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

MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of MSA Safety 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 completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,673 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $584,007. This trade represents a 16.33 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

MSA Safety Stock Performance

NYSE MSA opened at $160.92 on Tuesday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $163.80 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $170.67. 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. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.32 billion, a PE ratio of 22.32 and a beta of 1.00.

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 return on equity of 28.64% and a net margin of 15.76%. Analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Announces Dividend

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in MSA Safety by 78.4% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 182 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety by 120.6% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 225 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety by 97.6% during the 4th quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 251 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $42,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its stake in MSA Safety by 486.0% in the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 252 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $47,000 after acquiring an additional 209 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its position in MSA Safety by 81.3% during the fourth quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 330 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $55,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares in the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on MSA shares. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. They set a “hold” rating and a $200.00 target price for the company. B. Riley began coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. DA Davidson assumed coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a report on Thursday, December 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $195.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut 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 equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $197.00.

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.