Q4 Performance Review of Maintenance Distributors
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 17 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MSM?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Overall Performance Overview: The nine maintenance and repair distributors reported a collective revenue increase of 2.1% year-on-year, indicating mixed results that highlight the industry's vulnerability to economic cycles.
- MSC Industrial Performance: MSC Industrial reported revenues of $965.7 million, up 4% year-on-year, aligning with analyst expectations, and its stock has risen 7.4% since the report, reflecting market confidence in its stability.
- VSE Corporation Highlights: VSE Corporation's revenue stood at $301.2 million, flat year-on-year, outperforming analyst expectations by 4.6%, yet its stock fell 5%, indicating market dissatisfaction with its performance.
- Distribution Solutions Setback: Distribution Solutions reported revenues of $481.6 million, missing analyst expectations significantly, leading to a 35% drop in stock price, which underscores its competitive disadvantages and declining market confidence.
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Analyst Views on MSM
Wall Street analysts forecast MSM stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 90.300
Low
90.00
Averages
93.33
High
96.00
Current: 90.300
Low
90.00
Averages
93.33
High
96.00
About MSM
MSC Industrial Direct Co, Inc. is a distributor of a range of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services. Its range of metalworking and MRO products includes cutting tools, measuring instruments, tooling components, metalworking products, fasteners, flat stock, raw materials, abrasives, machinery hand and power tools, safety and janitorial supplies, plumbing supplies, materials handling products, power transmission components and electrical supplies. It offers saleable stock-keeping units through its e-commerce channels, including its Website https://www.mscdirect.com; its inventory management solutions; its brochures, and its customer care centers, customer fulfillment centers, regional inventory centers and warehouses. It offers advanced tools that integrate its solutions with customer purchasing platforms and workflows. This includes straightforward integrations, such as embedding customer inventory levels into searches on the Company’s Website.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
MSC Industrial Direct Declares $0.87 Quarterly Dividend with 4.01% Yield
- Quarterly Dividend Announcement: MSC Industrial Direct has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.87 per share, consistent with previous distributions, indicating the company's stable cash flow and shareholder return strategy, which is expected to bolster investor confidence.
- Dividend Yield: The forward yield of 4.01% makes this dividend attractive in the current market environment, potentially drawing in more income-seeking investors and enhancing the stock's market performance.
- Financial Performance Beats Expectations: In Q1 FY2026, MSC Industrial reported a non-GAAP EPS of $0.99, exceeding expectations by $0.04, with revenue of $965.7 million surpassing forecasts by $3.18 million, demonstrating effective execution in productivity and pricing strategies.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: The company anticipates a 20% incremental operating margin for FY2026, indicating that MSC Industrial is poised for sustainable profit growth through enhanced productivity and pricing strategies, thereby strengthening its competitive position in the market.
See More
Q4 Performance Review of Maintenance Distributors
- Overall Performance Overview: The nine maintenance and repair distributors reported a collective revenue increase of 2.1% year-on-year, indicating mixed results that highlight the industry's vulnerability to economic cycles.
- MSC Industrial Performance: MSC Industrial reported revenues of $965.7 million, up 4% year-on-year, aligning with analyst expectations, and its stock has risen 7.4% since the report, reflecting market confidence in its stability.
- VSE Corporation Highlights: VSE Corporation's revenue stood at $301.2 million, flat year-on-year, outperforming analyst expectations by 4.6%, yet its stock fell 5%, indicating market dissatisfaction with its performance.
- Distribution Solutions Setback: Distribution Solutions reported revenues of $481.6 million, missing analyst expectations significantly, leading to a 35% drop in stock price, which underscores its competitive disadvantages and declining market confidence.
See More
Valuation Analysis of MSC Industrial Direct
- Stock Performance: MSC Industrial's share price recently closed at $91.41, with year-to-date returns of 6.5% and 15.9% over the past year, indicating notable market fluctuations that investors should consider in their value assessments.
- Valuation Score: Currently, MSC Industrial holds a valuation score of 0 out of 6, suggesting that further analysis is needed across different valuation methods to determine the stock's attractiveness.
- Discounted Cash Flow Analysis: The DCF model indicates that MSC Industrial's free cash flow was $168.96 million over the last twelve months, projected to rise to $274.10 million by 2035, with the current share price implying a 12.6% overvaluation risk based on these cash flow assumptions.
- P/E Ratio Analysis: With a P/E ratio of 24.94x, MSC Industrial exceeds the industry average of 21.64x, suggesting that the stock appears expensive on an earnings basis, prompting investors to carefully evaluate its growth prospects and associated risks.
See More
MSC Industrial Reports Q1 Earnings of $51.8M with 4% Revenue Growth
- Earnings Growth: MSC Industrial's first-quarter net income reached $51.8 million, translating to earnings per share of $0.93, which marks a significant increase from last year's $46.6 million and $0.83 per share, indicating sustained improvement in the company's profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding special items, adjusted earnings stood at $55.53 million, or $0.99 per share, reflecting robust performance in core operations and bolstering investor confidence in the company's financial health.
- Revenue Increase: The company reported a 4% year-over-year revenue growth, totaling $965.684 million compared to $928.484 million last year, demonstrating a recovery in market demand and the effectiveness of its sales strategies.
- Market Outlook: With both revenue and earnings on the rise, MSC Industrial showcases strong competitive positioning in the industrial supply sector, setting a solid foundation for future expansion and growth opportunities.
See More
MSC Industrial Direct Reports Q1 Earnings Beat but Stock Falls on Cautious Outlook
- Earnings Beat: MSC Industrial Direct reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.99 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.95 and marking a 15.1% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance, yet the stock fell due to a cautious outlook.
- Sales Growth: The company achieved net sales of $965.7 million in the first quarter, exceeding expectations of $963.6 million and reflecting a 4.0% year-over-year increase, showcasing ongoing sales momentum despite market concerns about future profitability.
- Margin Improvement: The adjusted operating margin increased to 8.4% from 8.0% last year, achieving a 10 basis point gain, which demonstrates progress in cost control and operational efficiency, although future margin expectations have been tempered.
- Future Outlook: For Q2 of fiscal 2026, MSC expects average daily sales growth between 3.5% and 5.5%, with adjusted operating margins projected between 7.3% and 7.9%, and while management remains optimistic about sustained profitable growth, holiday timing may impact short-term performance.
See More
Movers: Strategy, Sandisk, Ventyx Biosciences, Mobileye, Cal-Maine Foods, and Others
- Market Overview: Stock futures were mostly lower on Wednesday, indicating a potential stall in the recent risk-on rally.
- Investor Sentiment: The shift in stock futures suggests a change in investor sentiment, moving away from the optimism seen in previous trading sessions.
- Economic Indicators: The decline in futures may reflect concerns over economic indicators that could impact market performance.
- Future Outlook: Analysts are watching closely to see if this trend continues or if the market can regain momentum in the coming days.
See More
MSC Industrial Direct Declares $0.87 Quarterly Dividend with 4.01% Yield
- Quarterly Dividend Announcement: MSC Industrial Direct has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.87 per share, consistent with previous distributions, indicating the company's stable cash flow and shareholder return strategy, which is expected to bolster investor confidence.
- Dividend Yield: The forward yield of 4.01% makes this dividend attractive in the current market environment, potentially drawing in more income-seeking investors and enhancing the stock's market performance.
- Financial Performance Beats Expectations: In Q1 FY2026, MSC Industrial reported a non-GAAP EPS of $0.99, exceeding expectations by $0.04, with revenue of $965.7 million surpassing forecasts by $3.18 million, demonstrating effective execution in productivity and pricing strategies.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: The company anticipates a 20% incremental operating margin for FY2026, indicating that MSC Industrial is poised for sustainable profit growth through enhanced productivity and pricing strategies, thereby strengthening its competitive position in the market.
See More
Q4 Performance Review of Maintenance Distributors
- Overall Performance Overview: The nine maintenance and repair distributors reported a collective revenue increase of 2.1% year-on-year, indicating mixed results that highlight the industry's vulnerability to economic cycles.
- MSC Industrial Performance: MSC Industrial reported revenues of $965.7 million, up 4% year-on-year, aligning with analyst expectations, and its stock has risen 7.4% since the report, reflecting market confidence in its stability.
- VSE Corporation Highlights: VSE Corporation's revenue stood at $301.2 million, flat year-on-year, outperforming analyst expectations by 4.6%, yet its stock fell 5%, indicating market dissatisfaction with its performance.
- Distribution Solutions Setback: Distribution Solutions reported revenues of $481.6 million, missing analyst expectations significantly, leading to a 35% drop in stock price, which underscores its competitive disadvantages and declining market confidence.
See More
Valuation Analysis of MSC Industrial Direct
- Stock Performance: MSC Industrial's share price recently closed at $91.41, with year-to-date returns of 6.5% and 15.9% over the past year, indicating notable market fluctuations that investors should consider in their value assessments.
- Valuation Score: Currently, MSC Industrial holds a valuation score of 0 out of 6, suggesting that further analysis is needed across different valuation methods to determine the stock's attractiveness.
- Discounted Cash Flow Analysis: The DCF model indicates that MSC Industrial's free cash flow was $168.96 million over the last twelve months, projected to rise to $274.10 million by 2035, with the current share price implying a 12.6% overvaluation risk based on these cash flow assumptions.
- P/E Ratio Analysis: With a P/E ratio of 24.94x, MSC Industrial exceeds the industry average of 21.64x, suggesting that the stock appears expensive on an earnings basis, prompting investors to carefully evaluate its growth prospects and associated risks.
See More
MSC Industrial Reports Q1 Earnings of $51.8M with 4% Revenue Growth
- Earnings Growth: MSC Industrial's first-quarter net income reached $51.8 million, translating to earnings per share of $0.93, which marks a significant increase from last year's $46.6 million and $0.83 per share, indicating sustained improvement in the company's profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding special items, adjusted earnings stood at $55.53 million, or $0.99 per share, reflecting robust performance in core operations and bolstering investor confidence in the company's financial health.
- Revenue Increase: The company reported a 4% year-over-year revenue growth, totaling $965.684 million compared to $928.484 million last year, demonstrating a recovery in market demand and the effectiveness of its sales strategies.
- Market Outlook: With both revenue and earnings on the rise, MSC Industrial showcases strong competitive positioning in the industrial supply sector, setting a solid foundation for future expansion and growth opportunities.
See More
MSC Industrial Direct Reports Q1 Earnings Beat but Stock Falls on Cautious Outlook
- Earnings Beat: MSC Industrial Direct reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.99 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.95 and marking a 15.1% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance, yet the stock fell due to a cautious outlook.
- Sales Growth: The company achieved net sales of $965.7 million in the first quarter, exceeding expectations of $963.6 million and reflecting a 4.0% year-over-year increase, showcasing ongoing sales momentum despite market concerns about future profitability.
- Margin Improvement: The adjusted operating margin increased to 8.4% from 8.0% last year, achieving a 10 basis point gain, which demonstrates progress in cost control and operational efficiency, although future margin expectations have been tempered.
- Future Outlook: For Q2 of fiscal 2026, MSC expects average daily sales growth between 3.5% and 5.5%, with adjusted operating margins projected between 7.3% and 7.9%, and while management remains optimistic about sustained profitable growth, holiday timing may impact short-term performance.
See More
Movers: Strategy, Sandisk, Ventyx Biosciences, Mobileye, Cal-Maine Foods, and Others
- Market Overview: Stock futures were mostly lower on Wednesday, indicating a potential stall in the recent risk-on rally.
- Investor Sentiment: The shift in stock futures suggests a change in investor sentiment, moving away from the optimism seen in previous trading sessions.
- Economic Indicators: The decline in futures may reflect concerns over economic indicators that could impact market performance.
- Future Outlook: Analysts are watching closely to see if this trend continues or if the market can regain momentum in the coming days.
See More
