MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA Shares Sold by Bank of New York Mellon Corp

Bank of New York Mellon Corp lowered its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 1.6% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 706,239 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 11,604 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $113,097,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of MSA. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. acquired a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 2nd quarter valued at $158,997,000. Madison Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 4th quarter valued at about $90,999,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 4th quarter worth approximately $66,878,000. Natixis Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1,447.3% during the 4th quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 363,177 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $58,159,000 after purchasing an additional 339,705 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4,827.4% in the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 338,411 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $58,230,000 after purchasing an additional 331,543 shares in the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of MSA opened at $161.14 on Monday. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $168.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $173.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a current ratio of 3.17. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $151.10 and a 1 year high of $208.92. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.22 billion, a PE ratio of 21.78 and a beta of 0.96.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $463.63 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $451.28 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.16% and a return on equity of 24.54%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.68 EPS. Analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase program on Thursday, February 26th that permits the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the industrial products company to reacquire up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.54 per share. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.19%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts recently commented on MSA shares. Weiss Ratings downgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Friday, May 29th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $200.00.

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.