MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Releases Earnings Results, Hits Expectations

Key Points

• MSA Safety met earnings expectations, reporting quarterly EPS of $2.09 versus the $2.09 consensus estimate, up from $1.77 in the same period last year. The company posted a 25.13% return on equity and a 16.13% net margin.
• Shares rose $7.49 to $186.06 during Monday trading. Analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $211.33.
• MSA declared a quarterly dividend of $0.54 per share, equivalent to $2.16 annually and a 1.2% yield. The dividend is payable December 10 to shareholders of record on November 13.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday. The industrial products company reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $2.09, Zacks reports. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 25.13% and a net margin of 16.13%. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.77 EPS.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of MSA traded up $7.49 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $186.06. 341,179 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 261,324. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a one year low of $151.10 and a one year high of $208.92. The firm has a market cap of $7.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.14 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 3.24 and a quick ratio of 2.02. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $182.77 and a 200-day moving average of $178.18.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 13th will be given a dividend of $0.54 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 13th. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is currently 26.87%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MSA has been the subject of several research reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, October 24th. DA Davidson set a $223.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $197.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. B. Riley Financial lowered shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and cut their target price for the stock from $210.00 to $195.00 in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $211.33.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 20,000 shares of the company'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 transaction of $3,879,800.00. Following the sale, the chairman owned 50,324 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,762,352.76. This represents a 28.44% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 469 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,776 shares in the company, valued at $721,216. This represents a 11.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

MSA Safety Incorporated NYSE: MSA develops and manufactures safety products and systems designed to protect workers and facility operations. Its offerings include industrial and firefighter helmets, eye and face protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, protective clothing, and fall-protection equipment.

The company also provides portable and fixed gas-detection systems, flame detection and suppression technologies, thermal imaging cameras, and related software and services.

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