MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Raised to Buy at Wall Street Zen

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) was upgraded by research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $189.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $161.30 on Friday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $164.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $167.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 3.08. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1-year low of $127.86 and a 1-year high of $182.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.75 and a beta of 0.99.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 25.23%. The business had revenue of $468.45 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $461.37 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.83 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts anticipate that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, President Stephanie L. Sciullo sold 2,361 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $169.51, for a total value of $400,213.11. Following the sale, the president directly owned 9,083 shares in the company, valued at $1,539,659.33. This trade represents a 20.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction 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 sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at $713,874. The trade was a 6.99% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3,400.0% in the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 175 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Corp acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the second quarter worth approximately $33,000. 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.