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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ameren (AEE) and MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ameren is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.8B vs $965.7M, roughly 1.8× MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC). Ameren runs the higher net margin — 14.2% vs 5.4%, a 8.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs -8.2%). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($7.4M vs $-54.0M). Over the past eight quarters, Ameren's revenue compounded faster (-0.9% CAGR vs -3.4%).

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. It operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. The company engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution and transmission businesses. It primarily generates electricity through coal, nucle...

MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc (MSC), through its subsidiaries, primarily MSC Industrial Supply Co., is one of the largest industrial equipment distributors in the United States, distributing more than 1.5 million metalworking and other industrial products.

AEE vs MSM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
AEE
AEE
1.8× larger
AEE
$1.8B
$965.7M
MSM
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSM
MSM
+12.2% gap
MSM
4.0%
-8.2%
AEE
Higher net margin
AEE
AEE
8.8% more per $
AEE
14.2%
5.4%
MSM
More free cash flow
MSM
MSM
$61.4M more FCF
MSM
$7.4M
$-54.0M
AEE
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AEE
AEE
Annualised
AEE
-0.9%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Revenue
$1.8B
$965.7M
Net Profit
$253.0M
$51.8M
Gross Margin
40.7%
Operating Margin
20.2%
7.9%
Net Margin
14.2%
5.4%
Revenue YoY
-8.2%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
21.6%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.92
$0.93

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$1.8B
$965.7M
Q3 25
$2.7B
$978.2M
Q2 25
$2.2B
$971.1M
Q1 25
$2.1B
Q4 24
$1.9B
$928.5M
Q3 24
$2.2B
Q2 24
$1.7B
$979.4M
Q1 24
$1.8B
$935.3M
Net Profit
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$253.0M
$51.8M
Q3 25
$641.0M
$56.5M
Q2 25
$277.0M
$56.8M
Q1 25
$290.0M
Q4 24
$208.0M
$46.6M
Q3 24
$457.0M
Q2 24
$260.0M
$71.7M
Q1 24
$262.0M
$61.8M
Gross Margin
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
40.7%
Q3 25
40.4%
Q2 25
41.0%
Q1 25
Q4 24
40.7%
Q3 24
Q2 24
40.9%
Q1 24
41.5%
Operating Margin
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
20.2%
7.9%
Q3 25
30.6%
8.6%
Q2 25
18.5%
8.5%
Q1 25
20.5%
Q4 24
10.2%
7.8%
Q3 24
27.0%
Q2 24
21.3%
10.9%
Q1 24
20.4%
9.7%
Net Margin
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
14.2%
5.4%
Q3 25
23.7%
5.8%
Q2 25
12.5%
5.9%
Q1 25
13.8%
Q4 24
10.7%
5.0%
Q3 24
21.0%
Q2 24
15.4%
7.3%
Q1 24
14.4%
6.6%
EPS (diluted)
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$0.92
$0.93
Q3 25
$2.35
$1.02
Q2 25
$1.01
$1.02
Q1 25
$1.07
Q4 24
$0.77
$0.83
Q3 24
$1.70
Q2 24
$0.97
$1.27
Q1 24
$0.98
$1.10

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$13.0M
$40.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$19.4B
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$13.4B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$48.5B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.45×
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$13.0M
$40.3M
Q3 25
$9.0M
$56.2M
Q2 25
$11.0M
$71.7M
Q1 25
$23.0M
Q4 24
$7.0M
$57.3M
Q3 24
$17.0M
Q2 24
$19.0M
$25.9M
Q1 24
$85.0M
$22.2M
Total Debt
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$19.4B
$214.1M
Q3 25
$168.8M
Q2 25
$285.0M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$17.8B
$289.9M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$299.8M
Q1 24
$294.5M
Stockholders' Equity
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$13.4B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$12.8B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$12.3B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$12.2B
Q4 24
$12.1B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$11.8B
Q2 24
$11.5B
$1.4B
Q1 24
$11.4B
$1.4B
Total Assets
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$48.5B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$47.4B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$46.6B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$45.7B
Q4 24
$44.6B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$43.3B
Q2 24
$42.3B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$41.3B
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
1.45×
0.16×
Q3 25
0.12×
Q2 25
0.21×
Q1 25
Q4 24
1.47×
0.21×
Q3 24
Q2 24
0.21×
Q1 24
0.21×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$956.0M
$29.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-54.0M
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-3.0%
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
56.7%
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
3.78×
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-775.0M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$956.0M
$29.4M
Q3 25
$1.1B
Q2 25
$862.0M
$151.6M
Q1 25
$431.0M
Q4 24
$817.0M
$101.9M
Q3 24
$897.0M
Q2 24
$557.0M
$143.5M
Q1 24
$492.0M
$78.7M
Free Cash Flow
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$-54.0M
$7.4M
Q3 25
$116.0M
Q2 25
$-204.0M
$100.7M
Q1 25
$-633.0M
Q4 24
$-473.0M
$81.7M
Q3 24
$-240.0M
Q2 24
$-445.0M
$114.0M
Q1 24
$-398.0M
$53.4M
FCF Margin
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
-3.0%
0.8%
Q3 25
4.3%
Q2 25
-9.2%
10.4%
Q1 25
-30.2%
Q4 24
-24.4%
8.8%
Q3 24
-11.0%
Q2 24
-26.3%
11.6%
Q1 24
-21.9%
5.7%
Capex Intensity
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
56.7%
2.3%
Q3 25
36.6%
Q2 25
48.0%
5.2%
Q1 25
50.7%
Q4 24
66.5%
2.2%
Q3 24
52.3%
Q2 24
59.2%
3.0%
Q1 24
49.0%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
AEE
AEE
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
3.78×
0.57×
Q3 25
1.72×
Q2 25
3.11×
2.67×
Q1 25
1.49×
Q4 24
3.93×
2.18×
Q3 24
1.96×
Q2 24
2.14×
2.00×
Q1 24
1.88×
1.27×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

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