Principal Financial Group Inc. Sells 5,912 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Principal Financial Group Inc. lowered its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 1.4% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 425,177 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 5,912 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 1.08% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $62,369,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in MSA. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 120.6% in the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 225 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.4% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 269 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 54.4% during the first quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp grew its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 24.7% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 682 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $100,000 after buying an additional 135 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd boosted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 8.2% during the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 869 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $144,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Down 0.6%

Shares of NYSE MSA traded down $1.00 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $173.33. 130,086 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 187,725. The company has a quick ratio of 1.84, a current ratio of 2.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $127.86 and a 1 year high of $200.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.91 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $163.51 and a 200-day moving average price of $158.83.

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, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $421.34 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $402.60 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 27.65% and a net margin of 15.77%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.61 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 15th were issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.22%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.24%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated 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 sale, the chairman owned 35,401 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,710,889.32. This represents a 45.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MSA has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, June 27th. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Monday, May 5th. DA Davidson cut their price objective on 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, B. Riley reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $195.00 price objective (down previously from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average 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.