Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC Boosts Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 33.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 790,939 shares of the industrial products company's stock after acquiring an additional 200,221 shares during the quarter. MSA Safety Incorporporated accounts for approximately 1.7% of Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC owned approximately 2.01% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $116,023,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 27.1% during the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 124,041 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $20,468,000 after acquiring an additional 26,470 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp purchased a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter worth about $5,034,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 10.9% during the 4th quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 6,900 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $1,144,000 after acquiring an additional 680 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 109,135 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $18,091,000 after purchasing an additional 1,454 shares during the period. Finally, JFS Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 97.6% during the 4th quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 251 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Down 0.1%

MSA stock traded down $0.21 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $164.91. The company had a trading volume of 757,561 shares, compared to its average volume of 207,207. The company has a current ratio of 2.94, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $127.86 and a 52 week high of $200.60. The stock has a market cap of $6.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.75 and a beta of 0.95. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $157.48 and its 200 day moving average price is $159.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.59 by $0.09. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 27.65% and a net margin of 15.77%. The company had revenue of $421.34 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $402.60 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.61 earnings per share. MSA Safety Incorporporated's quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 15th were given a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 15th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.29%. This is a boost from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. MSA Safety Incorporporated's payout ratio is currently 29.24%.

Insider Transactions at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total transaction of $4,839,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 35,401 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,710,889.32. This trade represents a 45.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on MSA. B. Riley reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 price target (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 10th. DA Davidson cut their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $188.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $191.80.

MSA Safety Incorporporated 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.