MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) Shares Acquired by Balyasny Asset Management L.P.

Balyasny Asset Management L.P. lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 145.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 43,794 shares of the industrial products company's stock after buying an additional 25,930 shares during the quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. owned approximately 0.11% of MSA Safety worth $7,260,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 78.4% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 182 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 120.6% in the fourth quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 225 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 97.6% in the fourth quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 251 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 81.3% in the fourth quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 330 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $55,000 after buying an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hilltop National Bank boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 23.5% in the fourth quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 520 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $86,000 after buying an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total value of $114,003.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,673 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $584,007. This trade represents a 16.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Price Performance

Shares of MSA Safety stock traded down $0.54 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $161.03. 271,700 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 179,902. The business has a 50-day moving average of $149.16 and a 200 day moving average of $160.82. MSA Safety Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $127.86 and a fifty-two week high of $200.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.33 billion, a PE ratio of 22.33 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a quick ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 2.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.09. MSA Safety had a return on equity of 28.64% and a net margin of 15.76%. The business had revenue of $421.34 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $402.60 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.61 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 15th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.32%. This is a boost from MSA Safety's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. MSA Safety's dividend payout ratio is presently 29.24%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MSA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. B. Riley restated a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 target price (down previously from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. DA Davidson reduced their price target on MSA Safety from $188.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price target on MSA Safety in a report on Monday, May 5th. Finally, StockNews.com raised MSA Safety from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $191.80.

MSA Safety Profile

MSA Safety Incorporated develops, manufactures, and supplies safety products and technology solutions that protect people and facility infrastructures in the fire service, energy, utility, construction, and industrial manufacturing applications, as well as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration industries worldwide.