MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Stock Has Average Target Price of $211.33

Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the six analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $211.33.

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on MSA shares. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $197.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. DA Davidson set a $223.00 target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. B. Riley Financial downgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their price target for the company from $210.00 to $195.00 in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Down 1.6%

Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock opened at $179.62 on Friday. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $151.10 and a 1 year high of $208.92. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $183.42 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $178.10.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.14 by $0.26. The firm had revenue of $503.33 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $496.27 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.93 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 9.08 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th were given a $0.54 dividend. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 14th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Chairman Nishan Vartanian sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $193.99, for a total value of $3,879,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman owned 50,324 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,762,352.76. This trade represents a 28.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Jonathan Buck sold 469 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.00, for a total transaction of $89,579.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,776 shares in the company, valued at approximately $721,216. This trade represents a 11.05% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $204,000. Pullen Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.6% during the third quarter. Pullen Investment Management LLC now owns 16,613 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,955,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC boosted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 150.3% in the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 363 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $65,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the period. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the third quarter worth approximately $318,000. Finally, Simplicity Wealth LLC increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 64.3% in the third quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 4,524 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $805,000 after purchasing an additional 1,771 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company Profile

MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) develops and manufactures safety products and systems designed to protect workers and facility operations. Its offerings include industrial and firefighter helmets, eye and face protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, protective clothing, and fall-protection equipment.

The company also provides portable and fixed gas-detection systems, flame detection and suppression technologies, thermal imaging cameras, and related software and services.