AlphaQuest LLC Buys 18,401 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

AlphaQuest LLC boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 354.5% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 23,592 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 18,401 shares during the quarter. AlphaQuest LLC’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $4,059,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First Horizon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% during the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 397.7% in the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 219 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 175 shares during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 34.8% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 298 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $50,000 after buying an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total value of $53,613.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at $713,874. This trade represents a 6.99% 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 owned by insiders.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of MSA stock opened at $178.14 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $167.43 and its 200 day moving average is $168.69. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1-year low of $127.86 and a 1-year high of $185.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 3.08 and a quick ratio of 1.86. The company has a market cap of $6.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.13 and a beta of 0.97.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.90 by $0.04. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.02% and a return on equity of 25.24%. The business had revenue of $468.45 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $461.37 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.83 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is 29.90%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MSA has been the subject of several recent research reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Monday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $186.50.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Profile

MSA Safety Incorporated develops, manufactures and supplies a wide range of safety products designed to protect workers in hazardous environments. The company’s offerings span personal protective equipment such as industrial helmets, face shields, protective clothing and fall protection devices, as well as fixed and portable gas detection and monitoring systems. MSA’s products are used in industries including oil and gas, mining, construction, fire service, and chemical processing to guard against risks such as gas leaks, impacts, flame exposure and falls from height.

Key product lines include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and air-purifying respirators, gas detectors and sensors, head and face protection, and fall arrest systems.