MSA Safety Incorporporated’s (MSA) “Hold” Rating Reiterated at Jefferies Financial Group

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)‘s stock had its “hold” rating restated by stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $180.00 price target on the industrial products company’s stock, down from their previous price target of $200.00. Jefferies Financial Group’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 11.64% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research firms have also recently commented on MSA. Wall Street Zen cut shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 price target on the stock. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Finally, DA Davidson boosted their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $203.14.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 0.3%

NYSE:MSA traded up $0.54 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $161.23. 202,898 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 216,915. The company has a fifty day moving average of $185.57 and a 200 day moving average of $172.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a current ratio of 3.01. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a twelve month low of $127.86 and a twelve month high of $208.92. The company has a market capitalization of $6.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.80 and a beta of 0.96.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 business had revenue of $510.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $508.62 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.25 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, February 26th that allows the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the industrial products company to purchase up to 6.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total transaction of $223,828.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 3,234 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $658,054.32. This trade represents a 25.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSA. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its holdings in 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 during the period. eCIO Inc. acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position 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 valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 397.7% in the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 219 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.