NDSN vs. MSA
NDSN (Nordson Corporation) and MSA (MSA Safety Incorporated) are both stocks. Both are in the Industrials sector — NDSN in Specialty Industrial Machinery, MSA in Security & Protection Services. Over the past 10 years, NDSN returned 13.93%/yr vs 13.54%/yr for MSA. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NDSN vs. MSA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NDSN achieves a 17.74% return, which is significantly higher than MSA's -0.18% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with NDSN having a 13.93% annualized return and MSA not far behind at 13.54%.
NDSN
- 1D
- -0.18%
- 1M
- -0.47%
- YTD
- 17.74%
- 6M
- 21.16%
- 1Y
- 33.24%
- 3Y*
- 7.98%
- 5Y*
- 6.07%
- 10Y*
- 13.93%
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%
NDSN vs. MSA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NDSN Nordson Corporation | 17.74% | 17.03% | -20.15% | 12.39% | -5.93% | 28.09% | 24.45% | 37.88% | -17.65% | 31.83% |
MSA MSA Safety Incorporated | -0.18% | -2.14% | -0.71% | 18.52% | -3.15% | 2.14% | 19.79% | 36.10% | 23.61% | 13.97% |
Correlation
The correlation between NDSN and MSA is 0.64, 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 | 0.64 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 27, 1990 | 0.37 |
Over the past year, NDSN and MSA have become more correlated (0.64) than their long-term average of 0.37, meaning their price movements have been converging.
Fundamentals
NDSN:
$9.36
MSA:
$9.85
NDSN:
30.15
MSA:
16.13
NDSN:
11.82
MSA:
0.06
NDSN:
5.48
MSA:
2.45
NDSN:
$2.90B
MSA:
$1.92B
NDSN:
$1.60B
MSA:
$897.30M
NDSN:
$744.50M
MSA:
$465.55M
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Return for Risk
NDSN vs. MSA — Risk / Return Rank
NDSN
MSA
NDSN vs. MSA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Nordson Corporation (NDSN) and MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA). 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.
| NDSN | MSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.71 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.36 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.00 | +0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.36 | -0.12 | +2.48 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.57 | -0.26 | +7.84 |
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
| NDSN | MSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.61 | -0.11 | +1.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.25 | 0.01 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.49 | 0.47 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.38 | 0.34 | +0.04 |
Drawdowns
NDSN vs. MSA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NDSN drawdown since its inception was -73.62%, roughly equal to the maximum MSA drawdown of -70.32%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NDSN and MSA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NDSN | MSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -73.62% | -70.32% | -3.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.15% | -21.29% | +7.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -39.15% | -34.28% | -4.87% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.15% | -34.28% | -4.87% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.24% | -38.39% | -5.85% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.42% | -21.29% | +15.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.25% | -17.44% | +4.19% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.40% | 9.79% | -5.39% |
Volatility
NDSN vs. MSA - Volatility Comparison
Nordson Corporation (NDSN) and MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA) have volatilities of 6.53% and 6.61%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NDSN | MSA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.53% | 6.61% | -0.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.06% | 17.65% | -2.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.84% | 23.93% | -3.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.66% | 24.71% | -0.05% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 28.43% | 28.78% | -0.35% |
Dividends
NDSN vs. MSA - Dividend Comparison
NDSN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.15%, less than MSA's 1.34% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
NDSN Nordson Corporation | 1.15% | 1.66% | 1.02% | 1.01% | 0.98% | 0.71% | 0.77% | 0.90% | 1.09% | 0.78% | 0.91% | 1.43% |
Financials
NDSN vs. MSA - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Nordson Corporation and MSA Safety Incorporated. 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
NDSN vs. MSA - Profitability Comparison
NDSN - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Nordson Corporation reported a gross profit of 404.08M and revenue of 740.85M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 54.5%.
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%.
NDSN - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Nordson Corporation reported an operating income of 197.20M and revenue of 740.85M, resulting in an operating margin of 26.6%.
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%.
NDSN - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Nordson Corporation reported a net income of 117.32M and revenue of 740.85M, resulting in a net margin of 15.8%.
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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NDSN and MSA have a correlation of 0.64, 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 NDSN (6.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NDSN dropped -73.62% vs MSA's -70.32%.
NDSN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.61 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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