MSA (MSAfety) Piotroski F-Score: 6 (As of Jun. 25, 2026) — Near Median


MSA MSA Safety Inc MSA
89 GF Score
Price $165.29
GF Value $186.84
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
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What is MSAfety Piotroski F-Score?

MSAfety MSA +1.62% 89 Piotroski F-Score is 6 as of Jun. 25, 2026, which is at its 10-year median of 6.00. GuruFocus rates MSA with a GF Score™ of 89/100 and a GF Value™ of $186.84 (Modestly Undervalued). Among 1,063 Business Services companies, MSAfety ranks better than 72.25% on this metric.

The zones of discrimination were as such:

Good or high score = 7, 8, 9
Bad or low score = 0, 1, 2, 3

MSAfety has an F-score of 6 indicating the company's financial situation is typical for a stable company.

The historical rank and industry rank for MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score or its related term are showing as below:

MSA' s Piotroski F-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3   Med: 6   Max: 8
Current: 6

During the past 13 years, the highest Piotroski F-Score of MSAfety was 8. The lowest was 3. And the median was 6.

MSAfety  (NYSE:MSA) Piotroski F-Score Explanation

The developer of the system is Joseph D. Piotroski is relatively unknown accounting professor who shuns publicity and rarely gives interviews.

He graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in accounting in 1989, received an M.B.A. from Indiana University in 1994. Five years later, in 1999, after earning a Ph.D. in accounting from the University of Michigan, he became an associate professor of accounting at the University of Chicago.

In 2000, he wrote a research paper called "Value Investing: The Use of Historical Financial Statement Information to Separate Winners from Losers" (pdf).

He wanted to see if he can develop a system (using a simple nine-point scoring system) that can increase the returns of a strategy of investing in low price to book (referred to in the paper as high book to market) value companies.

What he found was something that exceeded his most optimistic expectations.

Buying only those companies that scored highest (8 or 9) on his nine-point scale, or F-Score as he called it, over the 20 year period from 1976 to 1996 led to an average out-performance over the market of 13.4%.

Even more impressive were the results of a strategy of investing in the highest F-Score companies (8 or 9) and shorting companies with the lowest F-Score (0 or 1).

Over the same period from 1976 to 1996 (20 years) this strategy led to an average yearly return of 23%, substantially outperforming the average S&P 500 index return of 15.83% over the same period.


MSAfety Piotroski F-Score Related Terms


MSAfety Piotroski F-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

MSAfety Piotroski F-Score Chart

MSAfety Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Piotroski F-Score
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 3.00 7.00 5.00 8.00 6.00

MSAfety Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Piotroski F-Score Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 8.00 5.00 7.00 6.00 6.00

MSA vs ADT, BCO, BRC: Piotroski F-Score Comparison

For the Security & Protection Services subindustry, MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Piotroski F-Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


MSAfety Piotroski F-Score vs Business Services Industry

For the Business Services industry and Industrials sector, MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score falls into.


MSA
89GF Score
MSA Safety Inc MSA
Piotroski F-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

How is the Piotroski F-Score calculated?

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

This Year (Mar26) TTM:Last Year (Mar25) TTM:
Net Income was 62.773 + 69.613 + 86.933 + 71.269 = $291 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 67.218 + 112.462 + 122.354 + 75.687 = $378 Mil.
Revenue was 474.116 + 468.445 + 510.914 + 463.632 = $1,917 Mil.
Gross Profit was 220.71 + 217.616 + 239.392 + 219.581 = $897 Mil.
Average Total Assets from the begining of this year (Mar25)
to the end of this year (Mar26) was
(2235.885 + 2550.211 + 2553.577 + 2554.374 + 2563.986) / 5 = $2491.6066 Mil.
Total Assets at the begining of this year (Mar25) was $2,236 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $650 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $892 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $281 Mil.
Net Income was 72.234 + 66.648 + 87.946 + 59.605 = $286 Mil.

Revenue was 462.463 + 432.679 + 499.697 + 421.34 = $1,816 Mil.
Gross Profit was 223.029 + 207.456 + 234.429 + 193.395 = $858 Mil.
Average Total Assets from the begining of last year (Mar24)
to the end of last year (Mar25) was
(2174.33 + 2243.571 + 2241.927 + 2205.784 + 2235.885) / 5 = $2220.2994 Mil.
Total Assets at the begining of last year (Mar24) was $2,174 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $515 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $823 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $280 Mil.

*Note: If the latest quarterly/semi-annual/annual total assets data is 0, then we will use previous quarterly/semi-annual/annual data for all the items in the balance sheet.

Profitability

Question 1. Return on Assets (ROA)

Net income before extraordinary items for the year divided by Total Assets at the beginning of the year.

Score 1 if positive, 0 if negative.

MSAfety's current Net Income (TTM) was 291. ==> Positive ==> Score 1.

Question 2. Cash Flow Return on Assets (CFROA)

Net cash flow from operating activities (operating cash flow) divided by Total Assets at the beginning of the year.

Score 1 if positive, 0 if negative.

MSAfety's current Cash Flow from Operations (TTM) was 378. ==> Positive ==> Score 1.

Question 3. Change in Return on Assets

Compare this year's return on assets (1) to last year's return on assets.

Score 1 if it's higher, 0 if it's lower.

ROA (This Year)=Net Income/Total Assets (Mar25)
=290.588/2235.885
=0.12996554

ROA (Last Year)=Net Income/Total Assets (Mar24)
=286.433/2174.33
=0.13173391

MSAfety's return on assets of this year was 0.12996554. MSAfety's return on assets of last year was 0.13173391. ==> Last year is higher ==> Score 0.

Question 4. Quality of Earnings (Accrual)

Compare Cash flow return on assets (2) to return on assets (1)

Score 1 if CFROA > ROA, 0 if CFROA <= ROA.

MSAfety's current Net Income (TTM) was 291. MSAfety's current Cash Flow from Operations (TTM) was 378. ==> 378 > 291 ==> CFROA > ROA ==> Score 1.

Funding

Question 5. Change in Gearing or Leverage

Compare this year's gearing (long-term debt divided by average total assets) to last year's gearing.

Score 0 if this year's gearing is higher, 1 otherwise.

Gearing (This Year: Mar26)=Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation/Average Total Assets from Mar25 to Mar26
=650.275/2491.6066
=0.26098622

Gearing (Last Year: Mar25)=Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation/Average Total Assets from Mar24 to Mar25
=514.852/2220.2994
=0.23188404

MSAfety's gearing of this year was 0.26098622. MSAfety's gearing of last year was 0.23188404. ==> Last year is lower than this year ==> Score 0.

Question 6. Change in Working Capital (Liquidity)

Compare this year's current ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) to last year's current ratio.

Score 1 if this year's current ratio is higher, 0 if it's lower

Current Ratio (This Year: Mar26)=Total Current Assets/Total Current Liabilities
=891.672/281.267
=3.17019771

Current Ratio (Last Year: Mar25)=Total Current Assets/Total Current Liabilities
=823.162/280.44
=2.93525175

MSAfety's current ratio of this year was 3.17019771. MSAfety's current ratio of last year was 2.93525175. ==> This year's current ratio is higher. ==> Score 1.

Question 7. Change in Shares in Issue

Compare the number of shares in issue this year, to the number in issue last year.

Score 0 if there is larger number of shares in issue this year, 1 otherwise.

MSAfety's number of shares in issue this year was 38.986. MSAfety's number of shares in issue last year was 39.501. ==> There is smaller number of shares in issue this year, or the same. ==> Score 1.

Efficiency

Question 8. Change in Gross Margin

Compare this year's gross margin (Gross Profit divided by sales) to last year's.

Score 1 if this year's gross margin is higher, 0 if it's lower.

Gross Margin (This Year: TTM)=Gross Profit/Revenue
=897.299/1917.107
=0.46804847

Gross Margin (Last Year: TTM)=Gross Profit/Revenue
=858.309/1816.179
=0.47259053

MSAfety's gross margin of this year was 0.46804847. MSAfety's gross margin of last year was 0.47259053. ==> Last year's gross margin is higher ==> Score 0.

Question 9. Change in asset turnover

Compare this year's asset turnover (total sales for the year divided by total assets at the beginning of the year) to last year's asset turnover ratio.

Score 1 if this year's asset turnover ratio is higher, 0 if it's lower

Asset Turnover (This Year)=Revenue/Total Assets at the Beginning of This Year (Mar25)
=1917.107/2235.885
=0.85742648

Asset Turnover (Last Year)=Revenue/Total Assets at the Beginning of Last Year (Mar24)
=1816.179/2174.33
=0.83528213

MSAfety's asset turnover of this year was 0.85742648. MSAfety's asset turnover of last year was 0.83528213. ==> This year's asset turnover is higher. ==> Score 1.

Evaluation

Piotroski F-Score= Que. 1+ Que. 2+ Que. 3+Que. 4+Que. 5+Que. 6+Que. 7+Que. 8+Que. 9
=1+1+0+1+0+1+1+0+1
=6

Good or high score = 7, 8, 9
Bad or low score = 0, 1, 2, 3

MSAfety has an F-score of 6 indicating the company's financial situation is typical for a stable company.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Piotroski F-Score →
What does a Piotroski F-Score of 6 mean?
MSAfety (MSA) has a Piotroski F-Score of 6 as of Jun. 25, 2026. The Piotroski F-score grades a company's business operating strength from 0-9. View historical data on MSAfety and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 6.00. Over the past decade, MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score has ranged from 3.00 to 8.00. According to the industry distribution chart, MSAfety ranks #295 out of 1063 companies in the Business Services industry, placing it in the top 27.8%.
Is MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score too high?
MSAfety's current Piotroski F-Score of 6 is near median its 10-year median of 6.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.00 to a high of 8.00. The Business Services industry median Piotroski F-Score is 5.00. MSAfety's value of 6 is 20% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, MSAfety ranks #295 out of 1063 companies in the Business Services industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, MSAfety has a GF Score™ of 89/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does MSAfety's Piotroski F-Score compare to ADT and BCO?
According to the Business Services industry distribution chart, MSAfety ranks #295 out of 1063 companies for Piotroski F-Score. This puts MSAfety in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Piotroski F-Score is 5.00. MSAfety's value of 6 is 20% above this benchmark. Historically, MSAfety's own Piotroski F-Score has ranged from 3.00 to 8.00 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 6.00 vs. the industry median of 5.00, MSAfety has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Piotroski F-Score for a Business Services company?
The median Piotroski F-Score among Business Services companies is 5.00, based on 1,063 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Piotroski F-Score significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Piotroski F-Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. MSAfety's current Piotroski F-Score of 6 is 20% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Piotroski F-Score mean?
A high Piotroski F-Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The Piotroski F-score grades a company's business operating strength from 0-9. View historical data on MSAfety and its competitors. For the Business Services industry, the median Piotroski F-Score is 5.00 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. MSAfety's current Piotroski F-Score is 6, which is near median its own 10-year median of 6.00. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is MSAfety stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, MSAfety (MSA) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $186.84, compared to a current price of $165.29 — trading 11.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Piotroski F-Score is 6, which is near median its 10-year median of 6.00 and 20% above the Business Services industry median of 5.00. MSAfety's overall GF Score™ is 89/100. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Piotroski F-Score calculated?
Piotroski F-Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For MSAfety (MSA), the current Piotroski F-Score is 6 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is MSAfety (MSA) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, MSAfety stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $165.29 is trading 11.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $186.84. GuruFocus considers MSAfety to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for MSA:

  • Piotroski F-Score: 6 (near median its 10-year median of 6.00)
  • GF Value™: $186.84 vs. price of $165.29 (11.5% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 89/100
  • Industry Position: 20% above the Business Services median (#295 of 1063)

No single metric tells the full story. See the MSA stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


MSAfety Business Description

Other Exchanges M07:Germany
Address 1000 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Township, PA, USA, 16066-5207
MSA Safety Inc makes safety products that are used to protect workers in the oil and gas and mining industries. The company's product offerings include breathing apparatuses, fall protection, portable gas detection systems, industrial head protection, fire and rescue helmets, and fixed gas and flame detection systems, among others. The end markets for its products include the fire service, contractor, industrial, mining, oil and gas, and utilities industries. The company has organized its business into four geographical operating segments that are aggregated into two reportable segments: Americas and International. The majority of its revenue is generated from the Americas segment, which is comprised of the company's operations in Northern North America and Latin America geographies.
89GF Score

Get the complete analysis for MSA

Piotroski F-Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$165.29
Price
$186.84
GF Value