Bessemer Group Inc. Decreases Stock Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Bessemer Group Inc. lowered its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 39.2% during the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 104,862 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 67,476 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc.’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $18,043,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MSA. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the second quarter valued at about $158,997,000. Cooke & Bieler LP grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Cooke & Bieler LP now owns 824,620 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $141,892,000 after acquiring an additional 10,858 shares during the period. M&G PLC increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 5,607.2% during the 2nd quarter. M&G PLC now owns 722,251 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $121,338,000 after purchasing an additional 709,596 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 12.2% in the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 614,887 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $103,012,000 after purchasing an additional 66,977 shares during the period. Finally, Channing Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4.6% in the second quarter. Channing Capital Management LLC now owns 516,459 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $86,522,000 after purchasing an additional 22,804 shares during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total transaction of $53,613.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 4,434 shares of the company’s stock, 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $193.75 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $170.55 and a 200 day moving average of $169.18. The company has a current ratio of 3.08, a quick ratio of 1.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The stock has a market cap of $7.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.33 and a beta of 0.98. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12 month low of $127.86 and a 12 month high of $194.39.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.90%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen cut MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday. Weiss Ratings raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 target price for the company. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $189.20.

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.