MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) Reaches New 1-Year Low – Here’s Why

MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA)’s share price reached a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $142.20 and last traded at $144.55, with a volume of 964 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $149.66.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on MSA Safety in a report on Thursday, December 12th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $200.00 target price on the stock. DA Davidson started coverage on MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $195.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on MSA Safety from $190.00 to $175.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 18th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $197.00.

MSA Safety Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $5.27 billion, a PE ratio of 18.61 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 2.79, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $157.11 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $166.02.

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

MSA Safety Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th were given a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 14th. MSA Safety’s payout ratio is currently 28.29%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total value of $114,003.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,673 shares in the company, valued at $584,007. The trade was a 16.33 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 6.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Moody National Bank Trust Division lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety by 17.4% during the first quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 1,690 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $248,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc acquired a new position in shares of MSA Safety during the first quarter worth about $165,000. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in MSA Safety during the fourth quarter worth about $237,000. Great Valley Advisor Group Inc. lifted its position in MSA Safety by 10.9% in the fourth 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 period. Finally, EDENTREE ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd increased its position in MSA Safety by 954.1% during the 4th quarter. EDENTREE ASSET MANAGEMENT Ltd now owns 59,957 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $9,930,000 after purchasing an additional 54,269 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MSA Safety Company Profile

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.