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Side-by-side financial comparison of CABOT CORP (CBT) and MSA Safety Inc (MSA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CABOT CORP is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($849.0M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.7× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 8.6%, a 8.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSA Safety Inc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.2% vs -11.1%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $57.0M). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs -8.7%).

Cabot Corporation is an American specialty chemicals and performance materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company operates in over 20 countries with 36 manufacturing plants, eight research and development facilities, and 28 sales offices.

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.

CBT vs MSA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CBT
CBT
1.7× larger
CBT
$849.0M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSA
MSA
+13.3% gap
MSA
2.2%
-11.1%
CBT
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
8.4% more per $
MSA
17.0%
8.6%
CBT
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$49.0M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$57.0M
CBT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
-8.7%
CBT

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Revenue
$849.0M
$510.9M
Net Profit
$73.0M
$86.9M
Gross Margin
24.9%
46.9%
Operating Margin
15.2%
22.3%
Net Margin
8.6%
17.0%
Revenue YoY
-11.1%
2.2%
Net Profit YoY
-21.5%
-1.2%
EPS (diluted)
$1.37
$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
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$849.0M
$510.9M
Q3 25
$899.0M
$468.4M
Q2 25
$923.0M
$474.1M
Q1 25
$936.0M
$421.3M
Q4 24
$955.0M
$499.7M
Q3 24
$1.0B
$432.7M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$462.5M
Q1 24
$1.0B
$413.3M
Net Profit
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$73.0M
$86.9M
Q3 25
$43.0M
$69.6M
Q2 25
$101.0M
$62.8M
Q1 25
$94.0M
$59.6M
Q4 24
$93.0M
$87.9M
Q3 24
$137.0M
$66.6M
Q2 24
$109.0M
$72.2M
Q1 24
$84.0M
$58.1M
Gross Margin
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
24.9%
46.9%
Q3 25
24.5%
46.5%
Q2 25
26.4%
46.6%
Q1 25
25.7%
45.9%
Q4 24
24.6%
46.9%
Q3 24
24.0%
47.9%
Q2 24
25.2%
48.2%
Q1 24
24.1%
47.3%
Operating Margin
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
15.2%
22.3%
Q3 25
15.2%
20.1%
Q2 25
18.1%
18.1%
Q1 25
17.3%
18.5%
Q4 24
16.2%
23.5%
Q3 24
15.0%
21.1%
Q2 24
16.9%
21.6%
Q1 24
15.3%
19.4%
Net Margin
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
8.6%
17.0%
Q3 25
4.8%
14.9%
Q2 25
10.9%
13.2%
Q1 25
10.0%
14.1%
Q4 24
9.7%
17.6%
Q3 24
13.7%
15.4%
Q2 24
10.7%
15.6%
Q1 24
8.2%
14.1%
EPS (diluted)
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$1.37
$2.22
Q3 25
$0.80
$1.77
Q2 25
$1.86
$1.59
Q1 25
$1.69
$1.51
Q4 24
$1.67
$2.22
Q3 24
$2.41
$1.69
Q2 24
$1.94
$1.83
Q1 24
$1.49
$1.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$230.0M
$165.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$580.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$3.8B
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$230.0M
$165.1M
Q3 25
$258.0M
$170.0M
Q2 25
$239.0M
$147.0M
Q1 25
$213.0M
$170.6M
Q4 24
$183.0M
$164.6M
Q3 24
$223.0M
$154.4M
Q2 24
$197.0M
$146.8M
Q1 24
$206.0M
$148.3M
Total Debt
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$580.9M
Q3 25
$1.1B
$628.6M
Q2 25
$679.3M
Q1 25
$502.1M
Q4 24
$508.0M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$554.7M
Q2 24
$588.2M
Q1 24
$596.2M
Stockholders' Equity
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$1.6B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$1.5B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.4B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.4B
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$1.0B
Q1 24
$1.4B
$994.8M
Total Assets
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$3.8B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$3.8B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$3.8B
$2.6B
Q1 25
$3.8B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$3.6B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$3.7B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$3.6B
$2.2B
Q1 24
$3.6B
$2.2B
Debt / Equity
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
0.42×
Q3 25
0.70×
0.48×
Q2 25
0.54×
Q1 25
0.42×
Q4 24
0.44×
Q3 24
0.75×
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
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$126.0M
$122.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$57.0M
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
6.7%
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
8.1%
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.73×
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$401.0M
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$126.0M
$122.4M
Q3 25
$219.0M
$112.5M
Q2 25
$249.0M
$67.2M
Q1 25
$73.0M
$61.8M
Q4 24
$124.0M
$107.9M
Q3 24
$204.0M
$84.3M
Q2 24
$207.0M
$53.3M
Q1 24
$176.0M
$50.9M
Free Cash Flow
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$57.0M
$106.0M
Q3 25
$155.0M
$100.5M
Q2 25
$188.0M
$37.9M
Q1 25
$1.0M
$51.0M
Q4 24
$47.0M
$93.5M
Q3 24
$112.0M
$70.1M
Q2 24
$155.0M
$39.0M
Q1 24
$133.0M
$39.7M
FCF Margin
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
6.7%
20.8%
Q3 25
17.2%
21.4%
Q2 25
20.4%
8.0%
Q1 25
0.1%
12.1%
Q4 24
4.9%
18.7%
Q3 24
11.2%
16.2%
Q2 24
15.3%
8.4%
Q1 24
13.1%
9.6%
Capex Intensity
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
8.1%
3.2%
Q3 25
7.1%
2.6%
Q2 25
6.6%
6.2%
Q1 25
7.7%
2.6%
Q4 24
8.1%
2.9%
Q3 24
9.2%
3.3%
Q2 24
5.1%
3.1%
Q1 24
4.2%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
CBT
CBT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.73×
1.41×
Q3 25
5.09×
1.62×
Q2 25
2.47×
1.07×
Q1 25
0.78×
1.04×
Q4 24
1.33×
1.23×
Q3 24
1.49×
1.27×
Q2 24
1.90×
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

CBT
CBT

Reinforcement Materials$520.0M61%
Performance Chemicals$300.0M35%
Shipping And Handling$25.0M3%
Other Products And Services$4.0M0%

MSA
MSA

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

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