Quantbot Technologies LP Acquires New Stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake of 8,028 shares in MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) in Q3, valued at about $1.38 million, and institutional investors now own roughly 92.5% of the stock.
• MSA's board approved a $500 million share repurchase program (about 6.6% of outstanding shares) and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53 (annualized $2.12, ~1.1% yield; payout ratio ~29.9%).
• MSA beat estimates for the quarter with EPS of $2.38 versus a $2.26 consensus and revenue of $510.9M, and analysts have an average "Moderate Buy" rating with a $202.17 consensus price target while the stock trades near $187 (52‑week range $127.86–$208.92).

Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 8,028 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $1,381,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Allworth Financial LP grew its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 34.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 298 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $50,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 19.8% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 477 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $82,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the last quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3.8% during the second quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,327 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $390,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the period. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.0% in the third quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 9,297 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,614,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position 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 during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Down 2.8%

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $187.27 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.26 billion, a PE ratio of 26.45 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a current ratio of 3.01. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52-week low of $127.86 and a 52-week high of $208.92. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $184.12 and a 200 day moving average of $171.96.

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is currently 29.94%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, February 26th that allows the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the industrial products company to reacquire up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally an indication that the company's leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MSA has been the subject of several analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. DA Davidson lifted their price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen cut MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Finally, National Bank Financial set a $235.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $202.17.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

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.

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