Diversified Trust Co Raises Stock Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Diversified Trust Co increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 25.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 13,587 shares of the industrial products company's stock after buying an additional 2,750 shares during the period. Diversified Trust Co's holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $1,993,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Champlain Investment Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 99.2% in the 4th quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC now owns 1,354,310 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $224,504,000 after purchasing an additional 674,560 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter worth about $72,693,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 31.5% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,131,515 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $187,573,000 after acquiring an additional 271,264 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter valued at about $43,689,000. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP boosted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 554.3% during the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 284,552 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $47,170,000 after purchasing an additional 241,061 shares during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of MSA traded up $3.94 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $171.47. The stock had a trading volume of 103,935 shares, compared to its average volume of 187,016. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $127.86 and a 52 week high of $200.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 2.94 and a quick ratio of 1.84. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $160.83 and a 200-day moving average price of $158.53. The firm has a market cap of $6.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.63 and a beta of 0.95.

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 15th were paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.24%. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 15th. 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 the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total value of $4,839,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman directly owned 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MSA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Monday, May 5th. B. Riley reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 target price (down previously from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Thursday, May 1st. DA Davidson reduced their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $188.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $191.80.

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.