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

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 1.4%

NYSE MSA traded up $2.74 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $197.40. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 217,895 shares, compared to its average volume of 227,057. The company has a current ratio of 3.08, a quick ratio of 1.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $172.47 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $169.49. The company has a market capitalization of $7.73 billion, a PE ratio of 27.84 and a beta of 0.98. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $127.86 and a 52 week high of $197.55.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given 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 1.1%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.90%.

Insider Transactions at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total value of $53,613.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at $713,874. The trade was a 6.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSA. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. purchased a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the second quarter worth about $158,997,000. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 452,943 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $77,938,000 after acquiring an additional 3,807 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 233.9% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 452,505 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $72,464,000 after purchasing an additional 316,975 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 10.7% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 343,380 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $54,989,000 after acquiring an additional 33,326 shares during the period. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. raised its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4.7% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 290,343 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $48,641,000 after buying an additional 13,074 shares during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on MSA shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price 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.