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Side-by-side financial comparison of A. O. Smith (AOS) and MSA Safety Inc (MSA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

A. O. Smith is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($912.5M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.8× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 13.7%, a 3.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSA Safety Inc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.2% vs 0.0%). A. O. Smith produced more free cash flow last quarter ($165.5M vs $106.0M). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs -3.4%).

A. O. Smith Corporation is an American manufacturer of both residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, and the largest manufacturer and marketer of water heaters in North America. It also supplies water treatment and purification products in the Asian market. The company has 27 locations worldwide, including five manufacturing facilities in North America, as well as plants in Bengaluru in India, Nanjing in China and Veldhoven in The Netherlands.

Mine Safety Appliances, or MSA Safety Incorporated, is an American manufacturer and supplier of safety equipment designed for use in a variety of hazardous conditions in industries such as construction, the military, fire service, and chemical, oil, and gas production. MSA is based in the Pittsburgh suburb of Cranberry.

AOS vs MSA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AOS
AOS
1.8× larger
AOS
$912.5M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSA
MSA
+2.2% gap
MSA
2.2%
0.0%
AOS
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
3.3% more per $
MSA
17.0%
13.7%
AOS
More free cash flow
AOS
AOS
$59.5M more FCF
AOS
$165.5M
$106.0M
MSA
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
-3.4%
AOS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Revenue
$912.5M
$510.9M
Net Profit
$125.4M
$86.9M
Gross Margin
38.4%
46.9%
Operating Margin
17.9%
22.3%
Net Margin
13.7%
17.0%
Revenue YoY
0.0%
2.2%
Net Profit YoY
14.3%
-1.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.89
$2.22

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$912.5M
$510.9M
Q3 25
$942.5M
$468.4M
Q2 25
$1.0B
$474.1M
Q1 25
$963.9M
$421.3M
Q4 24
$912.4M
$499.7M
Q3 24
$902.6M
$432.7M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$462.5M
Q1 24
$978.8M
$413.3M
Net Profit
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$125.4M
$86.9M
Q3 25
$132.0M
$69.6M
Q2 25
$152.2M
$62.8M
Q1 25
$136.6M
$59.6M
Q4 24
$109.7M
$87.9M
Q3 24
$120.1M
$66.6M
Q2 24
$156.2M
$72.2M
Q1 24
$147.6M
$58.1M
Gross Margin
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
38.4%
46.9%
Q3 25
38.7%
46.5%
Q2 25
39.3%
46.6%
Q1 25
38.9%
45.9%
Q4 24
37.1%
46.9%
Q3 24
37.4%
47.9%
Q2 24
38.7%
48.2%
Q1 24
39.3%
47.3%
Operating Margin
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
17.9%
22.3%
Q3 25
18.6%
20.1%
Q2 25
20.4%
18.1%
Q1 25
19.1%
18.5%
Q4 24
10.1%
23.5%
Q3 24
19.5%
21.1%
Q2 24
21.9%
21.6%
Q1 24
22.0%
19.4%
Net Margin
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
13.7%
17.0%
Q3 25
14.0%
14.9%
Q2 25
15.0%
13.2%
Q1 25
14.2%
14.1%
Q4 24
12.0%
17.6%
Q3 24
13.3%
15.4%
Q2 24
15.2%
15.6%
Q1 24
15.1%
14.1%
EPS (diluted)
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$0.89
$2.22
Q3 25
$0.94
$1.77
Q2 25
$1.07
$1.59
Q1 25
$0.95
$1.51
Q4 24
$0.75
$2.22
Q3 24
$0.82
$1.69
Q2 24
$1.06
$1.83
Q1 24
$1.00
$1.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$193.2M
$165.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$155.0M
$580.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.9B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$3.1B
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.08×
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$193.2M
$165.1M
Q3 25
$172.8M
$170.0M
Q2 25
$177.9M
$147.0M
Q1 25
$200.2M
$170.6M
Q4 24
$276.1M
$164.6M
Q3 24
$255.6M
$154.4M
Q2 24
$233.3M
$146.8M
Q1 24
$303.1M
$148.3M
Total Debt
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$155.0M
$580.9M
Q3 25
$628.6M
Q2 25
$679.3M
Q1 25
$502.1M
Q4 24
$193.2M
$508.0M
Q3 24
$554.7M
Q2 24
$588.2M
Q1 24
$596.2M
Stockholders' Equity
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$1.9B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.8B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$1.8B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.9B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.9B
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$1.0B
Q1 24
$1.9B
$994.8M
Total Assets
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$3.1B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$3.2B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$3.2B
$2.6B
Q1 25
$3.3B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$3.2B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$3.2B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$3.2B
$2.2B
Q1 24
$3.2B
$2.2B
Debt / Equity
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
0.08×
0.42×
Q3 25
0.48×
Q2 25
0.54×
Q1 25
0.42×
Q4 24
0.10×
0.44×
Q3 24
0.51×
Q2 24
0.57×
Q1 24
0.60×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$183.1M
$122.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$165.5M
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
18.1%
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.9%
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.46×
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$546.0M
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$183.1M
$122.4M
Q3 25
$255.4M
$112.5M
Q2 25
$139.6M
$67.2M
Q1 25
$38.7M
$61.8M
Q4 24
$221.9M
$107.9M
Q3 24
$195.9M
$84.3M
Q2 24
$57.4M
$53.3M
Q1 24
$106.6M
$50.9M
Free Cash Flow
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$165.5M
$106.0M
Q3 25
$240.6M
$100.5M
Q2 25
$122.5M
$37.9M
Q1 25
$17.4M
$51.0M
Q4 24
$191.3M
$93.5M
Q3 24
$163.4M
$70.1M
Q2 24
$34.5M
$39.0M
Q1 24
$84.6M
$39.7M
FCF Margin
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
18.1%
20.8%
Q3 25
25.5%
21.4%
Q2 25
12.1%
8.0%
Q1 25
1.8%
12.1%
Q4 24
21.0%
18.7%
Q3 24
18.1%
16.2%
Q2 24
3.4%
8.4%
Q1 24
8.6%
9.6%
Capex Intensity
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.9%
3.2%
Q3 25
1.6%
2.6%
Q2 25
1.7%
6.2%
Q1 25
2.2%
2.6%
Q4 24
3.4%
2.9%
Q3 24
3.6%
3.3%
Q2 24
2.2%
3.1%
Q1 24
2.2%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
AOS
AOS
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.46×
1.41×
Q3 25
1.93×
1.62×
Q2 25
0.92×
1.07×
Q1 25
0.28×
1.04×
Q4 24
2.02×
1.23×
Q3 24
1.63×
1.27×
Q2 24
0.37×
0.74×
Q1 24
0.72×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AOS
AOS

North America Segment$713.7M78%
Rest Of World$158.3M17%
Other$40.5M4%

MSA
MSA

Americas Segment$335.2M66%
International Segment$175.7M34%

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