US Bancorp DE Boosts Stake in MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA)

US Bancorp DE raised its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) by 3.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,190 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 83 shares during the quarter. US Bancorp DE’s holdings in MSA Safety were worth $363,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. raised its position in MSA Safety by 32.2% during the 3rd quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 3,172 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $562,000 after purchasing an additional 772 shares during the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP bought a new position in MSA Safety in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $248,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new position in MSA Safety in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $737,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in MSA Safety by 33.4% in the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 87,454 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $15,509,000 after acquiring an additional 21,902 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ING Groep NV bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety during the 3rd quarter valued at $1,011,000. Institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MSA has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on MSA Safety from $190.00 to $175.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 18th. DA Davidson started coverage on MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a $195.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. 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 stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $197.00.

MSA Safety Price Performance

Shares of MSA opened at $149.51 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $161.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $168.99. The company has a market capitalization of $5.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.74 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a current ratio of 2.79. MSA Safety Incorporated has a fifty-two week low of $148.59 and a fifty-two week high of $200.61.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 12th. The industrial products company reported $2.25 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.23 by $0.02. MSA Safety had a net margin of 15.76% and a return on equity of 28.64%. Research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th were issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 14th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.36%. MSA Safety’s dividend payout ratio is currently 28.29%.

Insider Activity at MSA Safety

In other MSA Safety news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total value of $114,003.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,673 shares in the company, valued at $584,007. The trade was a 16.33 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 6.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About MSA Safety

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.