Stephanie L. Sciullo Sells 2,361 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Stock

Key Points

• MSA Safety President Stephanie Sciullo sold 2,361 shares of the company's stock at an average price of $169.51, amounting to a total value of $400,213.11.
• The company reported $1.93 earnings per share for its last quarterly earnings, exceeding analysts' expectations of $1.76.
• MSA Safety recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, translating to an annual yield of 1.2%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) President Stephanie L. Sciullo sold 2,361 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $169.51, for a total transaction of $400,213.11. Following the sale, the president owned 9,083 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,539,659.33. This represents a 20.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MSA traded up $0.23 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $170.81. 1,205,606 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 213,831. The company's 50-day simple moving average is $173.02 and its 200-day simple moving average is $162.33. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $6.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.37 and a beta of 0.95. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a twelve month low of $127.86 and a twelve month high of $185.12.

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Announces Dividend

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 16th. DA Davidson boosted their price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $182.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $189.20.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MSA. Deutsche Bank AG lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 22,611 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $3,748,000 after acquiring an additional 536 shares during the last quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $237,000. Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 241.6% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 148,212 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $24,569,000 after purchasing an additional 104,829 shares during the last quarter. Occudo Quantitative Strategies LP bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter valued at $215,000. Finally, Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter valued at $865,000. 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.