MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) Short Interest Down 22.4% in February

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) saw a significant decrease in short interest in the month of February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 932,674 shares, a decrease of 22.4% from the February 12th total of 1,202,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 228,146 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.1 days. Approximately 2.4% of the company’s stock are short sold. Approximately 2.4% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 228,146 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.1 days.

Insider Activity

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of MSA. Royal Bank of Canada raised its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.8% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 47,391 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $6,953,000 after buying an additional 13,501 shares during the period. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the 1st quarter worth $501,000. Jane Street Group LLC increased its holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 44.7% in the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 4,401 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $646,000 after acquiring an additional 1,359 shares during the last quarter. Savant Capital LLC bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 2nd quarter valued at about $257,000. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MSA has been the topic of several analyst reports. National Bank Financial set a $235.00 target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. started coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Tuesday, February 3rd. They set a “neutral” rating and a $200.00 price objective on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Finally, DA Davidson increased their target price on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $186.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $202.17.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

MSA Safety Incorporporated stock traded down $0.35 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $176.87. 193,186 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 185,355. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $186.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $172.41. The company has a quick ratio of 1.82, a current ratio of 3.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a one year low of $127.86 and a one year high of $208.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.86 billion, a PE ratio of 24.98 and a beta of 0.96.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The industrial products company reported $2.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.26 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $510.91 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $508.62 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 24.48% and a net margin of 14.88%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.25 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

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

MSA Safety Incorporporated Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were given a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio is presently 29.94%.

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.