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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSA Safety Inc (MSA) and STEPAN CO (SCL). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
STEPAN CO is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($604.5M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.2× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 3.3%, a 13.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSA Safety Inc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (2.2% vs 1.9%). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs 4.2%).
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.
Stepan Company is an American manufacturer of specialty chemicals headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. The company was founded in 1932 by Alfred C. Stepan, Jr., and has approximately 2,000 employees. It is currently run by his grandson, F. Quinn Stepan, Jr. The company describes itself as the largest global merchant manufacturer of anionic surfactants, which are used to enhance the foaming and cleaning capabilities of detergents, shampoos, toothpastes, and cosmetics.
MSA vs SCL — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $510.9M | $604.5M |
| Net Profit | $86.9M | $19.7M |
| Gross Margin | 46.9% | 10.7% |
| Operating Margin | 22.3% | 4.7% |
| Net Margin | 17.0% | 3.3% |
| Revenue YoY | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Net Profit YoY | -1.2% | — |
| EPS (diluted) | $2.22 | $0.86 |
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.
| Q1 26 | — | $604.5M | ||
| Q4 25 | $510.9M | $553.9M | ||
| Q3 25 | $468.4M | $590.3M | ||
| Q2 25 | $474.1M | $594.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $421.3M | $593.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $499.7M | $525.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $432.7M | $546.8M | ||
| Q2 24 | $462.5M | $556.4M |
| Q1 26 | — | $19.7M | ||
| Q4 25 | $86.9M | $5.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $69.6M | $10.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $62.8M | $11.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | $59.6M | $19.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $87.9M | $3.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $66.6M | $23.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $72.2M | $9.5M |
| Q1 26 | — | 10.7% | ||
| Q4 25 | 46.9% | 9.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 46.5% | 12.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 46.6% | 12.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 45.9% | 12.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 46.9% | 10.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 47.9% | 13.8% | ||
| Q2 24 | 48.2% | 12.5% |
| Q1 26 | — | 4.7% | ||
| Q4 25 | 22.3% | 1.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 20.1% | 3.7% | ||
| Q2 25 | 18.1% | 3.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 18.5% | 4.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 23.5% | 1.5% | ||
| Q3 24 | 21.1% | 4.4% | ||
| Q2 24 | 21.6% | 3.4% |
| Q1 26 | — | 3.3% | ||
| Q4 25 | 17.0% | 0.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 14.9% | 1.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 13.2% | 1.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 14.1% | 3.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 17.6% | 0.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | 15.4% | 4.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 15.6% | 1.7% |
| Q1 26 | — | $0.86 | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.22 | $0.22 | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.77 | $0.47 | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.59 | $0.50 | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.51 | $0.86 | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.22 | $0.14 | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.69 | $1.03 | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.83 | $0.42 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $165.1M | — |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $580.9M | $328.4M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $1.4B | $1.2B |
| Total Assets | $2.6B | $2.3B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.42× | 0.28× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $165.1M | $132.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $170.0M | $118.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $147.0M | $88.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | $170.6M | $107.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $164.6M | $99.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $154.4M | $147.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $146.8M | $124.7M |
| Q1 26 | — | $328.4M | ||
| Q4 25 | $580.9M | $626.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $628.6M | $655.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $679.3M | $658.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $502.1M | $659.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $508.0M | $625.4M | ||
| Q3 24 | $554.7M | $688.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $588.2M | $657.1M |
| Q1 26 | — | $1.2B | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.4B | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.3B | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.3B | $1.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.2B | $1.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.1B | $1.2B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.1B | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.0B | $1.2B |
| Q1 26 | — | $2.3B | ||
| Q4 25 | $2.6B | $2.4B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.6B | $2.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.6B | $2.4B | ||
| Q1 25 | $2.2B | $2.4B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.2B | $2.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.2B | $2.4B | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.2B | $2.3B |
| Q1 26 | — | 0.28× | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.42× | 0.50× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.48× | 0.53× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.54× | 0.53× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.42× | 0.55× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.44× | 0.53× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.51× | 0.56× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.57× | 0.55× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $122.4M | $60.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $112.5M | $69.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $67.2M | $11.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | $61.8M | $6.9M | ||
| Q4 24 | $107.9M | $68.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | $84.3M | $22.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $53.3M | $29.5M |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $106.0M | $25.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $100.5M | $40.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $37.9M | $-14.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | $51.0M | $-25.8M | ||
| Q4 24 | $93.5M | $32.1M | ||
| Q3 24 | $70.1M | $-4.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $39.0M | $-208.0K |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 20.8% | 4.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 21.4% | 6.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 8.0% | -2.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 12.1% | -4.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 18.7% | 6.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 16.2% | -0.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 8.4% | -0.0% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 3.2% | 6.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 2.6% | 5.0% | ||
| Q2 25 | 6.2% | 4.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | 2.6% | 5.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.9% | 6.9% | ||
| Q3 24 | 3.3% | 4.9% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.1% | 5.3% |
| Q1 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.41× | 11.99× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.62× | 6.44× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.07× | 0.99× | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.04× | 0.35× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.23× | 20.38× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.27× | 0.96× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.74× | 3.10× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
MSA
| Americas Segment | $335.2M | 66% |
| International Segment | $175.7M | 34% |
SCL
| Surfactants | $453.7M | 75% |
| Polymers | $130.0M | 22% |
| Specialty Products | $20.8M | 3% |
