MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (MSM) Key Metrics
MSM valuation today
Trailing 12 months · as of October 18, 2026- Market cap
- $7.28B
- Enterprise value
- $7.26B
- P/E (TTM)
- 31.5 10-yr median 16.8
- Forward P/E
- 23.5
- PEG ratio
- 2.48
- Price / sales
- 1.9 10-yr median 1.3
- Price / book
- 4.8 10-yr median 3.4
- EV / EBITDA
- 17.0 10-yr median 11.1
- Dividend yield
- 2.73% $3.56 a year
- Beta
- 0.81
MSM key metrics, FY2016–FY2025
Fiscal year ended August 31, 2025 · U.S. dollarsMSM valuation Price multiples at each fiscal year-end price.
MSM returns How much profit the business earns on the capital it uses.
MSM per-share figures Results divided by the shares outstanding at year-end.
MSM financial health Debt, liquidity and how easily interest is covered.
MSM efficiency & capital use Working capital cycle and where the cash goes.
MSM valuation history
MSM returns on capital
Net income (ROE, ROA) or after-tax operating income (ROIC) divided by the average of the opening and closing balance.
MSM debt vs cash
Debt includes short- and long-term borrowings and, where reported, lease liabilities.
MSM cash returned to shareholders
MSM price vs earnings per share
MSM key metrics
FY2016–FY2025| FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valuation | ||||||||||
| Market capitalization | $5.04B | $4.64B | $5.74B | $4.44B | $4.72B | $3.67B | $3.75B | $4.85B | $3.92B | $4.46B |
| Enterprise value | $5.53B | $5.18B | $6.21B | $5.26B | $5.52B | $4.22B | $4.16B | $5.34B | $4.44B | $5.01B |
| P/E ratio | 25.3 | 17.9 | 16.7 | 13.1 | 21.8 | 14.6 | 13.0 | 14.7 | 17.0 | 19.3 |
| Price / sales | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Price / book | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 4.1 |
| Price / free cash flow | 20.9 | 14.9 | 9.4 | 24.0 | 27.7 | 10.5 | 13.6 | 16.4 | 19.6 | 14.2 |
| Price / operating cash flow | 15.1 | 11.3 | 8.2 | 18.0 | 21.0 | 9.2 | 11.4 | 14.3 | 15.9 | 11.1 |
| EV / sales | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| EV / EBITDA | 14.6 | 11.5 | 11.2 | 9.5 | 14.2 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 11.2 |
| EV / free cash flow | 22.9 | 16.6 | 10.2 | 28.4 | 32.3 | 12.1 | 15.0 | 18.1 | 22.2 | 16.0 |
| Earnings yield | 4.0% | 5.6% | 6.0% | 7.7% | 4.6% | 6.8% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 5.9% | 5.2% |
| Free cash flow yield | 4.8% | 6.7% | 10.6% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 9.5% | 7.4% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 7.0% |
| Dividend yield | 3.8% | 4.0% | 3.1% | 3.8% | 7.7% | 12.1% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| Shareholder yield (dividends + buybacks) | 4.5% | 8.1% | 6.9% | 4.4% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 6.1% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 11.0% |
| Share price at fiscal year-end | $90.23 | $82.24 | $102.06 | $79.21 | $84.21 | $65.90 | $67.62 | $85.48 | $68.88 | $73.04 |
| Per share | ||||||||||
| Revenue per share | $67.44 | $67.70 | $71.33 | $65.87 | $57.82 | $57.37 | $60.60 | $56.50 | $50.69 | $46.88 |
| Earnings per share | $3.57 | $4.58 | $6.11 | $6.06 | $3.87 | $4.51 | $5.20 | $5.81 | $4.06 | $3.79 |
| Operating cash flow per share | $5.97 | $7.28 | $12.45 | $4.39 | $4.00 | $7.13 | $5.92 | $5.99 | $4.33 | $6.57 |
| Free cash flow per share | $4.31 | $5.52 | $10.80 | $3.30 | $3.04 | $6.29 | $4.98 | $5.20 | $3.52 | $5.13 |
| Cash per share | $1.01 | $0.52 | $0.89 | $0.78 | $0.72 | $2.25 | $0.58 | $0.82 | $0.28 | $0.87 |
| Book value per share | $24.84 | $24.66 | $26.31 | $24.10 | $20.52 | $23.63 | $26.64 | $24.46 | $21.50 | $17.98 |
| Tangible book value per share | $10.36 | $10.04 | $11.57 | $9.38 | $6.35 | $9.57 | $12.33 | $10.40 | $8.44 | $6.04 |
| Dividends per share | $3.39 | $3.32 | $3.14 | $2.99 | $6.47 | $7.98 | $2.63 | $2.21 | $1.79 | $1.73 |
| Capex per share | $1.66 | $1.76 | $1.65 | $1.10 | $0.96 | $0.84 | $0.93 | $0.79 | $0.82 | $1.44 |
| Debt per share | $9.64 | $10.07 | $9.28 | $15.36 | $14.91 | $12.14 | $7.96 | $9.44 | $9.36 | $9.94 |
| Shares outstanding | 55.9M | 56.4M | 56.2M | 56.0M | 56.1M | 55.6M | 55.5M | 56.7M | 57.0M | 61.1M |
| Change in shares outstanding | −1.0% | +0.4% | +0.3% | −0.1% | +0.8% | +0.2% | −2.1% | −0.5% | −6.7% | −0.7% |
| Returns & profitability | ||||||||||
| Return on equity (ROE) | 14.3% | 18.0% | 24.3% | 27.2% | 17.6% | 18.0% | 20.2% | 25.2% | 19.9% | 19.0% |
| Return on invested capital (ROIC) | 12.4% | 15.6% | 18.0% | 17.4% | 13.5% | 14.8% | 17.3% | 18.9% | 14.0% | 13.9% |
| Return on assets (ROA) | 8.1% | 10.3% | 13.0% | 13.1% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 12.6% | 15.0% | 11.1% | 11.1% |
| Return on tangible assets | 12.1% | 15.8% | 20.0% | 17.8% | 13.0% | 15.7% | 19.0% | 22.1% | 17.1% | 17.3% |
| Free cash flow margin | 6.4% | 8.1% | 15.1% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 11.0% | 8.2% | 9.2% | 6.9% | 10.9% |
| Income quality (OCF / net income) | 1.67 | 1.59 | 2.04 | 0.72 | 1.03 | 1.58 | 1.14 | 1.03 | 1.07 | 1.73 |
| Financial health | ||||||||||
| Total debt | $538.8M | $568.2M | $521.4M | $860.8M | $836.4M | $675.5M | $441.9M | $535.3M | $533.0M | $606.8M |
| Cash & short-term investments | $56.2M | $29.6M | $50.1M | $43.5M | $40.5M | $125.2M | $32.3M | $46.2M | $16.1M | $52.9M |
| Net debt | $482.6M | $538.6M | $471.4M | $817.2M | $795.9M | $550.2M | $409.6M | $489.1M | $516.9M | $553.9M |
| Debt / equity | 0.39 | 0.41 | 0.35 | 0.64 | 0.73 | 0.51 | 0.30 | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.55 |
| Debt / assets | 0.22 | 0.23 | 0.20 | 0.32 | 0.34 | 0.28 | 0.19 | 0.23 | 0.25 | 0.29 |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 1.28 | 1.19 | 0.85 | 1.47 | 2.04 | 1.24 | 0.88 | 1.01 | 1.17 | 1.23 |
| Current ratio | 1.68 | 1.96 | 2.03 | 2.13 | 2.34 | 3.03 | 2.68 | 2.34 | 1.80 | 2.05 |
| Quick ratio | 0.80 | 0.90 | 0.91 | 1.14 | 1.23 | 1.70 | 1.43 | 1.28 | 0.97 | 1.12 |
| Interest coverage | 13.0 | 15.8 | 21.8 | 27.0 | 23.5 | 22.1 | 25.5 | 29.1 | 30.6 | 64.7 |
| Working capital | $497.2M | $582.7M | $668.1M | $817.7M | $752.3M | $829.0M | $752.7M | $657.0M | $447.9M | $502.9M |
| Invested capital | $1.87B | $1.93B | $1.95B | $2.17B | $1.95B | $1.87B | $1.89B | $1.88B | $1.74B | $1.65B |
| Tangible asset value | $587.3M | $576.2M | $663.8M | $537.8M | $367.3M | $538.1M | $689.9M | $589.5M | $481.0M | $369.0M |
| Net current asset value | $161.0M | $127.1M | $266.0M | $176.5M | $14.0M | $175.9M | $372.3M | $246.0M | $131.8M | $14.9M |
| Graham number | $44.64 | $50.42 | $60.13 | $57.33 | $42.25 | $48.99 | $55.85 | $56.53 | $44.33 | $39.14 |
| Graham net-net per share | −$6.62 | −$7.09 | −$5.54 | −$8.03 | −$9.40 | −$5.32 | −$1.98 | −$3.58 | −$4.76 | −$6.50 |
| Capital allocation | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | $189.7M | $187.3M | $176.7M | $167.4M | $362.6M | $444.2M | $145.7M | $125.4M | $102.2M | $105.8M |
| Share buybacks (net) | $39.3M | $187.7M | $220.8M | $27.4M | $91.3M | $23.4M | $84.6M | $82.4M | $49.2M | $383.8M |
| Dividend payout ratio | 95.1% | 72.4% | 51.5% | 49.3% | 167.2% | 176.9% | 50.4% | 38.1% | 44.2% | 45.7% |
| Dividends + buybacks / free cash flow | 95.1% | 120.5% | 65.5% | 105.4% | 265.9% | 133.7% | 83.3% | 70.5% | 75.6% | 156.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| Capex / operating cash flow | 27.8% | 24.2% | 13.2% | 24.9% | 23.9% | 11.8% | 15.8% | 13.2% | 18.9% | 21.9% |
| Capex / depreciation | 1.03 | 1.20 | 1.23 | 0.87 | 0.78 | 0.68 | 0.80 | 0.72 | 0.74 | 1.23 |
| Stock-based compensation / revenue | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| SG&A / revenue | 0.8% | 30.5% | 28.7% | 29.3% | 30.6% | 28.4% | 29.8% | 30.3% | 31.4% | 31.9% |
| Efficiency | ||||||||||
| Days sales outstanding | 40.4 | 40.5 | 51.1 | 61.7 | 59.2 | 59.0 | 57.8 | 56.7 | 54.6 | 50.7 |
| Days of inventory on hand | 105.2 | 111.1 | 111.2 | 114.6 | 111.5 | 104.9 | 101.8 | 99.1 | 103.6 | 110.2 |
| Days payables outstanding | 35.2 | 35.1 | 34.2 | 34.5 | 29.8 | 27.2 | 28.8 | 26.8 | 26.4 | 26.1 |
| Cash conversion cycle (days) | 110.5 | 116.6 | 128.1 | 141.8 | 140.9 | 136.7 | 130.7 | 129.0 | 131.8 | 134.9 |
| Receivables turnover | 9.02 | 9.02 | 7.14 | 5.92 | 6.17 | 6.18 | 6.32 | 6.44 | 6.68 | 7.20 |
| Payables turnover | 10.36 | 10.41 | 10.67 | 10.57 | 12.24 | 13.42 | 12.66 | 13.60 | 13.81 | 14.00 |
| Inventory turnover | 3.47 | 3.28 | 3.28 | 3.19 | 3.27 | 3.48 | 3.59 | 3.68 | 3.52 | 3.31 |
| Asset turnover | 1.53 | 1.53 | 1.52 | 1.42 | 1.34 | 1.36 | 1.46 | 1.46 | 1.39 | 1.37 |
| Average receivables | $417.7M | $423.8M | $561.5M | $624.0M | $526.1M | $516.4M | $532.5M | $497.8M | $432.1M | $398.0M |
| Average payables | $215.5M | $216.1M | $221.8M | $201.9M | $156.1M | $142.9M | $152.6M | $133.2M | $115.9M | $112.5M |
| Average inventory | $644.0M | $685.2M | $721.1M | $669.9M | $583.6M | $551.1M | $538.8M | $491.7M | $454.6M | $475.4M |
| Intangibles / total assets | 32.9% | 33.5% | 32.6% | 30.2% | 32.3% | 32.8% | 34.4% | 34.9% | 35.5% | 35.3% |
Computed from MSM's annual financial statements (latest annual report filed October 23, 2025) and the closing share price on each fiscal year-end, adjusted for stock splits. Figures in U.S. dollars; data from EODHD. Averages use the opening and closing balance of each year.
MSM valuation and financial ratios
At the end of fiscal 2025 (August 31, 2025), MSC Industrial Direct traded at 25.3 times earnings, against a 10-year median of 16.8. Based on the latest twelve months, the trailing P/E is 31.5 and the forward P/E is 23.5. MSC Industrial Direct earned a return on equity of 14.3% and a return on invested capital of 12.4% in fiscal 2025. It ended the year with $538.8 million of debt and $56.2 million in cash and short-term investments, net debt of $482.6 million. It returned $229.0 million to shareholders: $189.7 million in dividends and $39.3 million in share buybacks, 95% of free cash flow. The share count fell 8.5% from 61.1M to 55.9M over 9 years.
See the MSM income statement, the MSM chart for price history, or the MSM stock overview for the latest quote and news.
MSM key metrics FAQ
What is MSC Industrial Direct's P/E ratio?
MSC Industrial Direct's trailing P/E ratio is 31.5 based on the last twelve months of earnings (as of October 18, 2026), and its forward P/E is 23.5. At the end of fiscal 2025 it was 25.3, compared with a 10-year median of 16.8.
What is MSC Industrial Direct's EV/EBITDA?
MSC Industrial Direct's enterprise value was 14.6 times EBITDA at the end of fiscal 2025 (enterprise value $5.5 billion, EBITDA $377.8 million); the current EV/EBITDA is 17.0.
What is MSC Industrial Direct's return on equity?
MSC Industrial Direct's return on equity (ROE) was 14.3% in fiscal 2025: net income of $199.3 million on average shareholders' equity of $1.4 billion.
What is MSC Industrial Direct's ROIC?
MSC Industrial Direct's return on invested capital was 12.4% in fiscal 2025, using after-tax operating income divided by average debt plus equity minus cash.
How much debt does MSC Industrial Direct have?
MSC Industrial Direct had total debt of $538.8 million at the end of fiscal 2025, a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39 and $482.6 million of net debt (1.28 times EBITDA).
What is MSC Industrial Direct's dividend yield?
MSC Industrial Direct's forward dividend yield is 2.73%. MSC Industrial Direct paid $189.7 million in dividends in fiscal 2025 ($3.39 per share), a payout ratio of 95.1%.
Does MSC Industrial Direct buy back its shares?
Yes. MSC Industrial Direct spent $39.3 million on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025 Shares outstanding changed −1.0% over the year, to 55.9M..
What is MSC Industrial Direct's free cash flow yield?
MSC Industrial Direct generated $240.9 million of free cash flow in fiscal 2025, a free cash flow yield of 4.8% on its market value at year-end ($5.0 billion).
What is MSC Industrial Direct's current ratio?
MSC Industrial Direct's current ratio was 1.68 at the end of fiscal 2025: current assets were 1.68 times current liabilities.