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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSA Safety Inc (MSA) and Principal Financial Group (PFG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Principal Financial Group is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($750.8M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.5× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 0.3%, a 16.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Principal Financial Group posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs 2.2%). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs -58.3%).

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.

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) is an American global financial investment management and insurance company headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.

MSA vs PFG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
PFG
PFG
1.5× larger
PFG
$750.8M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
PFG
PFG
+1.8% gap
PFG
4.0%
2.2%
MSA
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
16.8% more per $
MSA
17.0%
0.3%
PFG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
-58.3%
PFG

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Revenue
$510.9M
$750.8M
Net Profit
$86.9M
$1.9M
Gross Margin
46.9%
Operating Margin
22.3%
Net Margin
17.0%
0.3%
Revenue YoY
2.2%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
-1.2%
783.0%
EPS (diluted)
$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
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
$750.8M
Q4 25
$510.9M
$4.6B
Q3 25
$468.4M
$3.7B
Q2 25
$474.1M
$3.7B
Q1 25
$421.3M
$3.7B
Q4 24
$499.7M
$4.8B
Q3 24
$432.7M
$3.0B
Q2 24
$462.5M
$4.3B
Net Profit
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
$1.9M
Q4 25
$86.9M
$517.0M
Q3 25
$69.6M
$213.8M
Q2 25
$62.8M
$406.2M
Q1 25
$59.6M
$48.1M
Q4 24
$87.9M
$905.4M
Q3 24
$66.6M
$-220.0M
Q2 24
$72.2M
$353.1M
Gross Margin
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
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%
Operating Margin
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
22.3%
Q3 25
20.1%
Q2 25
18.1%
Q1 25
18.5%
Q4 24
23.5%
Q3 24
21.1%
Q2 24
21.6%
Net Margin
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
0.3%
Q4 25
17.0%
11.3%
Q3 25
14.9%
5.8%
Q2 25
13.2%
11.1%
Q1 25
14.1%
1.3%
Q4 24
17.6%
19.1%
Q3 24
15.4%
-7.3%
Q2 24
15.6%
8.2%
EPS (diluted)
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.22
$2.30
Q3 25
$1.77
$0.95
Q2 25
$1.59
$1.79
Q1 25
$1.51
$0.21
Q4 24
$2.22
$3.92
Q3 24
$1.69
$-0.95
Q2 24
$1.83
$1.49

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

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

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$165.1M
$4.4B
Q3 25
$170.0M
$5.1B
Q2 25
$147.0M
$3.7B
Q1 25
$170.6M
$3.9B
Q4 24
$164.6M
$4.2B
Q3 24
$154.4M
$6.2B
Q2 24
$146.8M
$4.8B
Total Debt
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$580.9M
$3.9B
Q3 25
$628.6M
$3.9B
Q2 25
$679.3M
$3.9B
Q1 25
$502.1M
$4.3B
Q4 24
$508.0M
$4.0B
Q3 24
$554.7M
$3.9B
Q2 24
$588.2M
$3.9B
Stockholders' Equity
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.4B
$11.9B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$11.7B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$11.4B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$11.2B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$11.1B
Q3 24
$1.1B
$11.2B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$11.0B
Total Assets
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.6B
$341.4B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$334.5B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$323.1B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$313.0B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$313.7B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$322.9B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$308.8B
Debt / Equity
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.42×
0.33×
Q3 25
0.48×
0.34×
Q2 25
0.54×
0.34×
Q1 25
0.42×
0.39×
Q4 24
0.44×
0.36×
Q3 24
0.51×
0.35×
Q2 24
0.57×
0.36×

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
PFG
PFG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$122.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$122.4M
$1.7B
Q3 25
$112.5M
$1.0B
Q2 25
$67.2M
$811.9M
Q1 25
$61.8M
$977.3M
Q4 24
$107.9M
$1.5B
Q3 24
$84.3M
$1.1B
Q2 24
$53.3M
$1.4B
Free Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$106.0M
Q3 25
$100.5M
Q2 25
$37.9M
Q1 25
$51.0M
Q4 24
$93.5M
Q3 24
$70.1M
Q2 24
$39.0M
FCF Margin
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
20.8%
Q3 25
21.4%
Q2 25
8.0%
Q1 25
12.1%
Q4 24
18.7%
Q3 24
16.2%
Q2 24
8.4%
Capex Intensity
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
3.2%
Q3 25
2.6%
Q2 25
6.2%
Q1 25
2.6%
Q4 24
2.9%
Q3 24
3.3%
Q2 24
3.1%
Cash Conversion
MSA
MSA
PFG
PFG
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.41×
3.37×
Q3 25
1.62×
4.70×
Q2 25
1.07×
2.00×
Q1 25
1.04×
20.32×
Q4 24
1.23×
1.61×
Q3 24
1.27×
Q2 24
0.74×
4.05×

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%

PFG
PFG

Segment breakdown not available.

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