MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) CAO Jonathan D. Buck Sells 717 Shares of Stock

MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total value of $114,003.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,673 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $584,007. The trade was a 16.33 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

MSA Safety Stock Performance

NYSE MSA opened at $160.92 on Tuesday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $163.80 and a 200-day moving average price of $170.67. The firm has a market cap of $6.32 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.32 and a beta of 1.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 2.79 and a quick ratio of 1.76. MSA Safety Incorporated has a 1 year low of $153.79 and a 1 year high of $200.60.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The industrial products company reported $2.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.23 by $0.02. MSA Safety had a net margin of 15.76% and a return on equity of 28.64%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 14th will be given a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.27%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. MSA Safety’s payout ratio is 28.29%.

Institutional Trading of MSA Safety

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. increased its position in shares of MSA Safety by 10.9% during the 4th quarter. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. now owns 25,926 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $4,298,000 after purchasing an additional 2,541 shares during the last quarter. EDENTREE ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd increased its holdings in MSA Safety by 954.1% during the fourth quarter. EDENTREE ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd now owns 59,957 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $9,930,000 after buying an additional 54,269 shares during the last quarter. PharVision Advisers LLC bought a new stake in MSA Safety in the fourth quarter worth about $230,000. Voloridge Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in MSA Safety by 275.1% in the fourth quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 89,929 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $14,908,000 after acquiring an additional 65,953 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP grew its position in shares of MSA Safety by 16.8% during the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 13,464 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $2,232,000 after acquiring an additional 1,932 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on MSA shares. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on MSA Safety in a report on Thursday, December 12th. They set a “hold” rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. B. Riley began coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $200.00 price objective on the stock. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on shares of MSA Safety from $190.00 to $175.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, DA Davidson started coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a report on Thursday, December 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $195.00 target price on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $197.00.

About MSA Safety

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.