Robert W. Baird Has Lowered Expectations for MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Stock Price

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) had its target price dropped by equities researchers at Robert W. Baird from $205.00 to $195.00 in a research note issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the industrial products company’s stock. Robert W. Baird’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 17.83% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. B. Riley Financial reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. DA Davidson increased their target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $207.00.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of MSA stock opened at $165.50 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a current ratio of 3.01. The firm has a market cap of $6.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.38 and a beta of 0.96. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $186.05 and its 200-day moving average price is $172.56. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a one year low of $127.86 and a one year high of $208.92.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.48% and a net margin of 14.88%.The company had revenue of $510.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $508.62 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.25 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Thursday, February 26th that permits the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the industrial products company to repurchase up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are generally an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cooke & Bieler LP grew its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 824,620 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $141,892,000 after acquiring an additional 10,858 shares during the period. New York State Common Retirement Fund raised its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 2.4% during the third quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 156,293 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,893,000 after purchasing an additional 3,600 shares during the last quarter. Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the third quarter worth $782,000. Alps Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the third quarter worth $15,282,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 6.8% in the second quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 449,136 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $75,244,000 after purchasing an additional 28,481 shares during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.