Stifel Nicolaus Begins Coverage on MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA)

Research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) in a research report issued on Wednesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm set a “hold” rating and a $182.00 price target on the industrial products company’s stock. Stifel Nicolaus’ target price would suggest a potential upside of 3.74% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other research firms have also weighed in on MSA. B. Riley reissued a “buy” rating and set a $195.00 price objective (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. DA Davidson decreased their target price on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $188.00 to $183.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, May 5th. Wall Street Zen raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, June 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $166.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research note on Monday, May 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $185.20.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

NYSE:MSA traded up $0.30 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $175.45. 2,194 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 187,626. The company has a quick ratio of 1.84, a current ratio of 2.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $165.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $159.17. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 52 week low of $127.86 and a 52 week high of $197.02. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.21 and a beta of 0.95.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The industrial products company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.59 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $421.34 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $402.60 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a return on equity of 27.65% and a net margin of 15.77%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s quarterly revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.61 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In other MSA Safety Incorporporated news, Chairman Nishan J. Vartanian sold 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $161.32, for a total transaction of $4,839,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman owned 35,401 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,710,889.32. This represents a 45.87% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.70% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety Incorporporated

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 8.2% in the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 869 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $144,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Prentiss Smith & Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.3% during the first quarter. Prentiss Smith & Co. Inc. now owns 23,136 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $3,394,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 39.4% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 269 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 54.4% during the first quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 281 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the period. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 0.8% during the second quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 11,765 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $1,971,000 after acquiring an additional 99 shares during the period. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Company Profile

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.