MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA Shares Acquired by Brown Advisory Inc.

Brown Advisory Inc. grew its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 47.8% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 380,320 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 122,926 shares during the period. Brown Advisory Inc.’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $60,904,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors 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 worth about $158,997,000. Madison Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $90,999,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $66,878,000. Natixis Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1,447.3% during the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 363,177 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $58,159,000 after acquiring an additional 339,705 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4,827.4% during 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 acquiring an additional 331,543 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Up 0.0%

NYSE:MSA opened at $159.94 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $6.17 billion, a PE ratio of 21.61 and a beta of 0.96. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $167.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $173.40. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12-month low of $151.10 and a 12-month high of $208.92. The company has a current ratio of 3.17, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.85 by $0.14. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.54% and a net margin of 15.16%.The firm had revenue of $463.63 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $451.28 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.68 earnings per share. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th were paid a $0.54 dividend. This is a boost from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is 29.19%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, CFO Julie A. Beck purchased 448 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $158.69 per share, for a total transaction of $71,093.12. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer directly owned 3,825 shares in the company, valued at approximately $606,989.25. This represents a 13.27% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have commented on MSA. DA Davidson reduced their target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 11th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 9th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “hold” rating and set a $180.00 price target (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, MSA Safety Incorporporated currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus 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.