California State Teachers Retirement System Grows Position in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• CalSTRS increased its MSA Safety position by 18.4% in the first quarter, bringing its holdings to 41,639 shares valued at approximately $6.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 92.51% of the company.
• MSA Safety reported quarterly earnings of $2.40 per share, beating estimates of $2.14, while revenue rose 6.2% year over year to $503.33 million. Analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $211.33.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.54 per share, equivalent to $2.16 annually and a 1.1% yield. Shares opened at $193.11, within a 12-month range of $151.10 to $208.92.

California State Teachers Retirement System grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 18.4% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 41,639 shares of the industrial products company's stock after acquiring an additional 6,475 shares during the quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System owned 0.11% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $6,827,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Sanctuary Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.6% during the fourth quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC now owns 3,958 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $634,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 1,728 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $297,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 3,033 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $486,000 after buying an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC increased its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 109.3% during the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 157 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Snowden Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3.8% during the second quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,327 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $390,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MSA has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. DA Davidson set a $223.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday. Robert W. Baird increased their target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $197.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday. Wall Street Zen cut shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, July 25th. Finally, B. Riley Financial downgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $210.00 to $195.00 in a research note on Monday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $211.33.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Julie A. Beck acquired 448 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $158.69 per share, for a total transaction of $71,093.12. Following the acquisition, the chief financial officer owned 3,825 shares of the company's stock, valued at $606,989.25. This trade represents a 13.27% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 469 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $191.00, for a total value of $89,579.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,776 shares of the company's stock, valued at $721,216. The trade was a 11.05% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE MSA opened at $193.11 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 3.24, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The business has a 50-day moving average of $169.69 and a 200-day moving average of $175.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.02 and a beta of 0.94. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12 month low of $151.10 and a 12 month high of $208.92.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.40 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $503.33 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $496.27 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 16.13% and a return on equity of 25.13%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.93 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 9.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $0.54 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.87%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Profile

MSA Safety Incorporated develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of safety products designed to protect workers in hazardous environments. The company's offerings span personal protective equipment such as industrial helmets, face shields, protective clothing and fall protection devices, as well as fixed and portable gas detection and monitoring systems. MSA's products are used in industries including oil and gas, mining, construction, fire service, and chemical processing to guard against risks such as gas leaks, impacts, flame exposure and falls from height.

Key product lines include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and air-purifying respirators, gas detectors and sensors, head and face protection, and fall arrest systems.

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