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Side-by-side financial comparison of CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO (CENT) and MSA Safety Inc (MSA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

CENTRAL GARDEN & PET CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($617.4M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.2× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 1.1%, a 15.9% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSA Safety Inc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.2% vs -6.0%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $-81.0M). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs -17.2%).

Central Garden & Pet Co is a leading U.S.-headquartered supplier of pet supplies and garden products. Its portfolio includes pet food, treats, grooming tools, lawn care items, gardening accessories and pest control solutions, serving retail partners like mass merchants, independent pet stores and garden centers across North America with multiple well-known consumer brands in its two core segments.

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.

CENT vs MSA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
CENT
CENT
1.2× larger
CENT
$617.4M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSA
MSA
+8.2% gap
MSA
2.2%
-6.0%
CENT
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
15.9% more per $
MSA
17.0%
1.1%
CENT
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$187.1M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$-81.0M
CENT
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
-17.2%
CENT

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Revenue
$617.4M
$510.9M
Net Profit
$6.8M
$86.9M
Gross Margin
30.9%
46.9%
Operating Margin
2.7%
22.3%
Net Margin
1.1%
17.0%
Revenue YoY
-6.0%
2.2%
Net Profit YoY
-51.2%
-1.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.11
$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
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$617.4M
$510.9M
Q3 25
$678.2M
$468.4M
Q2 25
$960.9M
$474.1M
Q1 25
$833.5M
$421.3M
Q4 24
$656.4M
$499.7M
Q3 24
$669.5M
$432.7M
Q2 24
$996.3M
$462.5M
Q1 24
$900.1M
$413.3M
Net Profit
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$6.8M
$86.9M
Q3 25
$-9.8M
$69.6M
Q2 25
$95.0M
$62.8M
Q1 25
$63.6M
$59.6M
Q4 24
$14.0M
$87.9M
Q3 24
$-34.2M
$66.6M
Q2 24
$79.7M
$72.2M
Q1 24
$62.0M
$58.1M
Gross Margin
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
30.9%
46.9%
Q3 25
29.0%
46.5%
Q2 25
34.6%
46.6%
Q1 25
32.8%
45.9%
Q4 24
29.8%
46.9%
Q3 24
25.2%
47.9%
Q2 24
31.8%
48.2%
Q1 24
31.0%
47.3%
Operating Margin
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
2.7%
22.3%
Q3 25
-0.9%
20.1%
Q2 25
14.1%
18.1%
Q1 25
11.2%
18.5%
Q4 24
4.3%
23.5%
Q3 24
-4.8%
21.1%
Q2 24
11.6%
21.6%
Q1 24
10.4%
19.4%
Net Margin
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.1%
17.0%
Q3 25
-1.4%
14.9%
Q2 25
9.9%
13.2%
Q1 25
7.6%
14.1%
Q4 24
2.1%
17.6%
Q3 24
-5.1%
15.4%
Q2 24
8.0%
15.6%
Q1 24
6.9%
14.1%
EPS (diluted)
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$0.11
$2.22
Q3 25
$-0.16
$1.77
Q2 25
$1.52
$1.59
Q1 25
$0.98
$1.51
Q4 24
$0.21
$2.22
Q3 24
$-0.51
$1.69
Q2 24
$1.19
$1.83
Q1 24
$0.93
$1.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$721.1M
$165.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.2B
$580.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$3.6B
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.76×
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$721.1M
$165.1M
Q3 25
$882.5M
$170.0M
Q2 25
$713.0M
$147.0M
Q1 25
$516.7M
$170.6M
Q4 24
$618.0M
$164.6M
Q3 24
$753.5M
$154.4M
Q2 24
$570.4M
$146.8M
Q1 24
$301.3M
$148.3M
Total Debt
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$1.2B
$580.9M
Q3 25
$1.2B
$628.6M
Q2 25
$1.2B
$679.3M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$502.1M
Q4 24
$1.2B
$508.0M
Q3 24
$1.2B
$554.7M
Q2 24
$1.2B
$588.2M
Q1 24
$1.2B
$596.2M
Stockholders' Equity
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$1.6B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$1.6B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.5B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$1.5B
$1.1B
Q3 24
$1.6B
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.6B
$1.0B
Q1 24
$1.5B
$994.8M
Total Assets
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$3.6B
$2.6B
Q3 25
$3.6B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$3.7B
$2.6B
Q1 25
$3.6B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$3.5B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$3.6B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$3.6B
$2.2B
Q1 24
$3.5B
$2.2B
Debt / Equity
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
0.76×
0.42×
Q3 25
0.75×
0.48×
Q2 25
0.75×
0.54×
Q1 25
0.77×
0.42×
Q4 24
0.78×
0.44×
Q3 24
0.76×
0.51×
Q2 24
0.75×
0.57×
Q1 24
0.79×
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
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-70.2M
$122.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-81.0M
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-13.1%
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.8%
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-10.26×
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$285.0M
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$-70.2M
$122.4M
Q3 25
$182.7M
$112.5M
Q2 25
$265.5M
$67.2M
Q1 25
$-46.9M
$61.8M
Q4 24
$-68.8M
$107.9M
Q3 24
$203.1M
$84.3M
Q2 24
$286.1M
$53.3M
Q1 24
$-24.5M
$50.9M
Free Cash Flow
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$-81.0M
$106.0M
Q3 25
$171.9M
$100.5M
Q2 25
$251.7M
$37.9M
Q1 25
$-57.5M
$51.0M
Q4 24
$-74.9M
$93.5M
Q3 24
$193.0M
$70.1M
Q2 24
$272.5M
$39.0M
Q1 24
$-33.9M
$39.7M
FCF Margin
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
-13.1%
20.8%
Q3 25
25.3%
21.4%
Q2 25
26.2%
8.0%
Q1 25
-6.9%
12.1%
Q4 24
-11.4%
18.7%
Q3 24
28.8%
16.2%
Q2 24
27.3%
8.4%
Q1 24
-3.8%
9.6%
Capex Intensity
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.8%
3.2%
Q3 25
1.6%
2.6%
Q2 25
1.4%
6.2%
Q1 25
1.3%
2.6%
Q4 24
0.9%
2.9%
Q3 24
1.5%
3.3%
Q2 24
1.4%
3.1%
Q1 24
1.0%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
CENT
CENT
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
-10.26×
1.41×
Q3 25
1.62×
Q2 25
2.79×
1.07×
Q1 25
-0.74×
1.04×
Q4 24
-4.91×
1.23×
Q3 24
1.27×
Q2 24
3.59×
0.74×
Q1 24
-0.40×
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CENT
CENT

Garden Products Segment$201.6M33%
Dogand Cat Products$157.0M25%
Other Pet Products$117.8M19%
Manufactured Product Other$102.5M17%
Wild Bird Products$38.5M6%

MSA
MSA

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

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