MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Cut to Hold at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded MSA Safety from “Buy” to “Hold.” The broader analyst consensus is also “Hold,” with two Buy ratings, four Hold ratings, and an average price target of $211.33.
• MSA Safety reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, posting $2.40 in EPS versus the $2.14 consensus estimate and revenue of $503.33 million, up 6.2% year over year.
• The stock opened at $182.30, while company insiders recently sold shares, including a 20,000-share sale by Chairman Nishan Vartanian. Institutional investors own approximately 92.51% of the company.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report released on Monday, Wall Street Zen reports.

MSA has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $197.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. B. Riley Financial lowered shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $210.00 to $195.00 in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, DA Davidson set a $223.00 target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $211.33.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $182.30 on Monday. The company's fifty day moving average is $182.87 and its 200 day moving average is $175.42. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 3.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $151.10 and a 52 week high of $208.92. The stock has a market cap of $7.03 billion, a PE ratio of 22.67 and a beta of 0.94.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.26. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 16.13% and a return on equity of 25.13%. The business had revenue of $503.33 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $496.27 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.93 EPS. The company's revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 9.2 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $6,953,000 after purchasing an additional 13,501 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC purchased a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% during the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $646,000 after buying an additional 1,359 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 31.5% in the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,757 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $462,000 after buying an additional 661 shares during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

MSA Safety Incorporated develops and manufactures safety equipment and systems designed to protect people in hazardous work environments. Its products include industrial and fixed-gas detection instruments, respiratory protection equipment, hard hats and other head protection, eye and face protection, hearing protection, fall-protection systems, and connected safety technologies.

The company serves customers in industries such as construction, manufacturing, utilities, oil and gas, mining, and emergency response.

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