VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al Makes New Investment in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Key Points

• Virginia Retirement Systems bought 13,500 shares of MSA Safety worth approximately $2.36 million. Institutional investors collectively own 92.51% of the company.
• MSA Safety exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $2.40 in EPS versus the $2.14 consensus and revenue of $503.33 million, up 6.2% year over year.
• The company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.54 per share, representing an annualized dividend of $2.16 and a 1.2% yield. Analysts maintain a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $211.33.

VIRGINIA RETIREMENT SYSTEMS ET Al purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 13,500 shares of the industrial products company's stock, valued at approximately $2,357,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. boosted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4.4% in the third quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 1,728 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $297,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 3,033 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $486,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 109.3% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 157 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3.8% in the 2nd quarter. Snowden Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,327 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $390,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.7% during the 3rd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 11,850 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $2,039,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company's stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $181.35 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a current ratio of 3.24. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $151.10 and a 52 week high of $208.92. The firm has a market cap of $7.00 billion, a PE ratio of 22.56 and a beta of 0.94. The firm's fifty day moving average is $182.65 and its 200-day moving average is $175.51.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.14 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $503.33 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $496.27 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 25.13% and a net margin of 16.13%.MSA Safety Incorporporated's revenue for the quarter was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.93 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 9.2 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th were paid a $0.54 dividend. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. MSA Safety Incorporporated's payout ratio is currently 26.87%.

Insider Activity at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 469 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $191.00, for a total value of $89,579.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 3,776 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $721,216. This represents a 11.05% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 20,000 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $193.99, for a total transaction of $3,879,800.00. Following the transaction, the chairman directly owned 50,324 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,762,352.76. This represents a 28.44% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $197.00 to $215.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. DA Davidson set a $223.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Wall Street Zen raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Sunday, September 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $211.33.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company Profile

MSA Safety Incorporated develops and manufactures safety equipment and systems designed to protect people in hazardous work environments. Its products include industrial and fixed-gas detection instruments, respiratory protection equipment, hard hats and other head protection, eye and face protection, hearing protection, fall-protection systems, and connected safety technologies.

The company serves customers in industries such as construction, manufacturing, utilities, oil and gas, mining, and emergency response.

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