MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA Shares Sold by Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC

Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC lessened its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 784,924 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 6,015 shares during the period. MSA Safety Incorporporated accounts for 1.9% of Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $131,498,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.4% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 269 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio raised its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 11,765 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,971,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System raised its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 11,000 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,614,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd raised its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 11.6% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 970 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $142,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Alaska Department of Revenue raised its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 7,659 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,122,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MSA has been the subject of several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They set a “hold” rating and a $182.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 16th. DA Davidson upped their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $189.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 0.0%

Shares of NYSE MSA opened at $165.09 on Monday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $170.73 and a 200-day simple moving average of $165.26. The company has a market capitalization of $6.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.55 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 3.11 and a quick ratio of 1.90. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $127.86 and a 1 year high of $182.85.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $474.12 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $446.46 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.15% and a return on equity of 26.03%. The business’s revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.01 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 15th were issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 15th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 30.24%.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Stephanie L. Sciullo sold 2,361 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.51, for a total transaction of $400,213.11. Following the completion of the sale, the president owned 9,083 shares in the company, valued at $1,539,659.33. This trade represents a 20.63% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Profile

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.