MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Short Interest Down 22.4% in February

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) saw a large decrease in short interest during the month of February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 932,674 shares, a decrease of 22.4% from the February 12th total of 1,202,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 228,146 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.1 days. Currently, 2.4% of the company’s stock are short sold. Currently, 2.4% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 228,146 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.1 days.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

MSA Safety Incorporporated stock traded up $0.14 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $176.83. 175,262 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 213,529. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $186.66 and its 200-day simple moving average is $172.41. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 1 year low of $127.86 and a 1 year high of $208.92. The company has a market capitalization of $6.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.98 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a current ratio of 3.01.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $510.91 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $508.62 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.48% and a net margin of 14.88%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.25 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated announced that its board has authorized a share buyback plan on Thursday, February 26th that permits the company to buyback $500.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the industrial products company to repurchase up to 6.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.94%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on MSA shares. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 target price on the stock. DA Davidson lifted their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $202.17.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total transaction of $223,828.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,234 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $658,054.32. This trade represents a 25.38% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% during the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares during the last quarter. eCIO Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. First Horizon Corp bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% in the 2nd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.