SG Americas Securities LLC Invests $1.27 Million in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 8,675 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $1,273,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in MSA. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 27.1% during the fourth quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 124,041 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $20,468,000 after purchasing an additional 26,470 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter worth about $5,034,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. increased its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 10.9% in the 4th quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 6,900 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $1,144,000 after purchasing an additional 680 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers raised its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 109,135 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $18,091,000 after buying an additional 1,454 shares during the period. Finally, JFS Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 97.6% during the fourth quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 251 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 124 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total transaction of $4,839,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now owns 35,401 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,710,889.32. This represents a 45.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 0.3%

MSA Safety Incorporporated stock traded up $0.51 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $165.63. The company had a trading volume of 255,039 shares, compared to its average volume of 202,732. The firm's fifty day moving average is $157.48 and its 200-day moving average is $159.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.84 and a beta of 0.95. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a fifty-two week low of $127.86 and a fifty-two week high of $200.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 2.94 and a quick ratio of 1.84.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $421.34 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $402.60 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.77% and a return on equity of 27.65%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.61 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, May 15th were issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.28%. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's payout ratio is currently 29.24%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. DA Davidson cut their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $188.00 to $183.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 5th. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 10th. Finally, B. Riley reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 target price (down previously from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $191.80.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

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.