AlphaQuest LLC Acquires 18,401 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

AlphaQuest LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 354.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 23,592 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 18,401 shares during the quarter. AlphaQuest LLC owned approximately 0.06% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $4,059,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. First Horizon Corp bought a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the second quarter valued at $33,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 94.1% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 198 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 96 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 397.7% in the second quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 219 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $37,000 after buying an additional 175 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP raised its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 34.8% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 298 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $50,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Trading Up 1.3%

Shares of MSA stock opened at $178.14 on Friday. 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 capitalization of $6.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.13 and a beta of 0.97. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12-month low of $127.86 and a 12-month high of $185.54. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $167.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $168.69.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.04. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 25.24% and a net margin of 15.02%.The company had revenue of $468.45 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $461.37 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.83 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is 29.90%.

Insider Activity at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 333 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.00, for a total value of $53,613.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,434 shares in the company, valued at approximately $713,874. This represents a 6.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MSA has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Monday. Wall Street Zen raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, January 10th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $186.50.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company 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.