MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Announces Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.12 EPS

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) released its earnings results on Wednesday. The industrial products company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.26 by $0.12, FiscalAI reports. The firm had revenue of $510.91 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $508.62 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 14.88% and a return on equity of 25.06%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.25 EPS.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of NYSE MSA traded down $1.04 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $202.05. The stock had a trading volume of 62,623 shares, compared to its average volume of 223,054. The company has a quick ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 3.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. 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 $7.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.56 and a beta of 0.98. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $173.28 and a 200 day moving average price of $169.73.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is currently 29.90%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total value of $53,613.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at approximately $713,874. This trade represents a 6.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. raised its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% in the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in 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 purchasing an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Danske Bank A S purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the third quarter valued at about $69,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 125.0% during the second quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 900 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $151,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 18.3% during the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 1,054 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $177,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MSA shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. Weiss Ratings upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Thursday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $189.20.

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.