vs
Side-by-side financial comparison of FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP (FSS) and MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($965.7M vs $597.1M, roughly 1.6× FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP). FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP runs the higher net margin — 10.2% vs 5.4%, a 4.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (26.5% vs 4.0%). FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP produced more free cash flow last quarter ($89.5M vs $7.4M). Over the past eight quarters, FEDERAL SIGNAL CORP's revenue compounded faster (18.5% CAGR vs -3.4%).
The Federal Signal Company was an American manufacturer of railway signaling equipment in the early 20th century. It was located in Albany, New York.
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.
FSS vs MSM — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $597.1M | $965.7M |
| Net Profit | $60.8M | $51.8M |
| Gross Margin | 28.4% | 40.7% |
| Operating Margin | 14.0% | 7.9% |
| Net Margin | 10.2% | 5.4% |
| Revenue YoY | 26.5% | 4.0% |
| Net Profit YoY | 21.6% | 11.1% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.99 | $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.
| Q4 25 | $597.1M | $965.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | $555.0M | $978.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $564.6M | $971.1M | ||
| Q1 25 | $463.8M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $472.0M | $928.5M | ||
| Q3 24 | $474.2M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $490.4M | $979.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $424.9M | $935.3M |
| Q4 25 | $60.8M | $51.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $68.1M | $56.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $71.4M | $56.8M | ||
| Q1 25 | $46.3M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $50.0M | $46.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | $53.9M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $60.8M | $71.7M | ||
| Q1 24 | $51.6M | $61.8M |
| Q4 25 | 28.4% | 40.7% | ||
| Q3 25 | 29.1% | 40.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 30.0% | 41.0% | ||
| Q1 25 | 28.2% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 28.1% | 40.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | 29.6% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 29.4% | 40.9% | ||
| Q1 24 | 27.3% | 41.5% |
| Q4 25 | 14.0% | 7.9% | ||
| Q3 25 | 16.9% | 8.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 17.3% | 8.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 14.2% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 14.9% | 7.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 16.0% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 16.5% | 10.9% | ||
| Q1 24 | 12.8% | 9.7% |
| Q4 25 | 10.2% | 5.4% | ||
| Q3 25 | 12.3% | 5.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 12.6% | 5.9% | ||
| Q1 25 | 10.0% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 10.6% | 5.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | 11.4% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.4% | 7.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 12.1% | 6.6% |
| Q4 25 | $0.99 | $0.93 | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.11 | $1.02 | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.16 | $1.02 | ||
| Q1 25 | $0.75 | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.80 | $0.83 | ||
| Q3 24 | $0.87 | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $0.99 | $1.27 | ||
| Q1 24 | $0.84 | $1.10 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $63.7M | $40.3M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $564.6M | $214.1M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $1.4B | $1.4B |
| Total Assets | $2.4B | $2.5B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.41× | 0.16× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $63.7M | $40.3M | ||
| Q3 25 | $54.4M | $56.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $64.7M | $71.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $57.5M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $91.1M | $57.3M | ||
| Q3 24 | $73.7M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $48.6M | $25.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $48.9M | $22.2M |
| Q4 25 | $564.6M | $214.1M | ||
| Q3 25 | $201.2M | $168.8M | ||
| Q2 25 | $258.3M | $285.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $266.9M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $204.4M | $289.9M | ||
| Q3 24 | $223.3M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $248.8M | $299.8M | ||
| Q1 24 | $266.8M | $294.5M |
| Q4 25 | $1.4B | $1.4B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.3B | $1.4B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.3B | $1.4B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.2B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.2B | $1.4B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.1B | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.1B | $1.4B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.0B | $1.4B |
| Q4 25 | $2.4B | $2.5B | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.9B | $2.5B | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.9B | $2.5B | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.9B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.8B | $2.5B | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.7B | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.7B | $2.5B | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.7B | $2.5B |
| Q4 25 | 0.41× | 0.16× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.15× | 0.12× | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.20× | 0.21× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.22× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.17× | 0.21× | ||
| Q3 24 | 0.19× | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.23× | 0.21× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.26× | 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $97.2M | $29.4M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $89.5M | $7.4M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 15.0% | 0.8% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 1.60× | 0.57× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | $227.1M | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $97.2M | $29.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $61.1M | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $59.7M | $151.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | $36.7M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $90.6M | $101.9M | ||
| Q3 24 | $68.8M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $40.6M | $143.5M | ||
| Q1 24 | $31.3M | $78.7M |
| Q4 25 | $89.5M | $7.4M | ||
| Q3 25 | $54.1M | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $52.4M | $100.7M | ||
| Q1 25 | $31.1M | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $82.1M | $81.7M | ||
| Q3 24 | $60.9M | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $24.8M | $114.0M | ||
| Q1 24 | $22.9M | $53.4M |
| Q4 25 | 15.0% | 0.8% | ||
| Q3 25 | 9.7% | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 9.3% | 10.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 6.7% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 17.4% | 8.8% | ||
| Q3 24 | 12.8% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 5.1% | 11.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.4% | 5.7% |
| Q4 25 | 1.3% | 2.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.3% | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.3% | 5.2% | ||
| Q1 25 | 1.2% | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.8% | 2.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.7% | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.2% | 3.0% | ||
| Q1 24 | 2.0% | 2.7% |
| Q4 25 | 1.60× | 0.57× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.90× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.84× | 2.67× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.79× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.81× | 2.18× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.28× | — | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.67× | 2.00× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.61× | 1.27× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
FSS
| Vehiclesandequipment | $403.4M | 68% |
| Parts | $66.8M | 11% |
| Publicsafetyandsecurityequipment | $62.2M | 10% |
| Rentalincome | $19.0M | 3% |
| Industrialsignalingequipment | $18.2M | 3% |
| Other | $14.9M | 2% |
| Warningsystems | $12.6M | 2% |
MSM
Segment breakdown not available.
