Bank of Montreal Can Lowers Stock Holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Bank of Montreal Can reduced its position in MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 17.8% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 11,410 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 2,465 shares during the quarter. Bank of Montreal Can’s holdings in MSA Safety Incorporporated were worth $1,912,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Bayforest Capital Ltd grew its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 3,400.0% during the 1st quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 175 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 170 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC raised its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 115.4% in the second quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 293 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 157 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 48.0% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 398 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $67,000 after acquiring an additional 129 shares during the last quarter. Hilltop National Bank acquired a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the second quarter valued at approximately $116,000. Finally, CWM LLC increased its stake in MSA Safety Incorporporated by 96.1% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 696 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $117,000 after purchasing an additional 341 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of MSA opened at $158.92 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $167.19 and its 200-day simple moving average is $167.68. The firm has a market cap of $6.22 billion, a PE ratio of 22.41 and a beta of 0.99. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12-month low of $127.86 and a 12-month high of $182.85. The company has a current ratio of 3.08, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The industrial products company reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.90 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $468.45 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $461.37 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.02% and a return on equity of 25.23%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.83 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.06 EPS for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 14th will be issued a $0.5625 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 14th. This is a positive change from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. This represents a $2.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.90%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently weighed in on MSA shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 8th. DA Davidson lifted their price target on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated from $183.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $189.20.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In related news, President Stephanie L. Sciullo sold 2,361 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $169.51, for a total transaction of $400,213.11. Following the transaction, the president owned 9,083 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,539,659.33. This trade represents a 20.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Company insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

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.