Thematics Asset Management Lowers Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• Thematics Asset Management reduced its stake in MSA Safety Incorporated by 17.9%, resulting in ownership of 112,535 shares valued at approximately $16.5 million.
• Several institutional investors, including Bayforest Capital Ltd and UMB Bank, increased their holdings, contributing to institutional ownership rising to 92.51% of MSA's stock.
• MSA Safety's latest earnings report showed an EPS of $1.93, exceeding estimates, and a quarterly revenue increase of 2.5% compared to the previous year, totaling $474.12 million.

Thematics Asset Management lowered its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 17.9% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 112,535 shares of the industrial products company's stock after selling 24,465 shares during the period. Thematics Asset Management owned about 0.29% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $16,508,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Prentiss Smith & Co. Inc. grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Prentiss Smith & Co. Inc. now owns 23,136 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $3,394,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.4% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 269 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 54.4% during the 1st quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares in the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 11,000 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $1,614,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd boosted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 11.6% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 970 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $142,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

MSA traded down $1.59 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $171.29. 41,532 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 206,465. The company has a quick ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 3.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The company's fifty day moving average price is $173.35 and its 200-day moving average price is $161.42. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.44 and a beta of 0.96. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52-week low of $127.86 and a 52-week high of $187.41.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $474.12 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $446.46 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 26.03% and a net margin of 15.15%.During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.01 EPS. MSA Safety Incorporporated's revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 15th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 15th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's payout ratio is 30.24%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently weighed in on MSA. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Monday, May 5th. B. Riley reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $195.00 price target (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Thursday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 16th. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. They set a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price target on the stock. Finally, DA Davidson raised their price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $189.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company 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.