MSA Safety (MSA -0.71%), a global leader in safety equipment such as gas and flame detection systems, reported its second-quarter results on August 4, 2025. The company posted higher-than-expected GAAP revenue and adjusted earnings per share, delivering GAAP revenue of $474 million and Non-GAAP EPS of $1.93. Both GAAP revenue and non-GAAP EPS surpassed analyst projections, driven by growth in Detection products and contributions from the newly acquired M&C TechGroup. However, margins fell from the prior year as input costs rose and currency pressures mounted. While financial performance beat expectations, with non-GAAP EPS of $1.93 exceeding the analysts' estimate of $1.76 and GAAP revenue of $474.1 million surpassing the analysts' estimate of $446.8 million, the quarter revealed a mix of acquisition-driven gains and underlying cost challenges.
| Metric | Q2 2025 | Q2 Estimate | Q2 2024 | Y/Y Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPS (Non-GAAP) | $1.93 | $1.76 | $2.01 | (4)% |
| Revenue (GAAP) | $474 million | $446.78 million | $462.5 million | 2.5% |
| Operating Income (GAAP) | $85.9 million | $99.9 million | (14)% | |
| Adjusted EBITDA | $116.5 million | $121.9 million | (4)% | |
| Free Cash Flow | $37.9 million | $39.0 million | (3)% |
Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q1 2025 earnings report.
Business Overview and Critical Success Factors
MSA Safety designs and manufactures advanced safety products for customers in industries such as fire service, energy, utilities, and industrial manufacturing. Its main offerings include gas and flame detection systems, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), firefighter protective gear, and industrial personal protective equipment (PPE). The company also operates a global sales and service footprint through more than 2,100 distributor locations.
Innovation and research & development is at the core of MSA Safety’s business model. Maintaining leadership means investing in new product launches and not falling behind in industry standards. Strategic acquisitions, such as the recent purchase of M&C TechGroup, play a key role in expanding its technological capabilities and diversifying its addressable markets. Operational efficiency, product diversification, and managing global distribution are other critical factors, especially as the company faces rising costs and currency swings worldwide.
Quarterly Performance: Notable Results and Developments
The company’s headline numbers for Q2 2025 surpassed expectations, with GAAP revenue of $474.1 million and non-GAAP EPS of $1.93 both exceeding analyst estimates. GAAP revenue came in $27.3 million higher than analysts had forecast, largely due to robust performance in gas and flame detection—the Detection product family—and the boost from M&C TechGroup, which specializes in gas analysis and process safety technologies. Detection sales rose 13% year-over-year to $193.8 million (GAAP) and now account for 41% of overall sales, up from 37% in Q2 2024. Within Detection, both fixed and portable devices contributed to the gains, with organic growth of 6% plus an additional 7% from acquisition activity.
While top-line expansion benefited from new product contributions and synergy from the M&C acquisition, organic growth for the company as a whole was flat. Sales in Fire Service products, which include SCBA and protective apparel, fell 5% year-over-year to $163.3 million (GAAP), reflecting a more difficult comparison with the prior-year period. Industrial PPE—covering hard hats, fall protection, and related gear—slipped 2% to $117.0 million (GAAP). By region, the Americas saw GAAP sales grow 2%, and International net sales climbed 4% (GAAP), but underlying demand trends were mixed as organic sales fell in some areas.
Margins were a key pressure point. GAAP operating income fell 14% to $85.9 million, as GAAP gross and operating margins contracted in both the Americas and International segments. The Americas adjusted operating margin dropped to 29.1%, and the International figure shrank to 13.1% (non-GAAP). The company attributed much of this erosion to higher input costs and adverse currency effects, especially tied to Latin American currencies. Adjusted EBITDA margin decreased 1.8 percentage points year-over-year, mirroring the broader drop in profitability.
MSA Safety continued to invest in future growth. Research and development (R&D) expenses (GAAP) held steady at $17.0 million. New product launches highlighted during the quarter included the G1 SCBA XR Edition, a next-generation breathing apparatus, and the Globe G-XTREME PRO turnout gear for firefighters, focusing in part on expanding its U.S. detection center. Inventory (GAAP) increased from $296.8 million at December 31, 2024, to $343.9 million at June 30, 2025.
On the capital deployment front, the company paid $20.8 million in dividends, marking its 55th consecutive annual dividend increase. Share repurchases totaled $30 million, as the company also closed the $188 million M&C TechGroup acquisition in May 2025. Management noted a modest debt level with a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 1.1x for the twelve months ended Q2 2025, supporting ongoing flexibility for investment and shareholder returns.
Outlook and What to Watch
Looking ahead, management reaffirmed its outlook for low-single-digit organic sales growth for FY2025, despite ongoing uncertainty around tariffs, input costs, and the approval timing of new fire safety standards in the Fire Service segment. No concrete forward guidance was given on margin recovery, with leadership noting that the effects of recent price increases and cost actions would take several months to flow through due to backlog conversion cycles. Tariffs and ongoing currency volatility remain significant risks, particularly in international markets.
The main areas to watch in coming quarters are the pace of organic growth in Detection, the realization of synergies from the M&C TechGroup acquisition, management's cost productivity actions, and inventory trends. Ongoing pressures from tariffs, foreign exchange, and fluctuating input costs may continue to weigh on profitability and margins. The quarterly dividend was raised for the 55th consecutive year, reflecting a continued commitment to regular shareholder returns.
Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.
