Fifth Third Bancorp Buys 135 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 24.7% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 682 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $100,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in MSA. Rhumbline Advisers increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 109,135 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $18,091,000 after buying an additional 1,454 shares during the period. New York State Common Retirement Fund increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 155,344 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $25,751,000 after purchasing an additional 1,220 shares during the period. Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 11.0% during the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 210,244 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $34,852,000 after purchasing an additional 20,900 shares during the period. Redmond Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $362,000. Finally, First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 81.3% during the 4th 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 during the period. Institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of MSA stock opened at $164.98 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $6.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.76 and a beta of 0.95. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $127.86 and a 52 week high of $200.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.84, a current ratio of 2.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $157.01 and a 200-day moving average of $159.27.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.59 by $0.09. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.77% and a return on equity of 27.65%. The company had revenue of $421.34 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $402.60 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.61 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 15th were issued a $0.53 dividend. This is a boost from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.29%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total value of $4,839,600.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 35,401 shares in the company, valued at $5,710,889.32. This trade represents a 45.87% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 10th. DA Davidson reduced their price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $188.00 to $183.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Finally, B. Riley reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $195.00 price objective (down previously from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, May 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MSA Safety Incorporporated presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $191.80.

MSA Safety Incorporporated 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.