American Century Companies Inc. Reduces Position in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• American Century Companies Inc. reduced its stake in MSA Safety Incorporated by 2.8%, selling 1,562 shares in the first quarter, leaving it with 54,803 shares worth approximately $8,039,000.
• MSA Safety Incorporated has reported a quarterly earnings per share of $1.93, exceeding the consensus estimate by $0.17, with revenues reaching $474.12 million.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, which translates to an annualized yield of 1.2% as of the ex-dividend date of August 15th.

American Century Companies Inc. reduced its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 2.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 54,803 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 1,562 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. owned approximately 0.14% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $8,039,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 33.9% during the first quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC now owns 790,939 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $116,023,000 after purchasing an additional 200,221 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 36.7% during the fourth quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 438,374 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $72,669,000 after purchasing an additional 117,758 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 241.6% during the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 148,212 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $24,569,000 after purchasing an additional 104,829 shares during the last quarter. Nuveen LLC purchased a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the first quarter worth $14,631,000. Finally, Speece Thorson Capital Group Inc. purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the first quarter valued at $10,894,000. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Down 0.9%

MSA traded down $1.50 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $169.10. 191,853 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 215,695. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12-month low of $127.86 and a 12-month high of $187.41. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $173.55 and a 200 day moving average of $161.57. The firm has a market cap of $6.62 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.12 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a current ratio of 3.11, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54.

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is presently 30.24%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MSA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, August 16th. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, July 16th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price objective for the company. DA Davidson lifted their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Monday, May 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $189.20.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

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.