US Bancorp DE Grows Stock Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA)

US Bancorp DE lifted its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) by 3.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,190 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after purchasing an additional 83 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE’s holdings in MSA Safety were worth $363,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MSA. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its position in shares of 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 worth $562,000 after purchasing an additional 772 shares during the last quarter. Entropy Technologies LP purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety during the 3rd quarter worth $248,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety during the 3rd quarter worth $737,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of MSA Safety by 33.4% during the 3rd quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 87,454 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $15,509,000 after purchasing an additional 21,902 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ING Groep NV purchased a new stake in shares of MSA Safety during the 3rd quarter worth $1,011,000. 92.51% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety

In other news, CAO Jonathan D. Buck sold 717 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.00, for a total transaction of $114,003.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 6.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

MSA Safety Trading Down 0.7 %

NYSE MSA opened at $149.51 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.76 and a current ratio of 2.79. The firm has a market cap of $5.87 billion, a PE ratio of 20.74 and a beta of 0.99. MSA Safety Incorporated has a one year low of $148.59 and a one year high of $200.61. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $161.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $168.99.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 12th. The industrial products company reported $2.25 EPS 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%. Analysts expect that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th were paid a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 14th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.36%. MSA Safety’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.29%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MSA has been the subject of a number of research reports. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of MSA Safety from $190.00 to $175.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. Finally, DA Davidson initiated coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $195.00 price target for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $197.00.

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.