State of Alaska Department of Revenue Trims Stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

State of Alaska Department of Revenue cut its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 2.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,459 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 200 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $1,249,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of MSA. Champlain Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 28.4% in the first quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC now owns 1,738,675 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $255,046,000 after purchasing an additional 384,365 shares in the last quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 33.9% in the first quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC now owns 790,939 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $116,023,000 after purchasing an additional 200,221 shares in the last quarter. Foresight Group Ltd Liability Partnership purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the first quarter worth $27,163,000. Argent Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the second quarter worth $17,181,000. Finally, Nuveen LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in the first quarter worth $14,631,000. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 16th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Saturday, September 27th. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. They set a “hold” rating and a $182.00 target price for the company. Finally, DA Davidson raised their target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $189.20.

Insider Activity

In other news, President Stephanie L. Sciullo sold 2,361 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.51, for a total value of $400,213.11. Following the completion of the sale, the president owned 9,083 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,539,659.33. This trade represents a 20.63% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Price Performance

MSA Safety Incorporporated stock opened at $173.79 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $172.31 and a 200-day moving average price of $163.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.80 billion, a PE ratio of 24.79 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 3.11, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12-month low of $127.86 and a 12-month high of $182.85.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $474.12 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $446.46 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.15% and a return on equity of 26.03%. The business’s revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.01 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 15th were issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 15th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.24%.

About MSA Safety Incorporporated

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.