MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA Stake Increased by Natixis Advisors LLC

Key Points

• Natixis Advisors LLC massively boosted its stake in MSA Safety, increasing holdings by 1,447.3% in the fourth quarter to 363,177 shares worth about $58.2 million.
• MSA Safety reported strong quarterly results, posting EPS of $1.99 versus $1.85 expected and revenue of $463.63 million, up 10% year over year.
• The company also raised its dividend to $0.54 per share and has a $500 million share buyback authorization, while analysts currently rate the stock a consensus Hold with a $200 target price.

Natixis Advisors LLC grew its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 1,447.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 363,177 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 339,705 shares during the period. Natixis Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.93% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $58,159,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of MSA. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% in the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. eCIO Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the fourth quarter valued at $27,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% in the second 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. Picton Mahoney Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the third quarter valued at $43,000. Finally, Kelleher Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the fourth quarter valued at $50,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $164.83 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 3.17, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $151.10 and a 1 year high of $208.92. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $169.07 and a 200 day simple moving average of $173.18. The firm has a market cap of $6.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.27 and a beta of 0.96.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.14. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.54% and a net margin of 15.16%.The business had revenue of $463.63 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $451.28 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.68 earnings per share. MSA Safety Incorporporated's quarterly revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 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 authorizes the company to buyback $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the industrial products company to repurchase up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually an indication that the company's board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.54 per share. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. This is an increase from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is 29.19%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on MSA shares. DA Davidson reduced their target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Weiss Ratings lowered MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Friday, May 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $200.00.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company 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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.