Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. Makes New $235,000 Investment in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. acquired 1,599 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated valued at approximately $235,000, marking a new investment in the company during the first quarter.
• MSA Safety Incorporporated reported a quarterly earnings per share (EPS) of $1.93, exceeding analysts' estimates by $0.17, and generated revenue of $474.12 million, up 2.5% from the same quarter last year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, scheduled for September 10th, with an annualized yield of 1.2% and a payout ratio of 30.24%.

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 1,599 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $235,000.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bayforest Capital Ltd raised its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3,400.0% during the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 175 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.4% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 269 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. raised its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 54.4% during the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 24.7% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 682 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $100,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 970 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $142,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MSA has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 16th. DA Davidson boosted their target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price objective on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $189.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of MSA traded down $2.38 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $170.50. 186,663 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 229,900. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 3.11 and a quick ratio of 1.90. The stock's 50-day moving average is $173.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $161.45. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12 month low of $127.86 and a 12 month high of $187.41. The stock has a market cap of $6.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.32 and a beta of 0.96.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $474.12 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $446.46 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 26.03% and a net margin of 15.15%.MSA Safety Incorporporated's quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.01 EPS. Research analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's payout ratio is currently 30.24%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company 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.