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MSMMSC Industrial Direct Company, Hold5.8·$125.64-0.15%
HoldModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

MSC Industrial Direct has a perfect Piotroski F-Score of 9/9 and earnings estimates rising 31.6% in the past 30 days, but the stock has surpassed analyst price targets and trades with negative price momentum, offering limited near-term risk-reward for new buyers.

Thesis pillars

  • Rising Earnings EstimatesDeteriorating
  • Top Tier Financial HealthStable
  • Negative Momentum Price OvershootDeteriorating
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

MSC Industrial Direct Company, (MSM) Stock Analysis

HoldGrowthQualityModerate Confidence

Industrials · Industrial Distribution

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $125.64, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Near 52-week high (2.4% away).

MSC Industrial Direct Company is a North American distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services, serving customers from individual machine shops to Fortune 1000 manufacturers and government agencies through more than 7,000... Read more

$125.64-10.1% A.UpsideScore 5.8/10#6 of 19 Industrial Distribution
QualityF-score9 / 9FCF yield2.78%
IncomeYield2.77%(5y avg 3.70%)Payout83.57%at-risk
Stop $119.64Target $126.21(resistance)A.R:R -1.2:1
Analyst target$129.86+3.4%7 analysts
$126.21our TP
$125.64price
$129.86mean
$67
$155

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $125.64, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Near 52-week high (2.4% away). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Maintain position. Not compelling to add more. Score 5.8/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 6/9 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, news events none recent, earnings proximity 88d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: moderate.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-07-26
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Thu, Oct 22, 202688d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (3/4)
Strong growth profile
Positive insider activity
Risks
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining
Near 52-week high (2.4% away)

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)30.4
P/E (Fwd)23.1
Mkt Cap$7.0B
EV/EBITDA16.9
Profit Mgn5.9%
ROE16.3%
Rev Growth7.8%
Beta0.81
Dividend2.77%
Rating analysts12

Quality Signals

Piotroski F9/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C1.30bearish
IV42%normal

Concentration Risks(10-K Item 1A)

  • LOWCustomerU.S. government and public sector10%
    10-K Item 1A: 'As a supplier to the U.S. government and public sector, which represented approximately 10% of the Company's total revenue in fiscal year 2025, we must comply with certain laws and regulations'
  • LOWProductMSC exclusive brand SKUs15%
    10-K Item 1: 'SKUs sold under MSC exclusive brands represent approximately 15% of net sales.'

Material Events(8-K, last 90d)

  • 2026-04-10Item 5.02MEDIUM
    SVP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Neal Dongre voluntarily resigned, continuing in his role until his successor joins the company and through the remainder of fiscal 2026; the company states no disagreement over operations, policies, or practices.
    SEC filing →

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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About TrendMatrix. TrendMatrix is a publisher of general securities research and market commentary. We publish on a regular schedule. All content is the same for every subscriber in a tier — we do not provide personalized investment advice and we do not take into account any individual subscriber's financial situation, investment objectives, risk tolerance, tax situation, or holdings.

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Conflicts and positions. The TrendMatrix editorial team frequently holds personal long-term positions in securities discussed. We disclose positions held at the time of publication on each piece. We maintain a trading-window policy: we do not initiate or close positions in the same direction as a TrendMatrix publication within 24 hours before or 72 hours after publication.

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Performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Performance figures reflect the published model only and do not reflect any individual subscriber's actual results.

Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

10 dimensions · all in-band

GatesA.R:R -1.2=NEGATIVEMomentum 5.4<5.5 (soft — BUY_NOW allowed but watch)Executive change: officer departure/appointmentMomentum 5.4>=4.5Insider activity: OKNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 88d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Moderate
RSI
68 · Neutral
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $114.81Resistance $128.79

Price Targets

$120
$126
A.Upside-10.1%
A.R:R-1.2:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-10.1% upside)
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
M
3/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-10-22 (88d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MSM stock a buy right now?

Hold if already holding. Not a fresh buy at $125.64, but acceptable to hold if already in. Reasons: Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Near 52-week high (2.4% away). Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Maintain position. Not compelling to add more. Target $126.21 (+0.5%), stop $119.64 (−5.0%), A.R:R -1.2:1. Score 5.8/10, moderate confidence.

What is the MSM stock price target?

Take-profit target: $126.21 (-10.1% upside). Target $126.21 (+0.5%), stop $119.64 (−5.0%), A.R:R -1.2:1. Stop-loss: $119.64.

What are the risks of investing in MSM?

Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Near 52-week high (2.4% away).

Is MSM overvalued or undervalued?

MSC Industrial Direct Company, trades at a P/E of 30.4 (forward 23.1). TrendMatrix value score: 4.5/10. Verdict: Hold.

What do analysts say about MSM?

12 analysts cover MSM with a consensus score of 3.5/5. Average price target: $130.

What does MSC Industrial Direct Company, do?MSC Industrial Direct Company is a North American distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations...

MSC Industrial Direct Company is a North American distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services, serving customers from individual machine shops to Fortune 1000 manufacturers and government agencies through more than 7,000 associates. The company offers approximately 2.5 million SKUs via five customer fulfillment centers, nine regional inventory centers, and 38 warehouses across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, with government and public sector customers representing approximately 10% of fiscal 2025 revenue.

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