Louisiana State Employees Retirement System Takes Position in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Louisiana State Employees Retirement System acquired a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund acquired 10,600 shares of the industrial products company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,738,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of MSA. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,792,712 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $607,365,000 after buying an additional 82,305 shares in the last quarter. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. now owns 1,811,635 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $290,115,000 after acquiring an additional 106,349 shares in the last quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 9.0% during the 4th quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 899,030 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $143,971,000 after acquiring an additional 74,410 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.3% during the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 764,663 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $122,460,000 after acquiring an additional 9,915 shares during the last quarter. Finally, M&G PLC raised its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. M&G PLC now owns 728,727 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $116,596,000 after acquiring an additional 4,899 shares in the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

NYSE MSA opened at $170.32 on Thursday. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a twelve month low of $151.10 and a twelve month high of $208.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a quick ratio of 1.92 and a current ratio of 3.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.57 billion, a PE ratio of 23.02 and a beta of 0.95. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $167.20 and a 200 day simple moving average of $173.81.

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. The firm had revenue of $463.63 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $451.28 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.54% and a net margin of 15.16%.The company’s revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.68 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 15th were given a $0.54 dividend. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.19%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Julie A. Beck acquired 448 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $158.69 per share, for a total transaction of $71,093.12. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer owned 3,825 shares in the company, valued at approximately $606,989.25. The trade was a 13.27% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. 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. Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $180.00 price objective (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, MSA Safety Incorporporated 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.