MAI Capital Management Raises Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

MAI Capital Management boosted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 3,844.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 5,522 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,382 shares during the period. MAI Capital Management’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $950,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $6,953,000 after purchasing an additional 13,501 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 1st quarter valued at $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC grew its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,359 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 21.7% in the second quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,231 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $709,000 after acquiring an additional 753 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.8% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 83,089 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $13,920,000 after acquiring an additional 671 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Down 0.2%

NYSE MSA opened at $195.69 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.59 billion, a PE ratio of 27.64 and a beta of 0.96. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $181.60 and its 200 day moving average is $171.34. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a twelve month low of $127.86 and a twelve month high of $208.92. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 3.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $510.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $508.62 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.48% and a net margin of 14.88%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.25 earnings per share. Research analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.94%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Thursday, February 26th that authorizes the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the industrial products company to reacquire up to 6.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on MSA. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 target price for the company. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. DA Davidson raised their price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $202.17.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total value of $223,828.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,234 shares in the company, valued at approximately $658,054.32. This represents a 25.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.70% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.