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MSA Safety (MSA) Risk Analysis

Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning. MSA Safety disclosed 26 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. MSA Safety reported the most risks in the “Legal & Regulatory” category.

Risk Overview Q2, 2026

Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Jun 30, 2026, filed Jul 31, 2026

Risk Distribution
26Risks
Sector Avg.Finance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

Risk Change Over Time

MSA Safety disclosed risks per quarterNo. of Risks232425262728Q3Q4Q12023Q2Q3Q4Q12024Q2Q3Q4Q12025Q2Q3Q4Q12026Q2Showing: Q4, 2025
Risks removedRisks addedRisks changedMSA Safety Risk Factors
Risk Removed (1)
  • Accounting & Financial Operations - Risk 1
    If our goodwill, other intangible assets and long-lived assets become impaired, we may be required to record significant non-cash charges to earnings.

    We review our long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are required to be assessed for impairment at least annually. Factors that may be considered a change in circumstances, indicating that the carrying amount of our goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets or long-lived assets may not be recoverable, include slower growth rates in our markets, reduced expected future cash flows, increased country risk premiums as a result of political uncertainty and a decline in stock price and market capitalization. We consider available current information when calculating our impairment charge. If there are indicators of impairment, our long-term cash flow forecasts for our operations deteriorate or discount rates increase, we may be required to recognize additional non-cash charges in later periods. See Note 14-Goodwill and Intangible Assets of the consolidated financial statements in Part II Item 8 of this Form 10-K for the carrying amounts of goodwill in each of our reportable segments and details on indefinite-lived intangible assets that we hold.

  • Corporate Activity and Growth - Risk 2
    Our plans to continue to improve productivity and productivity, execute restructuring programs (such as to improve profitability), reduce complexity complexity, and meet other operating objectives may not be successful, which could adversely affect our ability to compete.

    MSA periodically evaluates the efficiency of our business, which may result in changes to the way that we operate. MSA runs the risk that these activities and similar initiatives may not be completed substantially as planned, may be more costly to implement than expected, or may not result in the efficiencies or cost savings anticipated. In addition, if not properly managed, these initiatives could cause disruptions in our day-to-day operations and have a negative impact on MSA's financial results. It is also possible that other major productivity and streamlining programs may be required in the future.

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Risk Highlights Q2, 2026

Main Risk Category
Legal & Regulatory
With 8 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
26
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Jun 2026
Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 1

Risk Word Cloud

our ability to market and sell our products and solutions is subject to existing government laws, regulations and standards. changes in such laws, regulations and standards or our failure to comply with them could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.subject to existing government lawsa reduction in the spending patterns of government customers, prolonged or recurring government shutdowns or reductions in government staffing, or delays in obtaining government approval for our products and solutions could materially and adversely affect our net sales, earnings and cash flow.adversely affect our net salesa reduction in the spending patterns of government customers, prolonged or recurring government shutdowns or reductions in government staffing, or delays in obtaining government approval for our products and solutions could materially and adversely affect our net sales, earnings and cash flow.spending patterns of government customersour inability to successfully identify, consummate and integrate current and future acquisitions or to realize anticipated cost savings and other benefits could adversely affect our business. additionally, divestitures may expose us to alleged potential liabilities which could adversely affect our business.our inability to successfully identifybecause we derive a significant portion of our sales from the operations of our foreign subsidiaries, future currency exchange rate fluctuations could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition and could affect the comparability of our results between financial periods.future currency exchange rate fluctuationswe benefit from free trade laws and regulations, such as the united states-mexico-canada agreement and any changes to these laws and regulations could adversely affect our results of operations.united states-mexico-canada agreementour inability to successfully identify, consummate and integrate current and future acquisitions or to realize anticipated cost savings and other benefits could adversely affect our business. additionally, divestitures may expose us to alleged potential liabilities which could adversely affect our business.to realize anticipated cost savingsa failure of our information systems or a cybersecurity breach could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.failure of our information systemsbecause we derive a significant portion of our sales from the operations of our foreign subsidiaries, future currency exchange rate fluctuations could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition and could affect the comparability of our results between financial periods.significant portion of our saleswe are subject to risks related to various u.s. and foreign climate regulations and any changes in these regulations related to climate disclosure and penalties for non-compliance could adversely affect our results of operations.regulations related to climate disclosure

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 26

Regulation3 | 11.5%
  • Regulation - Risk 1
    Our ability to market and sell our products and solutions is subject to existing government laws, regulations and standards. Changes in such laws, regulations and standards or our failure to comply with them could materially and adversely affect our results of operations.

    Most of our products are required to meet performance and test standards designed to protect the safety of people and infrastructures around the world, and many of our products and solutions are required to comply with other various laws and regulations in the applicable markets where sold. Our inability to comply with these standards and regulations could result in declines in revenue, profitability and cash flow. Changes in laws, regulations, or the standards themselves, including changes resulting from the outcome of federal, national, state or provincial elections, could reduce the demand for our products or require us to re-engineer our products, thereby creating opportunities for our competitors. Regulatory approvals for our products may be delayed or denied for a variety of reasons that are outside of our control. Additionally, market anticipation of significant new standards can cause customers to accelerate or delay buying decisions.

  • Regulation - Risk 2
    We are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations across our global organization and any violation of these laws or regulations could adversely affect our results of operations.

    We are subject to numerous, and sometimes conflicting, laws and regulations on matters as diverse as anti-corruption, import/export controls, product content requirements, trade restrictions, tariffs, taxation, sanctions, internal and disclosure control obligations, securities regulation, anti-competition, data privacy and security, and labor relations, among others. This includes laws and regulations in emerging markets where legal systems may be less developed or familiar to us. Compliance with diverse legal requirements is costly, time-consuming and requires significant resources, and in some cases may require us to obtain relevant information from our vendors and suppliers, which may be difficult to obtain in a timely manner or at all. In addition, if we are required to transition away from components made with regulated materials, we could incur substantial costs to identify and transition to alternative components or product designs, or where feasible alternatives are not readily available. Violations of one or more of these laws or regulations in the conduct of our business could result in significant fines, criminal prosecution or sanctions and/or civil penalties or civil litigation against us or our officers or other personnel, prohibitions on doing business and damage to our reputation. These actions could result in liability for significant monetary damages, unfavorable publicity and other reputational damage and have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

  • Regulation - Risk 3
    We benefit from free trade laws and regulations, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and any changes to these laws and regulations could adversely affect our results of operations.

    Existing free trade laws and regulations, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, provide certain beneficial duties and tariffs for qualifying imports and exports, subject to compliance with the applicable classification and other requirements. Changes in laws or policies governing the terms of foreign trade and, in particular, increased trade restrictions, tariffs or taxes on imports from countries where we manufacture products, such as China and Mexico, could have a material adverse effect on our business, consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment. They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result. It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process. Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”. Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report. According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing. You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector. Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements. A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below. 1. Financial & Corporate Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results. Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing. Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments. Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances. 2. Legal & Regulatory Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company. Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation. Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy. Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives. 3. Production Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory. Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers. Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls. Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation. 4. Technology & Innovation Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development. Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology. Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks. Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying. 5. Ability to Sell Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers. Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes. Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration. Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation. 6. Macro & Political Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions. Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19. International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company. Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.