vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. (KLC) and MSA Safety Inc (MSA). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($676.8M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.3× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 0.7%, a 16.3% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSA Safety Inc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.2% vs 0.8%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $62.6M).

KinderCare Learning Centers, LLC is an American operator of for-profit child care and early childhood education facilities founded in 1969 and currently owned by KinderCare Education based in Portland, Oregon. The company provides educational programs for children from six weeks to 12 years old. KinderCare is the third-largest privately held company headquartered in Oregon. In 39 states and the District of Columbia, some 200,000 children are enrolled in more than 1,250 early childhood educati...

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.

KLC vs MSA — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
KLC
KLC
1.3× larger
KLC
$676.8M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSA
MSA
+1.4% gap
MSA
2.2%
0.8%
KLC
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
16.3% more per $
MSA
17.0%
0.7%
KLC
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$43.4M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$62.6M
KLC

Income Statement — Q3 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Revenue
$676.8M
$510.9M
Net Profit
$4.5M
$86.9M
Gross Margin
46.9%
Operating Margin
3.9%
22.3%
Net Margin
0.7%
17.0%
Revenue YoY
0.8%
2.2%
Net Profit YoY
-67.4%
-1.2%
EPS (diluted)
$0.04
$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
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$510.9M
Q3 25
$676.8M
$468.4M
Q2 25
$700.1M
$474.1M
Q1 25
$668.2M
$421.3M
Q4 24
$647.0M
$499.7M
Q3 24
$671.5M
$432.7M
Q2 24
$462.5M
Q1 24
$413.3M
Net Profit
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$86.9M
Q3 25
$4.5M
$69.6M
Q2 25
$38.6M
$62.8M
Q1 25
$21.2M
$59.6M
Q4 24
$-133.6M
$87.9M
Q3 24
$14.0M
$66.6M
Q2 24
$72.2M
Q1 24
$58.1M
Gross Margin
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
46.9%
Q3 25
46.5%
Q2 25
46.6%
Q1 25
45.9%
Q4 24
46.9%
Q3 24
47.9%
Q2 24
48.2%
Q1 24
47.3%
Operating Margin
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
22.3%
Q3 25
3.9%
20.1%
Q2 25
9.8%
18.1%
Q1 25
7.3%
18.5%
Q4 24
-13.8%
23.5%
Q3 24
8.1%
21.1%
Q2 24
21.6%
Q1 24
19.4%
Net Margin
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
17.0%
Q3 25
0.7%
14.9%
Q2 25
5.5%
13.2%
Q1 25
3.2%
14.1%
Q4 24
-20.6%
17.6%
Q3 24
2.1%
15.4%
Q2 24
15.6%
Q1 24
14.1%
EPS (diluted)
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$2.22
Q3 25
$0.04
$1.77
Q2 25
$0.33
$1.59
Q1 25
$0.18
$1.51
Q4 24
$-1.17
$2.22
Q3 24
$0.15
$1.69
Q2 24
$1.83
Q1 24
$1.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$174.7M
$165.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$930.9M
$580.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$931.2M
$1.4B
Total Assets
$3.9B
$2.6B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.00×
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$165.1M
Q3 25
$174.7M
$170.0M
Q2 25
$119.0M
$147.0M
Q1 25
$131.3M
$170.6M
Q4 24
$62.3M
$164.6M
Q3 24
$137.2M
$154.4M
Q2 24
$146.8M
Q1 24
$148.3M
Total Debt
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$580.9M
Q3 25
$930.9M
$628.6M
Q2 25
$926.5M
$679.3M
Q1 25
$927.4M
$502.1M
Q4 24
$926.0M
$508.0M
Q3 24
$1.5B
$554.7M
Q2 24
$588.2M
Q1 24
$596.2M
Stockholders' Equity
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$1.4B
Q3 25
$931.2M
$1.3B
Q2 25
$924.3M
$1.3B
Q1 25
$884.9M
$1.2B
Q4 24
$864.5M
$1.1B
Q3 24
$235.6M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.0B
Q1 24
$994.8M
Total Assets
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$2.6B
Q3 25
$3.9B
$2.6B
Q2 25
$3.8B
$2.6B
Q1 25
$3.7B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$3.6B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$3.7B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$2.2B
Q1 24
$2.2B
Debt / Equity
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
0.42×
Q3 25
1.00×
0.48×
Q2 25
1.00×
0.54×
Q1 25
1.05×
0.42×
Q4 24
1.07×
0.44×
Q3 24
6.42×
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
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$100.8M
$122.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$62.6M
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
9.2%
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
5.6%
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
22.15×
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$122.4M
Q3 25
$100.8M
$112.5M
Q2 25
$35.0M
$67.2M
Q1 25
$98.4M
$61.8M
Q4 24
$107.9M
Q3 24
$84.3M
Q2 24
$53.3M
Q1 24
$50.9M
Free Cash Flow
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
$106.0M
Q3 25
$62.6M
$100.5M
Q2 25
$671.0K
$37.9M
Q1 25
$75.1M
$51.0M
Q4 24
$93.5M
Q3 24
$70.1M
Q2 24
$39.0M
Q1 24
$39.7M
FCF Margin
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
20.8%
Q3 25
9.2%
21.4%
Q2 25
0.1%
8.0%
Q1 25
11.2%
12.1%
Q4 24
18.7%
Q3 24
16.2%
Q2 24
8.4%
Q1 24
9.6%
Capex Intensity
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
3.2%
Q3 25
5.6%
2.6%
Q2 25
4.9%
6.2%
Q1 25
3.5%
2.6%
Q4 24
2.9%
Q3 24
3.3%
Q2 24
3.1%
Q1 24
2.7%
Cash Conversion
KLC
KLC
MSA
MSA
Q4 25
1.41×
Q3 25
22.15×
1.62×
Q2 25
0.91×
1.07×
Q1 25
4.65×
1.04×
Q4 24
1.23×
Q3 24
1.27×
Q2 24
0.74×
Q1 24
0.88×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

KLC
KLC

Early Childhood Education Centers$627.0M93%
Before And After School Sites$49.8M7%

MSA
MSA

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

Related Comparisons