MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.26 EPS

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The industrial products company reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.26, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $503.33 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $496.27 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 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.93 EPS.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of MSA stock traded down $1.55 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $174.26. The stock had a trading volume of 220,108 shares, compared to its average volume of 227,414. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 3.17 and a quick ratio of 1.92. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.55 and a beta of 0.95. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a one year low of $151.10 and a one year high of $208.92. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $168.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $175.05.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th were issued a $0.54 dividend. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is presently 29.19%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MSA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, July 25th. DA Davidson decreased their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $203.60.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Julie A. Beck purchased 448 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $158.69 per share, for a total transaction of $71,093.12. Following the acquisition, the chief financial officer directly owned 3,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $606,989.25. This represents a 13.27% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of MSA Safety Incorporporated

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MSA. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% in the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the third quarter valued at $69,000. Quarry LP lifted its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.0% during the fourth quarter. Quarry LP now owns 423 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 205 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 125.0% during the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 900 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $151,000 after purchasing an additional 500 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.