GHP Investment Advisors Inc. Invests $1.24 Million in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• GHP Investment Advisors opened a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) in Q4, buying 7,760 shares valued at about $1.243 million, and institutional investors now own roughly 92.5% of the stock.
• MSA's board authorized a $500 million stock buyback (roughly 6.6% of shares), a move that typically signals management believes the shares may be undervalued.
• MSA beat quarterly estimates with EPS $2.38 vs. $2.26 and $510.9M revenue, while analysts’ consensus is a “Hold” with a $203.14 price target and the stock trades at about a 24.4x P/E.

GHP Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 7,760 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $1,243,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in MSA. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $6,953,000 after acquiring an additional 13,501 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 1st quarter worth $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,359 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 31.5% in the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,757 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $462,000 after purchasing an additional 661 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of MSA opened at $172.64 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $181.54 and a 200-day simple moving average of $172.25. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 3.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company has a market capitalization of $6.69 billion, a PE ratio of 24.38 and a beta of 1.05. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52-week low of $141.52 and a 52-week high of $208.92.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 14.88% and a return on equity of 24.48%. The business had revenue of $510.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $508.62 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.25 EPS. The business's revenue was up 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated declared that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Thursday, February 26th that allows the company to buyback $500.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the industrial products company to repurchase up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally a sign that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total transaction of $223,828.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 3,234 shares in the company, valued at approximately $658,054.32. This trade represents a 25.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on MSA. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $205.00 to $195.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 30th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, DA Davidson increased their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $203.14.

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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