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Side-by-side financial comparison of Blue Bird Corp (BLBD) and MSA Safety Inc (MSA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MSA Safety Inc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($510.9M vs $333.1M, roughly 1.5× Blue Bird Corp). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 9.2%, a 7.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Blue Bird Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.1% vs 2.2%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $31.1M). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs -1.9%).

The Blue Bird Corporation is an American bus manufacturer. Headquartered in Fort Valley, Georgia, the company was best known for its production of school buses. The company has also manufactured a wide variety of other bus types, including transit buses, motorhomes, and specialty vehicles such as mobile libraries and mobile police command centers.

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.

BLBD vs MSA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSA
MSA
1.5× larger
MSA
$510.9M
$333.1M
BLBD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
BLBD
BLBD
+3.9% gap
BLBD
6.1%
2.2%
MSA
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
7.8% more per $
MSA
17.0%
9.2%
BLBD
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$74.9M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$31.1M
BLBD
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
-1.9%
BLBD

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Revenue
$333.1M
$510.9M
Net Profit
$30.8M
$86.9M
Gross Margin
21.4%
46.9%
Operating Margin
11.3%
22.3%
Net Margin
9.2%
17.0%
Revenue YoY
6.1%
2.2%
Net Profit YoY
7.1%
-1.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.94
$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
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$333.1M
$510.9M
Q3 25
$409.4M
$468.4M
Q2 25
$398.0M
$474.1M
Q1 25
$358.9M
$421.3M
Q4 24
$313.9M
$499.7M
Q3 24
$350.2M
$432.7M
Q2 24
$333.4M
$462.5M
Q1 24
$345.9M
$413.3M
Net Profit
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$30.8M
$86.9M
Q3 25
$36.5M
$69.6M
Q2 25
$36.5M
$62.8M
Q1 25
$26.0M
$59.6M
Q4 24
$28.7M
$87.9M
Q3 24
$24.7M
$66.6M
Q2 24
$28.7M
$72.2M
Q1 24
$26.0M
$58.1M
Gross Margin
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
21.4%
46.9%
Q3 25
21.1%
46.5%
Q2 25
21.6%
46.6%
Q1 25
19.7%
45.9%
Q4 24
19.2%
46.9%
Q3 24
17.0%
47.9%
Q2 24
20.8%
48.2%
Q1 24
18.4%
47.3%
Operating Margin
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
11.3%
22.3%
Q3 25
12.3%
20.1%
Q2 25
12.6%
18.1%
Q1 25
9.4%
18.5%
Q4 24
10.5%
23.5%
Q3 24
7.3%
21.1%
Q2 24
11.9%
21.6%
Q1 24
10.4%
19.4%
Net Margin
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
9.2%
17.0%
Q3 25
8.9%
14.9%
Q2 25
9.2%
13.2%
Q1 25
7.3%
14.1%
Q4 24
9.2%
17.6%
Q3 24
7.0%
15.4%
Q2 24
8.6%
15.6%
Q1 24
7.5%
14.1%
EPS (diluted)
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$0.94
$2.22
Q3 25
$1.11
$1.77
Q2 25
$1.12
$1.59
Q1 25
$0.79
$1.51
Q4 24
$0.86
$2.22
Q3 24
$0.71
$1.69
Q2 24
$0.85
$1.83
Q1 24
$0.79
$1.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$241.7M
$165.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$580.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$271.4M
$1.4B
Total Assets
$642.3M
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$241.7M
$165.1M
Q3 25
$229.3M
$170.0M
Q2 25
$173.1M
$147.0M
Q1 25
$130.7M
$170.6M
Q4 24
$136.1M
$164.6M
Q3 24
$127.7M
$154.4M
Q2 24
$88.4M
$146.8M
Q1 24
$93.1M
$148.3M
Total Debt
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$580.9M
Q3 25
$628.6M
Q2 25
$679.3M
Q1 25
$502.1M
Q4 24
$508.0M
Q3 24
$554.7M
Q2 24
$588.2M
Q1 24
$596.2M
Stockholders' Equity
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$271.4M
$1.4B
Q3 25
$255.4M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$221.8M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$190.4M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$179.7M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$159.6M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$137.3M
$1.0B
Q1 24
$105.8M
$994.8M
Total Assets
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$642.3M
$2.6B
Q3 25
$625.3M
$2.6B
Q2 25
$575.5M
$2.6B
Q1 25
$543.7M
$2.2B
Q4 24
$535.2M
$2.2B
Q3 24
$524.9M
$2.2B
Q2 24
$468.1M
$2.2B
Q1 24
$456.5M
$2.2B
Debt / Equity
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
0.42×
Q3 25
0.48×
Q2 25
0.54×
Q1 25
0.42×
Q4 24
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
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$36.6M
$122.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$31.1M
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.3%
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.6%
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.19×
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$162.6M
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$36.6M
$122.4M
Q3 25
$65.1M
$112.5M
Q2 25
$56.9M
$67.2M
Q1 25
$27.8M
$61.8M
Q4 24
$26.4M
$107.9M
Q3 24
$55.4M
$84.3M
Q2 24
$989.0K
$53.3M
Q1 24
$54.6M
$50.9M
Free Cash Flow
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$31.1M
$106.0M
Q3 25
$60.5M
$100.5M
Q2 25
$52.3M
$37.9M
Q1 25
$18.7M
$51.0M
Q4 24
$21.8M
$93.5M
Q3 24
$50.2M
$70.1M
Q2 24
$-3.5M
$39.0M
Q1 24
$51.8M
$39.7M
FCF Margin
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
9.3%
20.8%
Q3 25
14.8%
21.4%
Q2 25
13.1%
8.0%
Q1 25
5.2%
12.1%
Q4 24
7.0%
18.7%
Q3 24
14.3%
16.2%
Q2 24
-1.1%
8.4%
Q1 24
15.0%
9.6%
Capex Intensity
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.6%
3.2%
Q3 25
1.1%
2.6%
Q2 25
1.2%
6.2%
Q1 25
2.5%
2.6%
Q4 24
1.5%
2.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
3.3%
Q2 24
1.3%
3.1%
Q1 24
0.8%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
BLBD
BLBD
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.19×
1.41×
Q3 25
1.78×
1.62×
Q2 25
1.56×
1.07×
Q1 25
1.07×
1.04×
Q4 24
0.92×
1.23×
Q3 24
2.24×
1.27×
Q2 24
0.03×
0.74×
Q1 24
2.10×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

BLBD
BLBD

Alternative Fuel Buses$151.4M45%
Diesel Buses$144.9M43%
Parts$24.8M7%
Other$12.1M4%

MSA
MSA

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

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