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

MSA Safety Inc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($510.9M vs $377.3M, roughly 1.4× Bristow Group Inc.). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 4.9%, a 12.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Bristow Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.7% vs 2.2%). MSA Safety Inc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($106.0M vs $47.8M). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs 5.8%).

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.

Bristow Helicopters Limited is a British civil helicopter operator originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, which is currently a part of the U.S.-based Bristow Group which in turn has its corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas, U.S. In 2020, Bristow Group was merged with Era Helicopters, a large U.S.-based commercial helicopter operator that was previously a division of Era Aviation, with the two companies then continuing to use the Bristow name.

MSA vs VTOL — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSA
MSA
1.4× larger
MSA
$510.9M
$377.3M
VTOL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
VTOL
VTOL
+4.5% gap
VTOL
6.7%
2.2%
MSA
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
12.1% more per $
MSA
17.0%
4.9%
VTOL
More free cash flow
MSA
MSA
$58.2M more FCF
MSA
$106.0M
$47.8M
VTOL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
5.8%
VTOL

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Revenue
$510.9M
$377.3M
Net Profit
$86.9M
$18.4M
Gross Margin
46.9%
Operating Margin
22.3%
8.5%
Net Margin
17.0%
4.9%
Revenue YoY
2.2%
6.7%
Net Profit YoY
-1.2%
-42.1%
EPS (diluted)
$2.22
$0.61

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
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$510.9M
$377.3M
Q3 25
$468.4M
$386.3M
Q2 25
$474.1M
$376.4M
Q1 25
$421.3M
$350.5M
Q4 24
$499.7M
$353.5M
Q3 24
$432.7M
$365.1M
Q2 24
$462.5M
$359.7M
Q1 24
$413.3M
$337.1M
Net Profit
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$86.9M
$18.4M
Q3 25
$69.6M
$51.5M
Q2 25
$62.8M
$31.7M
Q1 25
$59.6M
$27.4M
Q4 24
$87.9M
$31.8M
Q3 24
$66.6M
$28.2M
Q2 24
$72.2M
$28.2M
Q1 24
$58.1M
$6.6M
Gross Margin
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
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
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
22.3%
8.5%
Q3 25
20.1%
13.1%
Q2 25
18.1%
11.3%
Q1 25
18.5%
9.6%
Q4 24
23.5%
9.0%
Q3 24
21.1%
9.1%
Q2 24
21.6%
12.4%
Q1 24
19.4%
6.8%
Net Margin
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
17.0%
4.9%
Q3 25
14.9%
13.3%
Q2 25
13.2%
8.4%
Q1 25
14.1%
7.8%
Q4 24
17.6%
9.0%
Q3 24
15.4%
7.7%
Q2 24
15.6%
7.8%
Q1 24
14.1%
2.0%
EPS (diluted)
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$2.22
$0.61
Q3 25
$1.77
$1.72
Q2 25
$1.59
$1.07
Q1 25
$1.51
$0.92
Q4 24
$2.22
$1.07
Q3 24
$1.69
$0.95
Q2 24
$1.83
$0.96
Q1 24
$1.47
$0.23

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$165.1M
$286.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$580.9M
$671.5M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
$1.1B
Total Assets
$2.6B
$2.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.42×
0.63×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$165.1M
$286.2M
Q3 25
$170.0M
$245.5M
Q2 25
$147.0M
$251.8M
Q1 25
$170.6M
$191.1M
Q4 24
$164.6M
$247.5M
Q3 24
$154.4M
$200.3M
Q2 24
$146.8M
$178.6M
Q1 24
$148.3M
$140.6M
Total Debt
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$580.9M
$671.5M
Q3 25
$628.6M
$675.0M
Q2 25
$679.3M
$705.2M
Q1 25
$502.1M
$701.9M
Q4 24
$508.0M
$689.8M
Q3 24
$554.7M
$629.1M
Q2 24
$588.2M
$594.2M
Q1 24
$596.2M
$544.1M
Stockholders' Equity
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$1.4B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$1.0B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$984.4M
Q1 25
$1.2B
$931.7M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$891.7M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$899.2M
Q2 24
$1.0B
$849.1M
Q1 24
$994.8M
$820.7M
Total Assets
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$2.6B
$2.3B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$2.3B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$2.3B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$2.2B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$2.1B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$2.1B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$2.0B
Q1 24
$2.2B
$1.9B
Debt / Equity
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
0.42×
0.63×
Q3 25
0.48×
0.65×
Q2 25
0.54×
0.72×
Q1 25
0.42×
0.75×
Q4 24
0.44×
0.77×
Q3 24
0.51×
0.70×
Q2 24
0.57×
0.70×
Q1 24
0.60×
0.66×

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
VTOL
VTOL
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$122.4M
$76.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$106.0M
$47.8M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.8%
12.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.2%
7.7%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.41×
4.17×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$295.4M
$56.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$122.4M
$76.9M
Q3 25
$112.5M
$23.1M
Q2 25
$67.2M
$99.0M
Q1 25
$61.8M
$-603.0K
Q4 24
$107.9M
$51.1M
Q3 24
$84.3M
$66.0M
Q2 24
$53.3M
$33.7M
Q1 24
$50.9M
$26.7M
Free Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
$106.0M
$47.8M
Q3 25
$100.5M
$-6.2M
Q2 25
$37.9M
$67.4M
Q1 25
$51.0M
$-52.7M
Q4 24
$93.5M
$-32.4M
Q3 24
$70.1M
$9.0M
Q2 24
$39.0M
$-16.7M
Q1 24
$39.7M
$-37.9M
FCF Margin
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
20.8%
12.7%
Q3 25
21.4%
-1.6%
Q2 25
8.0%
17.9%
Q1 25
12.1%
-15.0%
Q4 24
18.7%
-9.2%
Q3 24
16.2%
2.5%
Q2 24
8.4%
-4.6%
Q1 24
9.6%
-11.2%
Capex Intensity
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
3.2%
7.7%
Q3 25
2.6%
7.6%
Q2 25
6.2%
8.4%
Q1 25
2.6%
14.9%
Q4 24
2.9%
23.6%
Q3 24
3.3%
15.6%
Q2 24
3.1%
14.0%
Q1 24
2.7%
19.2%
Cash Conversion
MSA
MSA
VTOL
VTOL
Q4 25
1.41×
4.17×
Q3 25
1.62×
0.45×
Q2 25
1.07×
3.12×
Q1 25
1.04×
-0.02×
Q4 24
1.23×
1.61×
Q3 24
1.27×
2.34×
Q2 24
0.74×
1.20×
Q1 24
0.88×
4.04×

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%

VTOL
VTOL

Offshore Energy Services$247.5M66%
Government Services$100.1M27%
Other$21.9M6%
Related Party$7.8M2%

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