Key Points
- Insider sale: CAO Jonathan Buck sold 333 shares at an average price of $161 for proceeds of $53,613, trimming his stake by 6.99% to 4,434 shares (valued at ~$713,874) as disclosed in an SEC filing.
- Dividend increase: MSA raised its quarterly dividend to $0.5625 (annualized $2.25, yield ~1.4%) from $0.53, with an ex-dividend date of Nov. 14 and payment on Dec. 10.
- Quarterly beat: MSA reported Q3 EPS of $1.94 versus $1.90 expected and revenue of $468.45M (up 8.3% year-over-year), with a net margin of 15.02% and a consensus analyst price target around $189.20.
MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) CAO Jonathan Buck sold 333 shares of the company's stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 4,434 shares of the company's stock, valued at $713,874. This trade represents a 6.99% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.
MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance
NYSE MSA traded up $0.19 on Thursday, hitting $161.22. 296,855 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 216,048. The company has a current ratio of 3.08, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. The business's 50 day moving average price is $164.86 and its 200-day moving average price is $167.81. The company has a market capitalization of $6.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.74 and a beta of 0.99. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52-week low of $127.86 and a 52-week high of $182.85.
MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $1.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.90 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $468.45 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $461.37 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.02% and a return on equity of 25.23%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.83 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.
MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 14th will be paid a $0.5625 dividend. This represents a $2.25 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 14th. This is an increase from MSA Safety Incorporporated's previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. MSA Safety Incorporporated's dividend payout ratio is presently 29.90%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of analysts have issued reports on MSA shares. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "buy (b-)" rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered MSA Safety Incorporporated from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MSA Safety Incorporporated currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $189.20.
Read Our Latest Analysis on MSA
Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 700.0% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 144 shares of the industrial products company's stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd boosted its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3,400.0% during the first quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 175 shares of the industrial products company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Corp purchased a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the second quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted 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 worth $33,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.51% of the company's stock.
About MSA Safety Incorporporated
(
Get Free Report)
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.
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