LASR vs MKSI: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, nLIGHT, Inc. (LASR) and MKS Inc. (MKSI) carry a correlation of 0.52, a moderate link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are LASR and MKSI?
On 3 years of weekly data the LASR/MKSI correlation comes out at 0.52, moderate. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.46 over 1 year against 0.52 over 3. The 5-year figure is 0.56, and annualized covariance runs at 1486.7 %².
MKSI is one of the assets that tracks LASR most closely: it ranks #1 out of the 11 assets we track against LASR. The last year tells two different stories: MKSI led by 101.1 percentage points, +56.4% for LASR against +157.5% for MKSI.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
LASR vs MKSI: side by side
| LASR (nLIGHT, Inc.) | MKSI (MKS Inc.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +56.4% | +157.5% |
| 5-year return | +61.0% | +88.2% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 56.6% | 50.8% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.44 | 2.39 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -56.1% | -59.1% |
| Market cap | $2.6B | $18.3B |
| P/E (trailing) | – | 43.3 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.35% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | LASR | MKSI |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -57.7% | -51.0% |
| 2023 | +33.1% | +22.6% |
| 2024 | -22.3% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | +257.6% | +54.4% |
| 2026 | +19.9% | +70.0% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are LASR and MKSI good diversifiers for each other?
To a limited degree. At 0.52 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
FAQ
What is the correlation between LASR and MKSI?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between LASR and MKSI is 0.52 over 3 years, 0.46 over 1 year and 0.56 over 5 years.
Is MKSI a good diversifier for LASR?
To a limited degree. At 0.52 the two still catch most of the same waves, so the pair smooths returns a little without insulating either from a shared selloff.
What does a correlation of 0.52 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.52 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/lasr-vs-mksi.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/lasr-vs-mksi/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: LASR correlations · MKSI correlations
