Pacer Advisors Inc. Sells 3,200 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Key Points

• Pacer Advisors Inc. reduced its stake in MSA Safety Incorporated by 54.6% in the first quarter, now holding 2,660 shares valued at approximately $390,000.
• MSA Safety's stock experienced a 1.5% decline, currently priced at $175.16, with analysts giving it an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $189.20.
• The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53, up from $0.51, marking an annualized yield of 1.2% and a payout ratio of 29.24%.

Pacer Advisors Inc. lessened its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 54.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,660 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 3,200 shares during the quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc.'s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $390,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.4% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 269 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 54.4% during the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 24.7% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 682 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $100,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 8.2% during the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 869 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $144,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 1st quarter worth $165,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the 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 transaction, the chairman directly owned 35,401 shares in the company, valued at $5,710,889.32. This represents a 45.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

MSA traded down $2.89 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $177.05. The company had a trading volume of 114,736 shares, compared to its average volume of 205,123. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a twelve month low of $127.86 and a twelve month high of $187.41. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $170.63 and its 200-day simple moving average is $160.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a current ratio of 2.94. The company has a market capitalization of $6.96 billion, a PE ratio of 25.25 and a beta of 0.96.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.17. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.15% and a return on equity of 26.66%. The business had revenue of $474.12 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $446.46 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.01 earnings per share. MSA Safety Incorporporated's revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 15th will be issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.24%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently commented on MSA. DA Davidson increased their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They set a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, July 18th. B. Riley reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 target price (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $189.20.

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.