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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSA Safety Inc (MSA) and Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

MSA Safety Inc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($510.9M vs $407.2M, roughly 1.3× Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp). MSA Safety Inc runs the higher net margin — 17.0% vs 10.3%, a 6.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (9.8% vs 2.2%). Over the past eight quarters, MSA Safety Inc's revenue compounded faster (11.2% CAGR vs 4.4%).

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.

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp designs, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of water management and dispensing products, including commercial plumbing fixtures, drinking fountains, water filtration systems, and flow control components. It serves commercial, residential, industrial, and public infrastructure markets primarily across North America, with a focus on delivering sustainable, water-efficient solutions for diverse end-user needs.

MSA vs ZWS — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSA
MSA
1.3× larger
MSA
$510.9M
$407.2M
ZWS
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ZWS
ZWS
+7.6% gap
ZWS
9.8%
2.2%
MSA
Higher net margin
MSA
MSA
6.7% more per $
MSA
17.0%
10.3%
ZWS
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MSA
MSA
Annualised
MSA
11.2%
4.4%
ZWS

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Revenue
$510.9M
$407.2M
Net Profit
$86.9M
$42.1M
Gross Margin
46.9%
44.4%
Operating Margin
22.3%
14.8%
Net Margin
17.0%
10.3%
Revenue YoY
2.2%
9.8%
Net Profit YoY
-1.2%
15.7%
EPS (diluted)
$2.22
$0.24

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
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$510.9M
$407.2M
Q3 25
$468.4M
$455.4M
Q2 25
$474.1M
$444.5M
Q1 25
$421.3M
$388.8M
Q4 24
$499.7M
$370.7M
Q3 24
$432.7M
$410.0M
Q2 24
$462.5M
$412.0M
Q1 24
$413.3M
$373.8M
Net Profit
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$86.9M
$42.1M
Q3 25
$69.6M
$61.8M
Q2 25
$62.8M
$50.5M
Q1 25
$59.6M
$43.6M
Q4 24
$87.9M
$36.4M
Q3 24
$66.6M
$43.5M
Q2 24
$72.2M
$46.0M
Q1 24
$58.1M
$34.3M
Gross Margin
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
46.9%
44.4%
Q3 25
46.5%
44.1%
Q2 25
46.6%
45.5%
Q1 25
45.9%
46.6%
Q4 24
46.9%
43.5%
Q3 24
47.9%
46.2%
Q2 24
48.2%
45.2%
Q1 24
47.3%
45.5%
Operating Margin
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
22.3%
14.8%
Q3 25
20.1%
17.0%
Q2 25
18.1%
17.5%
Q1 25
18.5%
16.3%
Q4 24
23.5%
13.3%
Q3 24
21.1%
17.1%
Q2 24
21.6%
17.5%
Q1 24
19.4%
14.2%
Net Margin
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
17.0%
10.3%
Q3 25
14.9%
13.6%
Q2 25
13.2%
11.4%
Q1 25
14.1%
11.2%
Q4 24
17.6%
9.8%
Q3 24
15.4%
10.6%
Q2 24
15.6%
11.2%
Q1 24
14.1%
9.2%
EPS (diluted)
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$2.22
$0.24
Q3 25
$1.77
$0.36
Q2 25
$1.59
$0.29
Q1 25
$1.51
$0.26
Q4 24
$2.22
$0.21
Q3 24
$1.69
$0.25
Q2 24
$1.83
$0.27
Q1 24
$1.47
$0.19

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$165.1M
$300.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$580.9M
$496.5M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
$1.6B
Total Assets
$2.6B
$2.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.42×
0.31×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$165.1M
$300.5M
Q3 25
$170.0M
$260.1M
Q2 25
$147.0M
$201.9M
Q1 25
$170.6M
$144.7M
Q4 24
$164.6M
$198.0M
Q3 24
$154.4M
$187.9M
Q2 24
$146.8M
$162.7M
Q1 24
$148.3M
$157.1M
Total Debt
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$580.9M
$496.5M
Q3 25
$628.6M
$496.4M
Q2 25
$679.3M
$495.9M
Q1 25
$502.1M
$495.8M
Q4 24
$508.0M
$495.6M
Q3 24
$554.7M
$495.6M
Q2 24
$588.2M
$495.5M
Q1 24
$596.2M
$495.4M
Stockholders' Equity
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$1.4B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$1.6B
Q2 25
$1.3B
$1.6B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.5B
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$1.1B
$1.6B
Q2 24
$1.0B
$1.6B
Q1 24
$994.8M
$1.6B
Total Assets
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$2.6B
$2.7B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$2.7B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$2.7B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$2.6B
Q4 24
$2.2B
$2.6B
Q3 24
$2.2B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$2.2B
$2.7B
Q1 24
$2.2B
$2.7B
Debt / Equity
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
0.42×
0.31×
Q3 25
0.48×
0.31×
Q2 25
0.54×
0.32×
Q1 25
0.42×
0.32×
Q4 24
0.44×
0.31×
Q3 24
0.51×
0.31×
Q2 24
0.57×
0.31×
Q1 24
0.60×
0.31×

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
ZWS
ZWS
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$122.4M
$91.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$106.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.41×
2.18×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$295.4M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
$122.4M
$91.7M
Q3 25
$112.5M
$101.3M
Q2 25
$67.2M
$110.6M
Q1 25
$61.8M
$42.9M
Q4 24
$107.9M
$63.6M
Q3 24
$84.3M
$90.9M
Q2 24
$53.3M
$85.1M
Q1 24
$50.9M
$53.9M
Free Cash Flow
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
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
Q1 24
$39.7M
FCF Margin
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
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%
Q1 24
9.6%
Capex Intensity
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
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%
Q1 24
2.7%
Cash Conversion
MSA
MSA
ZWS
ZWS
Q4 25
1.41×
2.18×
Q3 25
1.62×
1.64×
Q2 25
1.07×
2.19×
Q1 25
1.04×
0.98×
Q4 24
1.23×
1.75×
Q3 24
1.27×
2.09×
Q2 24
0.74×
1.85×
Q1 24
0.88×
1.57×

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%

ZWS
ZWS

Segment breakdown not available.

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