COMPARE · Data as of August 21, 2026
ADT vs MSA
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. ADT scored 59.3, MSA scored 76.5 — MSA leads.
Compare another set
ADT
ADT Inc.
59.3
$7.38 · $5.4B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
17.2
MSA leads
MSA
MSA Safety Incorporated
76.5
$189.43 · $7.3B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
- CheapestADT10.3x
- Fastest growthMSA+6.5%
- Strongest balance sheetMSA0.46
- Highest qualityMSA81 / 100
- Largest discount to fair valueADT-82%
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)
ADT
stronger →← stronger
MSA
69
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
81
52
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
73
58
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
76
MSA is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
ADT
MSA
$2.0bC+
FCF
$354mC
+2.1%C
Rev
+6.5%C+
2.24D
D/E
0.46B+
10.3xA
P/E
23.6xB+
1.50B
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
ADT
MSA
82% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
17% above
decline
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~10%/yr
+440%
1-yr DCF upside
-21%
+467%
5-yr DCF upside
-14%
+508%
10-yr DCF upside
-4%
These two disagree on this pair: the Value pillar ranks cheapness against sector peers, while price-vs-fair-value is an absolute read. A name can be the better value in its sector and still the dearer one on cash flows.
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
ADT
Why this score
- Diluting shareholders
MSA
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
ADTADT Inc.
Why now
Security & Protection Services · market cap $5.4b. 17% off the 52-week high of $8.94. 5 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $8.23 (implying +12% upside).
Moat
ROE 18% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. Free cash flow runs well ahead of reported net income — non-cash charges (depreciation, intangible amortization) are holding down GAAP earnings while cash generation stays strong.
Risk
D/E 2.24 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer.
MSAMSA Safety Incorporated
Why now
Security & Protection Services · market cap $7.3b. 9% 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 +10% 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
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
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 ADT and MSA diverge
On the headline score the gap is 17.2 points in favor of MSA. The widest single difference is Growth, where MSA leads by 20.7 points.
- GrowthADT 51.8 · MSA 72.5MSA +20.7
- ValueADT 58.5 · MSA 76.1MSA +17.6
- QualityADT 68.7 · MSA 81.3MSA +12.6
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.