Wall Street Zen Downgrades MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) to Buy

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) was downgraded by analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Saturday.

MSA has been the topic of several other research reports. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $180.00 price target (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. DA Davidson reduced their price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $203.60.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Up 0.2%

NYSE:MSA opened at $174.90 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $6.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.64 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a current ratio of 3.17, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12 month low of $151.10 and a 12 month high of $208.92. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $167.36 and a 200-day simple moving average of $174.89.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $463.63 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $451.28 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.54% and a net margin of 15.16%.The firm’s revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.68 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Julie A. Beck purchased 448 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $158.69 per share, with a total value of $71,093.12. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 3,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $606,989.25. This trade represents a 13.27% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of MSA Safety Incorporporated

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% during the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 109.3% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 157 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the period. eCIO Inc. purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Allied Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

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.