Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ Has $513,000 Stock Position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Key Points

• Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ increased its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 124.5%, owning 3,495 shares valued at $513,000 after purchasing an additional 1,938 shares in the 1st quarter.
• Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of MSA stock for approximately $4.84 million, reducing his ownership stake by 45.87%.
• MSA Safety Incorporporated's recent quarterly earnings showed an EPS of $1.68, beating analysts’ expectations, with revenues increasing by 1.9% year-over-year.

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 124.5% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,495 shares of the industrial products company's stock after buying an additional 1,938 shares during the quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ's holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $513,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Cetera Investment Advisers lifted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 27.8% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 2,865 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $420,000 after buying an additional 624 shares during the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. grew its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 28.6% in the 1st quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 2,187 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $321,000 after purchasing an additional 486 shares during the period. Oak Thistle LLC bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,742,000. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 1st quarter worth approximately $444,000. Finally, Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 1st quarter worth approximately $440,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Down 1.5%

MSA stock traded down $2.71 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $175.16. 220,561 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 175,110. The firm's 50-day moving average is $169.88 and its 200-day moving average is $160.31. The company has a market cap of $6.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.16 and a beta of 0.96. 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 has a 12 month low of $127.86 and a 12 month high of $187.41.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.59 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $421.34 million during 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%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.61 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 15th were issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 15th. This is an increase from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is 29.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 owned 35,401 shares in the company, valued at $5,710,889.32. The trade was a 45.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have issued reports on MSA shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, July 18th. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price target on the stock. DA Davidson increased their price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. 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 note on Thursday, May 1st. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, MSA Safety Incorporporated presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $189.20.

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.