Southernsun Asset Management LLC Sells 15,147 Shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated $MSA

Southernsun Asset Management LLC lessened its stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) by 8.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 170,520 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after selling 15,147 shares during the quarter. MSA Safety Incorporporated comprises about 4.1% of Southernsun Asset Management LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest holding. Southernsun Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.44% of MSA Safety Incorporporated worth $27,957,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of MSA. Ruane Cunniff & Goldfarb L.P. bought a new position in MSA Safety Incorporporated in the 2nd quarter valued at about $158,997,000. Madison Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter worth approximately $90,999,000. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated during the fourth quarter worth approximately $66,878,000. Natixis Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 1,447.3% in the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 363,177 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $58,159,000 after purchasing an additional 339,705 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. grew its position in shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated by 233.9% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 452,505 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $72,464,000 after purchasing an additional 316,975 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 92.51% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently weighed in on MSA shares. Robert W. Baird set a $197.00 price target on MSA Safety Incorporporated in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Weiss Ratings raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Friday. DA Davidson lowered their price objective on MSA Safety Incorporporated from $235.00 to $206.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 11th. Wall Street Zen raised MSA Safety Incorporporated from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, May 9th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $180.00 target price (down from $200.00) on shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, MSA Safety Incorporporated has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $203.60.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSA Safety Incorporporated

In related news, CFO Julie A. Beck bought 448 shares of MSA Safety Incorporporated stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $158.69 per share, with a total value of $71,093.12. Following the acquisition, the chief financial officer owned 3,825 shares in the company, valued at $606,989.25. This trade represents a 13.27% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.70% of the company’s stock.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MSA opened at $169.62 on Wednesday. MSA Safety Incorporporated has a 12-month low of $151.10 and a 12-month high of $208.92. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $167.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $174.68. The firm has a market cap of $6.55 billion, a PE ratio of 22.92 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a quick ratio of 1.92, a current ratio of 3.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45.

MSA Safety Incorporporated (NYSE:MSA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 4th. The industrial products company reported $1.99 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.85 by $0.14. The company had revenue of $463.63 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $451.28 million. MSA Safety Incorporporated had a net margin of 15.16% and a return on equity of 24.54%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.68 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that MSA Safety Incorporporated will post 8.86 earnings per share for the current year.

MSA Safety Incorporporated Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th were issued a $0.54 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 15th. This represents a $2.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. This is a boost from MSA Safety Incorporporated’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.53. MSA Safety Incorporporated’s payout ratio is presently 29.19%.

MSA Safety Incorporporated 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.