COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
FCN vs MSA
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. FCN scored 75.1, MSA scored 76.5 — MSA leads.
Compare another set
FCN
FTI Consulting, Inc.
75.1
$153.49 · $4.2B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
1.4
MSA leads
MSA
MSA Safety Incorporated
76.5
$188.44 · $7.3B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestFCN18.6x
- Fastest growthFCN+7.1%
- Strongest balance sheetMSA0.46
- Highest qualityMSA81 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueFCN-41%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
FCN
stronger →← stronger
MSA
69
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
81
75
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
73
83
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
76
FCN is stronger on 2 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
FCN
MSA
$359mC
FCF
$354mC
+7.1%B
Rev
+6.5%C+
0.95C+
D/E
0.46B+
18.6xA-
P/E
23.5xB+
0.96B+
PEG
0.99B+
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
FCN
MSA
41% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
16% above
~-2%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~10%/yr
+42%
1-yr DCF upside
-20%
+71%
5-yr DCF upside
-14%
+123%
10-yr DCF upside
-4%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
FCN
Why this score
- Buying back stock
MSA
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
FCNFTI Consulting, Inc.
Why now
Consulting Services · market cap $4.2b. 19% off the 52-week high of $189.30. PEG 0.96 — paying under fair value for the growth rate.
Moat
ROE 19% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. FCF converts 142% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Value re-rating depends on a catalyst. Without one — analyst day, divestiture, margin recovery, capital return — the stock can stay cheap on these multiples for years.
MSAMSA Safety Incorporated
Why now
Security & Protection Services · market cap $7.3b. 10% off the 52-week high of $208.92. PEG 0.99 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 7 sell-side analysts publish a mean 1-yr target of $209.14 (implying +11% upside).
Moat
Net margin 16% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 22% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. FCF converts 113% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Value re-rating depends on a catalyst. Without one — analyst day, divestiture, margin recovery, capital return — the stock can stay cheap on these multiples for years.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
The model slightly favors MSA (76.8) over FCN (76) due to MSA's stronger Quality pillar (81 versus 69). However, a contrarian could prefer FCN given its substantial -43% discount to DCF fair value and a low implied growth of -3% per year.
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where FCN and MSA diverge
On the headline score the gap is 1.4 points in favor of MSA. They get there differently, though — each leads on a different pillar, so the better pick depends on which you weight.
- QualityFCN 68.6 · MSA 81.3MSA +12.7
- ValueFCN 82.7 · MSA 76.1FCN +6.6
- GrowthFCN 74.6 · MSA 72.5level
Pillars run 0–100 against sector peers, so a score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.