MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.12 EPS

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The industrial products company reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.26 by $0.12, FiscalAI reports. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 25.24% and a net margin of 15.02%.The company had revenue of $510.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $508.62 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.25 earnings per share. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Up 4.4%

Shares of NYSE:MSA traded up $8.58 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $205.34. 49,713 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 220,400. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.96 and a beta of 0.98. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $172.47 and a 200-day moving average price of $169.49. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $127.86 and a 1 year high of $208.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 3.08 and a quick ratio of 1.86.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.90%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total transaction of $53,613.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at $713,874. This trade represents a 6.99% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSA. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $6,953,000 after purchasing an additional 13,501 shares in the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the first quarter valued at approximately $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,359 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 31.5% in the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,757 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $462,000 after purchasing an additional 661 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Thursday. Weiss Ratings raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 target price for the company. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $189.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company Profile

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.