MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) Stock Holdings Increased by Russell Investments Group Ltd.

Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA - Free Report) by 41.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,958 shares of the industrial products company's stock after purchasing an additional 6,380 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. owned about 0.06% of MSA Safety worth $3,640,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MSA. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its stake in MSA Safety by 65.8% during the 4th quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 72,825 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $12,072,000 after purchasing an additional 28,914 shares during the period. ExodusPoint Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in MSA Safety in the fourth quarter valued at $3,613,000. Trexquant Investment LP lifted its holdings in MSA Safety by 609.0% in the 4th quarter. Trexquant Investment LP now owns 52,599 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $8,719,000 after purchasing an additional 45,180 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 806,438 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $133,718,000 after purchasing an additional 24,733 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rodgers Brothers Inc. lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Rodgers Brothers Inc. now owns 35,444 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $5,876,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares in the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of MSA Safety stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total value of $114,003.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,673 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $584,007. This trade represents a 16.33 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Robert W. Baird lowered their target price on MSA Safety from $175.00 to $161.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $194.20.

MSA Safety Price Performance

Shares of MSA Safety stock traded up $2.80 on Tuesday, hitting $145.17. The company had a trading volume of 199,291 shares, compared to its average volume of 174,031. MSA Safety Incorporated has a 52 week low of $127.86 and a 52 week high of $200.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 2.79 and a quick ratio of 1.76. The company has a market cap of $5.70 billion, a PE ratio of 20.13 and a beta of 0.97. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $150.46 and a 200-day simple moving average of $162.42.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The industrial products company reported $2.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.23 by $0.02. MSA Safety had a return on equity of 28.64% and a net margin of 15.76%. Research analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety 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.