Robert W. Baird Cuts MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Price Target to $195.00

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) had its price target decreased by equities research analysts at Robert W. Baird from $205.00 to $195.00 in a research note issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the industrial products company’s stock. Robert W. Baird’s target price indicates a potential upside of 17.83% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on MSA. Weiss Ratings raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th. DA Davidson lifted their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 price target on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $207.00.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Up 0.1%

MSA stock opened at $165.50 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 3.01 and a quick ratio of 1.82. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12 month low of $127.86 and a 12 month high of $208.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.42 billion, a PE ratio of 23.38 and a beta of 0.96. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $186.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $172.56.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.48% and a net margin of 14.88%.The firm had revenue of $510.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $508.62 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.25 EPS. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Thursday, February 26th that authorizes the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the industrial products company to buy up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total value of $223,828.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 3,234 shares in the company, valued at $658,054.32. This represents a 25.38% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its position in shares of 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. bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. First Horizon Corp acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position 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 worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 397.7% in the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 219 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company 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.