MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Given Consensus Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) has been given a consensus rating of “Hold” by the seven research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $204.50.

Several equities analysts have recently commented on MSA shares. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. DA Davidson boosted their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $205.00 to $195.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $180.00 target price (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Down 0.4%

Shares of NYSE MSA opened at $165.79 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.42 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 3.01 and a quick ratio of 1.82. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $176.16 and a 200-day simple moving average of $172.08. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $151.10 and a 1 year high of $208.92.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $510.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $508.62 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.48% and a net margin of 14.88%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.25 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.74 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock repurchase program on Thursday, February 26th that authorizes the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the industrial products company to repurchase up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total value of $223,828.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,234 shares in the company, valued at approximately $658,054.32. This trade represents a 25.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the second quarter valued at $158,997,000. Madison Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter valued at $90,999,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 4th quarter worth about $66,878,000. Natixis Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1,447.3% during the 4th quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 363,177 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $58,159,000 after acquiring an additional 339,705 shares during the period. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4,827.4% during the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 338,411 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $58,230,000 after acquiring an additional 331,543 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

MSA Safety Incorporated develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of safety products designed to protect workers in hazardous environments. The company’s offerings span personal protective equipment such as industrial helmets, face shields, protective clothing and fall protection devices, as well as fixed and portable gas detection and monitoring systems. MSA’s products are used in industries including oil and gas, mining, construction, fire service, and chemical processing to guard against risks such as gas leaks, impacts, flame exposure and falls from height.

Key product lines include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and air-purifying respirators, gas detectors and sensors, head and face protection, and fall arrest systems.