MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Stock Passes Above 200-Day Moving Average – Here’s Why

Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Monday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $172.52 and traded as high as $176.18. MSA Safety Incorporporated shares last traded at $173.9810, with a volume of 198,236 shares traded.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MSA has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 price objective on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 target price on the stock. Finally, B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. 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 an average target price of $202.17.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 3.01, a quick ratio of 1.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.57 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a 50-day moving average of $186.84 and a 200-day moving average of $172.52.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 14.88% and a return on equity of 24.48%. The firm had revenue of $510.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $508.62 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.25 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities 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 was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th were issued a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is 29.94%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated declared that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Thursday, February 26th that allows the company to repurchase $500.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the industrial products company to repurchase up to 6.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In related news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 1,100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.48, for a total transaction of $223,828.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 3,234 shares in the company, valued at $658,054.32. This represents a 25.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in MSA. Sanctuary Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC now owns 3,958 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $634,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. grew its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 1,728 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $297,000 after buying an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 19.8% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 477 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $82,000 after buying an additional 79 shares during the period. Clearstead Advisors LLC increased its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. Clearstead Advisors LLC now owns 3,033 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $486,000 after buying an additional 82 shares during the period. Finally, Allworth Financial LP lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 28.2% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 382 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $66,000 after buying an additional 84 shares during the last quarter. 92.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.