MSA vs. ITW
MSA (MSA Safety Incorporated) and ITW (Illinois Tool Works Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — MSA in Security & Protection Services, ITW in Specialty Industrial Machinery. Over the past 10 years, MSA returned 13.54%/yr vs 11.44%/yr for ITW. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MSA vs. ITW - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSA achieves a -0.18% return, which is significantly lower than ITW's 3.12% return. Over the past 10 years, MSA has outperformed ITW with an annualized return of 13.54%, while ITW has yielded a comparatively lower 11.44% annualized return.
MSA
- 1D
- -1.46%
- 1M
- -6.18%
- YTD
- -0.18%
- 6M
- -0.35%
- 1Y
- -2.56%
- 3Y*
- 2.22%
- 5Y*
- 0.24%
- 10Y*
- 13.54%
ITW
- 1D
- -0.13%
- 1M
- -0.93%
- YTD
- 3.12%
- 6M
- 3.02%
- 1Y
- 4.53%
- 3Y*
- 4.47%
- 5Y*
- 4.08%
- 10Y*
- 11.44%
MSA vs. ITW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSA MSA Safety Incorporated | -0.18% | -2.14% | -0.71% | 18.52% | -3.15% | 2.14% | 19.79% | 36.10% | 23.61% | 13.97% |
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc. | 3.12% | -0.43% | -0.97% | 21.56% | -8.46% | 23.60% | 16.42% | 45.60% | -22.10% | 38.92% |
Correlation
The correlation between MSA and ITW is 0.61, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.58 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 1990 | 0.34 |
Over the past year, MSA and ITW have become more correlated (0.61) than their long-term average of 0.34, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
MSA:
$9.85
ITW:
$14.33
MSA:
16.13
ITW:
17.61
MSA:
0.06
ITW:
2.92
MSA:
2.45
ITW:
3.40
MSA:
$1.92B
ITW:
$16.22B
MSA:
$897.30M
ITW:
$7.16B
MSA:
$465.55M
ITW:
$4.61B
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Return for Risk
MSA vs. ITW — Risk / Return Rank
MSA
ITW
MSA vs. ITW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA) and Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| MSA | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.47 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.06 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.12 | 0.26 | -0.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.26 | 0.59 | -0.85 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| MSA | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.11 | 0.22 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | 0.19 | -0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 | 0.48 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.34 | 0.51 | -0.18 |
Drawdowns
MSA vs. ITW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSA drawdown since its inception was -70.32%, which is greater than ITW's maximum drawdown of -54.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSA and ITW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MSA | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -70.32% | -54.90% | -15.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.29% | -17.44% | -3.85% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -34.28% | -20.63% | -13.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.28% | -28.05% | -6.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.39% | -37.85% | -0.54% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -21.29% | -15.22% | -6.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.44% | -9.83% | -7.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.79% | 7.75% | +2.04% |
Volatility
MSA vs. ITW - Volatility Comparison
MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA) has a higher volatility of 6.61% compared to Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) at 3.43%. This indicates that MSA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ITW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MSA | ITW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.61% | 3.43% | +3.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.65% | 15.75% | +1.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.93% | 20.29% | +3.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.71% | 21.07% | +3.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 28.78% | 23.81% | +4.97% |
Dividends
MSA vs. ITW - Dividend Comparison
MSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.34%, less than ITW's 2.51% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ITW Illinois Tool Works Inc. | 2.51% | 2.53% | 2.29% | 2.07% | 2.30% | 1.91% | 2.17% | 2.30% | 2.81% | 1.71% | 1.96% | 2.23% |
MSA MSA Safety Incorporated | 1.34% | 1.31% | 1.21% | 1.11% | 1.26% | 1.16% | 1.14% | 1.30% | 1.58% | 1.78% | 1.89% | 2.92% |
Financials
MSA vs. ITW - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between MSA Safety Incorporated and Illinois Tool Works Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
MSA vs. ITW - Profitability Comparison
MSA - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSA Safety Incorporated reported a gross profit of 219.58M and revenue of 463.63M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 47.4%.
ITW - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Illinois Tool Works Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.76B and revenue of 4.02B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 43.8%.
MSA - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSA Safety Incorporated reported an operating income of 93.01M and revenue of 463.63M, resulting in an operating margin of 20.1%.
ITW - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Illinois Tool Works Inc. reported an operating income of 1.02B and revenue of 4.02B, resulting in an operating margin of 25.4%.
MSA - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSA Safety Incorporated reported a net income of 71.27M and revenue of 463.63M, resulting in a net margin of 15.4%.
ITW - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Illinois Tool Works Inc. reported a net income of 768.00M and revenue of 4.02B, resulting in a net margin of 19.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MSA and ITW have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MSA has higher volatility (6.61%) compared to ITW (3.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSA dropped -70.32% vs ITW's -54.90%.
ITW currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.22 vs -0.11), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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