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

StepStone Group Inc. is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($586.5M vs $510.9M, roughly 1.1× MSA Safety Inc). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs -21.0%, a 38.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, StepStone Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (73.0% vs 2.2%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $26.7M). Over the past eight quarters, StepStone Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (28.2% CAGR vs 11.2%).

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.

Rosetta Stone Inc. is an American education technology software company that develops language, literacy and brain-fitness software. Best known for its language-learning products, in 2013, the company expanded beyond language into education-technology with its acquisitions of Livemocha, Lexia Learning, Fit Brains, and Tell Me More. In 2021, it became a subsidiary of IXL Learning.

MSA vs STEP — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
STEP
STEP
1.1× larger
STEP
$586.5M
$510.9M
MSA
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STEP
STEP
+70.8% gap
STEP
73.0%
2.2%
MSA
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
38.1% more per $
MSA
17.0%
-21.0%
STEP
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$79.3M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$26.7M
STEP
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STEP
STEP
Annualised
STEP
28.2%
11.2%
MSA

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q3 FY2026

Metric
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Revenue
$510.9M
$586.5M
Net Profit
$86.9M
$-123.5M
Gross Margin
46.9%
Operating Margin
22.3%
-33.2%
Net Margin
17.0%
-21.0%
Revenue YoY
2.2%
73.0%
Net Profit YoY
-1.2%
35.7%
EPS (diluted)
$2.22
$-1.55

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
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$510.9M
$586.5M
Q3 25
$468.4M
$454.2M
Q2 25
$474.1M
$364.3M
Q1 25
$421.3M
$377.7M
Q4 24
$499.7M
$339.0M
Q3 24
$432.7M
$271.7M
Q2 24
$462.5M
$186.4M
Q1 24
$413.3M
$356.8M
Net Profit
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$86.9M
$-123.5M
Q3 25
$69.6M
$-366.1M
Q2 25
$62.8M
$-38.4M
Q1 25
$59.6M
$-18.5M
Q4 24
$87.9M
$-192.0M
Q3 24
$66.6M
$17.6M
Q2 24
$72.2M
$13.3M
Q1 24
$58.1M
$30.8M
Gross Margin
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
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
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
22.3%
-33.2%
Q3 25
20.1%
-148.8%
Q2 25
18.1%
-5.6%
Q1 25
18.5%
2.6%
Q4 24
23.5%
-101.7%
Q3 24
21.1%
21.3%
Q2 24
21.6%
29.4%
Q1 24
19.4%
26.5%
Net Margin
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
17.0%
-21.0%
Q3 25
14.9%
-80.6%
Q2 25
13.2%
-10.5%
Q1 25
14.1%
-4.9%
Q4 24
17.6%
-56.6%
Q3 24
15.4%
6.5%
Q2 24
15.6%
7.2%
Q1 24
14.1%
8.6%
EPS (diluted)
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$2.22
$-1.55
Q3 25
$1.77
$-4.66
Q2 25
$1.59
$-0.49
Q1 25
$1.51
$-0.37
Q4 24
$2.22
$-2.61
Q3 24
$1.69
$0.26
Q2 24
$1.83
$0.20
Q1 24
$1.47
$0.47

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$165.1M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$580.9M
$270.2M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
$-378.8M
Total Assets
$2.6B
$5.2B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.42×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$165.1M
Q3 25
$170.0M
Q2 25
$147.0M
Q1 25
$170.6M
Q4 24
$164.6M
Q3 24
$154.4M
Q2 24
$146.8M
Q1 24
$148.3M
Total Debt
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$580.9M
$270.2M
Q3 25
$628.6M
$269.9M
Q2 25
$679.3M
$269.6M
Q1 25
$502.1M
$269.3M
Q4 24
$508.0M
$168.9M
Q3 24
$554.7M
$172.3M
Q2 24
$588.2M
$172.1M
Q1 24
$596.2M
$148.8M
Stockholders' Equity
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$1.4B
$-378.8M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$-233.5M
Q2 25
$1.3B
$153.9M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$179.4M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$209.8M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$397.5M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$366.9M
Q1 24
$994.8M
$324.5M
Total Assets
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$2.6B
$5.2B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$5.3B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$4.6B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$4.3B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$4.0B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$3.8B
Q1 24
$2.2B
$3.8B
Debt / Equity
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
0.42×
Q3 25
0.48×
Q2 25
0.54×
1.75×
Q1 25
0.42×
1.50×
Q4 24
0.44×
0.81×
Q3 24
0.51×
0.43×
Q2 24
0.57×
0.47×
Q1 24
0.60×
0.46×

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
STEP
STEP
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$122.4M
$27.2M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$106.0M
$26.7M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.8%
4.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.2%
0.1%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.41×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$295.4M
$18.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$122.4M
$27.2M
Q3 25
$112.5M
$16.2M
Q2 25
$67.2M
$46.3M
Q1 25
$61.8M
$-66.5M
Q4 24
$107.9M
$27.6M
Q3 24
$84.3M
$53.7M
Q2 24
$53.3M
$50.2M
Q1 24
$50.9M
$7.6M
Free Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
$106.0M
$26.7M
Q3 25
$100.5M
$15.9M
Q2 25
$37.9M
$45.2M
Q1 25
$51.0M
$-69.2M
Q4 24
$93.5M
$27.0M
Q3 24
$70.1M
$52.4M
Q2 24
$39.0M
$49.6M
Q1 24
$39.7M
$6.7M
FCF Margin
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
20.8%
4.6%
Q3 25
21.4%
3.5%
Q2 25
8.0%
12.4%
Q1 25
12.1%
-18.3%
Q4 24
18.7%
8.0%
Q3 24
16.2%
19.3%
Q2 24
8.4%
26.6%
Q1 24
9.6%
1.9%
Capex Intensity
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
3.2%
0.1%
Q3 25
2.6%
0.1%
Q2 25
6.2%
0.3%
Q1 25
2.6%
0.7%
Q4 24
2.9%
0.2%
Q3 24
3.3%
0.5%
Q2 24
3.1%
0.3%
Q1 24
2.7%
0.3%
Cash Conversion
MSA
MSA
STEP
STEP
Q4 25
1.41×
Q3 25
1.62×
Q2 25
1.07×
Q1 25
1.04×
Q4 24
1.23×
Q3 24
1.27×
3.05×
Q2 24
0.74×
3.76×
Q1 24
0.88×
0.25×

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%

STEP
STEP

Other$210.1M36%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Focused Commingled Funds$143.3M24%
Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$85.1M15%
Carried Interest Allocation Separately Managed Accounts$63.6M11%
Carried Interest Allocation Realized$46.7M8%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Advisory And Other Services$18.3M3%
Legacy Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds$10.3M2%
Income Based Incentive Fees$6.0M1%
Management And Advisory Fees Net Fund Reimbursement Revenues$3.1M1%

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