MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results

Key Points

• MSA Safety Incorporated reported earnings of $1.93 per share for the quarter, exceeding analysts' expectations by $0.12.
• The company has announced a quarterly dividend of $0.53, with a dividend yield of 1.2% and a payout ratio of 29.24%.
• MSA's stock increased by 1.4%, reaching $177.66, and it is currently rated as a "Hold" by several analysts, with an average target price of $189.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday. The industrial products company reported $1.93 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.17, Zacks reports. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 26.03% and a net margin of 15.15%. The firm had revenue of $474.12 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $446.46 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $2.01 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 0.0%

Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $176.96. The company had a trading volume of 102,550 shares, compared to its average volume of 204,824. The company has a 50 day moving average of $171.20 and a 200 day moving average of $160.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.24 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. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a current ratio of 3.11.

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 dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 15th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. MSA Safety Incorporporated's payout ratio is presently 30.24%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Monday, May 5th. B. Riley restated a "buy" rating and set a $195.00 price target (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen downgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, July 18th. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They set a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price objective for the company. Finally, DA Davidson upped their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $189.20.

Insider Transactions at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In related news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 13th. The shares were 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 of the company's stock, valued at $5,710,889.32. This trade represents a 45.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of MSA Safety Incorporporated

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the first quarter valued at $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC increased its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,359 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $6,953,000 after purchasing an additional 13,501 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.

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.