Swedbank AB Has $3.19 Million Stock Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• Swedbank AB sharply boosted its stake in MSA Safety, increasing holdings by 730.1% in the fourth quarter to 19,889 shares worth about $3.19 million.
• MSA posted stronger-than-expected quarterly results, reporting EPS of $1.99 versus estimates of $1.85 and revenue of $463.63 million, with revenue rising 10% year over year.
• The company raised its dividend and continues buybacks, lifting the quarterly payout to $0.54 per share and maintaining a $500 million share repurchase authorization, while analyst sentiment remains mixed with a consensus rating of Hold.

Swedbank AB increased its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 730.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 19,889 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 17,493 shares during the period. Swedbank AB owned approximately 0.05% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $3,185,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSA. Royal Bank of Canada raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $6,953,000 after purchasing an additional 13,501 shares in the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the first quarter worth about $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $646,000 after purchasing an additional 1,359 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in 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 worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 31.5% in the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,757 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $462,000 after purchasing an additional 661 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

NYSE MSA opened at $171.50 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $6.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.18 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a 50 day moving average of $169.87 and a 200-day moving average of $172.99. The company has a current ratio of 3.17, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1-year low of $151.10 and a 1-year high of $208.92.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $463.63 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $451.28 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.16% and a return on equity of 24.54%. The company's revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.68 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Investors of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a $0.54 dividend. This is an increase from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.19%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Thursday, February 26th that authorizes the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the industrial products company to buy up to 6.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company's board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. DA Davidson dropped their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. B. Riley Financial reissued a "buy" rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "hold" rating and set a $180.00 price objective (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Saturday, May 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $200.00.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

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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