MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) Sees Strong Trading Volume – Still a Buy?

MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE:MSA) saw unusually-high trading volume on Tuesday . Approximately 88,670 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 43% from the previous session’s volume of 156,068 shares.The stock last traded at $176.74 and had previously closed at $177.81.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, B. Riley started coverage on shares of MSA Safety in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $200.00 price target on the stock.

MSA Safety Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a current ratio of 2.68. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $171.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $178.28. The stock has a market cap of $7.01 billion, a PE ratio of 25.77 and a beta of 0.99.

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The industrial products company reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.78 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $432.68 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $449.95 million. MSA Safety had a net margin of 15.16% and a return on equity of 29.14%. The firm’s revenue was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.78 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that MSA Safety Incorporated will post 7.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

MSA Safety Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 15th will be given a $0.51 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 15th. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.14%. MSA Safety’s payout ratio is presently 29.48%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MSA Safety

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Retirement Systems of Alabama lifted its holdings in MSA Safety by 2.4% during the third quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 97,719 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $17,329,000 after purchasing an additional 2,282 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC raised its position in shares of MSA Safety by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 8,060 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,429,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of MSA Safety by 27.6% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 781,705 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $138,658,000 after buying an additional 169,168 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in MSA Safety by 62.0% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 16,688 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,959,000 after buying an additional 6,384 shares during the period. Finally, National Bank of Canada FI purchased a new stake in MSA Safety in the 3rd quarter worth $198,000. 92.51% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.