MSA
MSA Safety Incorporated Industrials - Security & Protection Services Investor Relations →
MSA Safety Incorporated (MSA) closed at $193.13 as of 2026-02-02, trading 24.9% above its 200-week moving average of $154.65. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from 14.8% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 78, MSA is in overbought territory.
Over the past 2715 weeks of data, MSA has crossed below its 200-week moving average 29 times. On average, these episodes lasted 19 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MSA at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +26.9%.
With a market cap of $7.6 billion, MSA is a mid-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.9%. Return on equity stands at 23.4%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 5.8x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MSA would have grown to $8505, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 14.3% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming MSA as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been volatile over the past several years, making the quality of earnings harder to assess.
Growth of $100: MSA vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MSA Crosses Below the Line?
Across 24 historical episodes, buying MSA when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +33.2% after 12 months (median +34.0%), compared to +7.7% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 91% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +68.9% vs +20.6% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MSA crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MSA has crossed below its 200-week MA 29 times with an average 1-year return of +26.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1974 | Apr 1975 | 62 | 49.1% | -25.8% | +99634.8% |
| Jul 1982 | Mar 1983 | 36 | 14.2% | +11.0% | +18752.3% |
| Jun 1983 | Jul 1983 | 3 | 2.4% | -7.7% | +16887.8% |
| Aug 1983 | Aug 1984 | 54 | 13.8% | -6.5% | +16703.2% |
| Oct 1987 | Mar 1988 | 19 | 23.1% | +50.0% | +13226.6% |
| Sep 1991 | Jan 1992 | 19 | 9.4% | -4.7% | +8099.4% |
| Feb 1992 | Jul 1994 | 128 | 21.8% | -4.5% | +7930.1% |
| Aug 1994 | Aug 1994 | 1 | 0.8% | +21.1% | +8082.0% |
| Dec 1994 | Dec 1994 | 3 | 1.0% | +1.1% | +8093.7% |
| Dec 1995 | Dec 1995 | 1 | 0.4% | +24.3% | +8007.3% |
| Jun 1996 | Jul 1996 | 2 | 4.5% | +55.9% | +8207.8% |
| Mar 1999 | Apr 1999 | 2 | 6.9% | +24.0% | +5752.6% |
| Nov 1999 | Dec 1999 | 2 | 1.0% | +25.4% | +5314.1% |
| Jan 2000 | Jan 2000 | 1 | 0.8% | +20.4% | +5268.2% |
| Feb 2000 | Feb 2000 | 1 | 1.4% | +27.1% | +5256.9% |
| Aug 2000 | Sep 2000 | 3 | 8.7% | +75.2% | +5381.2% |
| Oct 2000 | Oct 2000 | 2 | 4.7% | +118.0% | +5092.9% |
| Nov 2002 | Nov 2002 | 1 | 0.2% | +124.6% | +3557.6% |
| Apr 2008 | May 2008 | 7 | 5.2% | -39.0% | +613.0% |
| Jun 2008 | Dec 2010 | 129 | 55.5% | -39.6% | +603.3% |
| Aug 2011 | Oct 2011 | 9 | 10.7% | +27.5% | +791.3% |
| Aug 2015 | Nov 2015 | 12 | 8.9% | +34.5% | +409.4% |
| Dec 2015 | Feb 2016 | 12 | 14.9% | +63.9% | +423.9% |
| Apr 2022 | May 2022 | 4 | 3.4% | +9.0% | +67.7% |
| Jun 2022 | Jul 2022 | 6 | 8.4% | +26.3% | +63.0% |
| Aug 2022 | Oct 2022 | 9 | 13.7% | +50.0% | +64.9% |
| Mar 2023 | Mar 2023 | 2 | 0.8% | +43.4% | +54.5% |
| Apr 2023 | May 2023 | 3 | 1.1% | +47.2% | +52.7% |
| Mar 2025 | Apr 2025 | 6 | 11.1% | N/A | +29.7% |
| Average | 19 | — | +26.9% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02