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

Noble Corp plc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($764.4M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.5× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 11.3%, a 5.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSA Safety Inc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.2% vs -17.6%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $35.4M). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs 9.5%).

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.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 700+ retail stores across the United States.

MSA vs NE — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
NE
NE
1.5× larger
NE
$764.4M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSA
MSA
+19.8% gap
MSA
2.2%
-17.6%
NE
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
5.7% more per $
MSA
17.0%
11.3%
NE
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$70.6M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$35.4M
NE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
9.5%
NE

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Revenue
$510.9M
$764.4M
Net Profit
$86.9M
$86.6M
Gross Margin
46.9%
Operating Margin
22.3%
5.6%
Net Margin
17.0%
11.3%
Revenue YoY
2.2%
-17.6%
Net Profit YoY
-1.2%
-10.4%
EPS (diluted)
$2.22
$0.54

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
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$510.9M
$764.4M
Q3 25
$468.4M
$798.0M
Q2 25
$474.1M
$848.7M
Q1 25
$421.3M
$874.5M
Q4 24
$499.7M
$927.3M
Q3 24
$432.7M
$800.5M
Q2 24
$462.5M
$692.8M
Q1 24
$413.3M
$637.1M
Net Profit
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$86.9M
$86.6M
Q3 25
$69.6M
$-21.1M
Q2 25
$62.8M
$42.9M
Q1 25
$59.6M
$108.3M
Q4 24
$87.9M
$96.6M
Q3 24
$66.6M
$61.2M
Q2 24
$72.2M
$195.0M
Q1 24
$58.1M
$95.5M
Gross Margin
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
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
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
22.3%
5.6%
Q3 25
20.1%
6.3%
Q2 25
18.1%
15.9%
Q1 25
18.5%
21.4%
Q4 24
23.5%
18.4%
Q3 24
21.1%
14.4%
Q2 24
21.6%
30.3%
Q1 24
19.4%
16.9%
Net Margin
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
17.0%
11.3%
Q3 25
14.9%
-2.6%
Q2 25
13.2%
5.1%
Q1 25
14.1%
12.4%
Q4 24
17.6%
10.4%
Q3 24
15.4%
7.6%
Q2 24
15.6%
28.1%
Q1 24
14.1%
15.0%
EPS (diluted)
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$2.22
$0.54
Q3 25
$1.77
$-0.13
Q2 25
$1.59
$0.27
Q1 25
$1.51
$0.67
Q4 24
$2.22
$0.56
Q3 24
$1.69
$0.40
Q2 24
$1.83
$1.34
Q1 24
$1.47
$0.66

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$165.1M
$471.4M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$580.9M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
$4.5B
Total Assets
$2.6B
$7.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$165.1M
$471.4M
Q3 25
$170.0M
$477.9M
Q2 25
$147.0M
$338.2M
Q1 25
$170.6M
$303.8M
Q4 24
$164.6M
$247.3M
Q3 24
$154.4M
$391.9M
Q2 24
$146.8M
$162.9M
Q1 24
$148.3M
$212.5M
Total Debt
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
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
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$1.4B
$4.5B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$4.5B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$4.7B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$4.7B
Q3 24
$1.1B
$4.7B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$4.0B
Q1 24
$994.8M
$3.9B
Total Assets
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$2.6B
$7.5B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$7.6B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$7.7B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$7.9B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$8.0B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$8.0B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$5.6B
Q1 24
$2.2B
$5.4B
Debt / Equity
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
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
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$122.4M
$187.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$106.0M
$35.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.8%
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.2%
19.9%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.41×
2.16×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$295.4M
$432.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$122.4M
$187.1M
Q3 25
$112.5M
$277.1M
Q2 25
$67.2M
$216.4M
Q1 25
$61.8M
$271.1M
Q4 24
$107.9M
$136.2M
Q3 24
$84.3M
$283.8M
Q2 24
$53.3M
$106.8M
Q1 24
$50.9M
$128.7M
Free Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
$106.0M
$35.4M
Q3 25
$100.5M
$139.5M
Q2 25
$37.9M
$99.8M
Q1 25
$51.0M
$157.5M
Q4 24
$93.5M
$-4.4M
Q3 24
$70.1M
$156.8M
Q2 24
$39.0M
$-34.3M
Q1 24
$39.7M
$-37.9M
FCF Margin
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
20.8%
4.6%
Q3 25
21.4%
17.5%
Q2 25
8.0%
11.8%
Q1 25
12.1%
18.0%
Q4 24
18.7%
-0.5%
Q3 24
16.2%
19.6%
Q2 24
8.4%
-4.9%
Q1 24
9.6%
-6.0%
Capex Intensity
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
3.2%
19.9%
Q3 25
2.6%
17.3%
Q2 25
6.2%
13.7%
Q1 25
2.6%
13.0%
Q4 24
2.9%
15.2%
Q3 24
3.3%
15.9%
Q2 24
3.1%
20.4%
Q1 24
2.7%
26.2%
Cash Conversion
MSA
MSA
NE
NE
Q4 25
1.41×
2.16×
Q3 25
1.62×
Q2 25
1.07×
5.05×
Q1 25
1.04×
2.50×
Q4 24
1.23×
1.41×
Q3 24
1.27×
4.64×
Q2 24
0.74×
0.55×
Q1 24
0.88×
1.35×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MSA
MSA

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

NE
NE

Floaters$559.8M73%
Jackups$145.5M19%
Service Other$59.1M8%

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