MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.02 EPS

MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The industrial products company reported $2.25 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.23 by $0.02, Zacks reports. MSA Safety had a return on equity of 29.14% and a net margin of 15.16%.

MSA Safety Stock Down 1.4 %

MSA stock traded down $2.35 on Wednesday, hitting $163.16. 141,155 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 129,606. MSA Safety has a 12-month low of $153.79 and a 12-month high of $200.60. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $166.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $172.04. 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 stock has a market cap of $6.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.58 and a beta of 1.00.

MSA Safety Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.51 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $2.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.25%. MSA Safety’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 29.48%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently commented on MSA. B. Riley began coverage on MSA Safety in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $200.00 price target for the company. DA Davidson began coverage on MSA Safety in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $195.00 price target for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on MSA Safety in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. They set a “hold” rating and a $200.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $202.50.

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.