stronger structure| Metric | MKSI | ONTO |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 36.3 | 36 |
| ADX (14) | 28.7 | 13 |
| Price vs 50-day | -12.9% | -2.8% |
| Price vs 200-day | -0.9% | 10.5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 48.1% | 65.1% |
Risk
ONTO is the more resilient| Metric | MKSI | ONTO |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 2.84 | 3.13 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.68 | 1.64 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.47 | 2.68 |
| Max drawdown | -44.6% | -42.3% |
| Current drawdown | -41.1% | -28.9% |
| Annualized volatility | 61.7% | 71.2% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -6.3% | -7.2% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, MKSI or ONTO?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, MKSI is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 44 against ONTO's 37. The edge comes from value and momentum. ONTO is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is MKSI or ONTO the better buy right now?
MKSI carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Stable — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Stable rating means the gap is wide and the evidence is broad, so the conclusion is unlikely to turn on a single session.
Why does the AIQ Score favor MKSI over ONTO?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. MKSI leads Value by 34 points; ONTO leads Risk Resilience by 19 points; MKSI leads Momentum by 4 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, MKSI or ONTO?
Analyst price targets imply +47.5% upside for MKSI and +32.2% for ONTO, so the Street currently favors MKSI. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, MKSI or ONTO?
MKSI is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. MKSI on the peer-relative Value factor, by 34 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, MKSI or ONTO?
MKSI on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, MKSI or ONTO?
MKSI on the Momentum factor, by 4 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, MKSI or ONTO?
ONTO is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. ONTO on Risk Resilience, by 19 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is MKSI more profitable than ONTO?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 44.1% vs 50.4%; operating margin 16.5% vs 12.5%; ttm roe 15.8% vs 6.5%. MKSI leads on two measures and ONTO on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is MKSI's lead over ONTO getting stronger or weaker?
MKSI lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 0 to 7 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands once in that window, most recently on 2026-08-07, when ONTO moved ahead of MKSI.
What would change the MKSI vs ONTO verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: ONTO closes the Value gap — currently 34 points behind, the largest single contributor to MKSI's edge; ONTO's MACD Bearish Crossover resolves — a bearish momentum rule currently active against it; MKSI's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about MKSI and ONTO?
MKSI: 2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. ONTO: 1 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on MKSI is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On ONTO it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare MKSI and ONTO with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.