MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Stock Rating Lowered by Wall Street Zen

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Saturday.

Several other research firms also recently commented on MSA. Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $180.00 price objective (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, DA Davidson lowered their target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $203.60.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

MSA opened at $174.90 on Friday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $167.36 and a 200 day simple moving average of $174.85. The company has a market capitalization of $6.75 billion, a PE ratio of 23.64 and a beta of 0.95. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $151.10 and a 1 year high of $208.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 3.17 and a quick ratio of 1.92.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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. 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 for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $451.28 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.68 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Julie A. Beck acquired 448 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $158.69 per share, with a total value of $71,093.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 3,825 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $606,989.25. This trade represents a 13.27% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted 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 acquiring an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC raised its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 109.3% during the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 157 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. eCIO Inc. acquired a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Allied Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the second quarter worth $27,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake 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 during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

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.