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Side-by-side financial comparison of HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC (HOV) 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 $817.9M, roughly 1.2× HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC runs the higher net margin — 5.4% vs -0.1%, a 5.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs -16.5%). HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC produced more free cash flow last quarter ($164.0M vs $7.4M). Over the past eight quarters, HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC's revenue compounded faster (17.3% CAGR vs -3.4%).

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. is an American real estate company which is involved in every aspect of marketing homes, including design, construction and sales. The company works with individual detached housing as well as higher-occupancy dwellings, including townhouses, condominiums and retirement homes.

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.

HOV vs MSM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSM
MSM
1.2× larger
MSM
$965.7M
$817.9M
HOV
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSM
MSM
+20.5% gap
MSM
4.0%
-16.5%
HOV
Higher net margin
MSM
MSM
5.4% more per $
MSM
5.4%
-0.1%
HOV
More free cash flow
HOV
HOV
$156.6M more FCF
HOV
$164.0M
$7.4M
MSM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
HOV
HOV
Annualised
HOV
17.3%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Revenue
$817.9M
$965.7M
Net Profit
$-667.0K
$51.8M
Gross Margin
40.7%
Operating Margin
-0.5%
7.9%
Net Margin
-0.1%
5.4%
Revenue YoY
-16.5%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
-100.7%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.57
$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
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$817.9M
$965.7M
Q3 25
$800.6M
$978.2M
Q2 25
$686.5M
$971.1M
Q1 25
$673.6M
Q4 24
$979.6M
$928.5M
Q3 24
$722.7M
Q2 24
$708.4M
$979.4M
Q1 24
$594.2M
$935.3M
Net Profit
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$-667.0K
$51.8M
Q3 25
$16.6M
$56.5M
Q2 25
$19.7M
$56.8M
Q1 25
$28.2M
Q4 24
$94.3M
$46.6M
Q3 24
$72.9M
Q2 24
$50.8M
$71.7M
Q1 24
$23.9M
$61.8M
Gross Margin
HOV
HOV
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
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
-0.5%
7.9%
Q3 25
3.0%
8.6%
Q2 25
3.9%
8.5%
Q1 25
5.9%
Q4 24
12.0%
7.8%
Q3 24
13.5%
Q2 24
9.8%
10.9%
Q1 24
5.5%
9.7%
Net Margin
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
-0.1%
5.4%
Q3 25
2.1%
5.8%
Q2 25
2.9%
5.9%
Q1 25
4.2%
Q4 24
9.6%
5.0%
Q3 24
10.1%
Q2 24
7.2%
7.3%
Q1 24
4.0%
6.6%
EPS (diluted)
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$-0.57
$0.93
Q3 25
$1.99
$1.02
Q2 25
$2.43
$1.02
Q1 25
$3.58
Q4 24
$12.47
$0.83
Q3 24
$9.75
Q2 24
$6.66
$1.27
Q1 24
$2.91
$1.10

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$40.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$900.7M
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$830.9M
$1.4B
Total Assets
$2.6B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
1.08×
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$40.3M
Q3 25
$56.2M
Q2 25
$71.7M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$57.3M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$25.9M
Q1 24
$22.2M
Total Debt
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$900.7M
$214.1M
Q3 25
$861.9M
$168.8M
Q2 25
$864.3M
$285.0M
Q1 25
$893.7M
Q4 24
$896.2M
$289.9M
Q3 24
$898.7M
Q2 24
$933.0M
$299.8M
Q1 24
$934.6M
$294.5M
Stockholders' Equity
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$830.9M
$1.4B
Q3 25
$835.4M
$1.4B
Q2 25
$820.4M
$1.4B
Q1 25
$811.4M
Q4 24
$800.3M
$1.4B
Q3 24
$703.4M
Q2 24
$647.0M
$1.4B
Q1 24
$607.1M
$1.4B
Total Assets
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$2.6B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$2.6B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$2.6B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$2.5B
Q4 24
$2.6B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$2.5B
Q2 24
$2.3B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.3B
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
1.08×
0.16×
Q3 25
1.03×
0.12×
Q2 25
1.05×
0.21×
Q1 25
1.10×
Q4 24
1.12×
0.21×
Q3 24
1.28×
Q2 24
1.44×
0.21×
Q1 24
1.54×
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
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$169.1M
$29.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$164.0M
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
20.0%
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
0.6%
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$166.2M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$169.1M
$29.4M
Q3 25
$52.8M
Q2 25
$22.3M
$151.6M
Q1 25
$-55.9M
Q4 24
$115.8M
$101.9M
Q3 24
$-92.3M
Q2 24
$89.1M
$143.5M
Q1 24
$-89.0M
$78.7M
Free Cash Flow
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$164.0M
$7.4M
Q3 25
$45.8M
Q2 25
$16.0M
$100.7M
Q1 25
$-59.6M
Q4 24
$111.4M
$81.7M
Q3 24
$-95.8M
Q2 24
$84.7M
$114.0M
Q1 24
$-94.4M
$53.4M
FCF Margin
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
20.0%
0.8%
Q3 25
5.7%
Q2 25
2.3%
10.4%
Q1 25
-8.8%
Q4 24
11.4%
8.8%
Q3 24
-13.3%
Q2 24
12.0%
11.6%
Q1 24
-15.9%
5.7%
Capex Intensity
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
0.6%
2.3%
Q3 25
0.9%
Q2 25
0.9%
5.2%
Q1 25
0.5%
Q4 24
0.5%
2.2%
Q3 24
0.5%
Q2 24
0.6%
3.0%
Q1 24
0.9%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
HOV
HOV
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
0.57×
Q3 25
3.18×
Q2 25
1.13×
2.67×
Q1 25
-1.98×
Q4 24
1.23×
2.18×
Q3 24
-1.27×
Q2 24
1.75×
2.00×
Q1 24
-3.72×
1.27×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

HOV
HOV

Home Building$789.8M97%
Financial Services$28.1M3%
Management Fees$7.1M1%

MSM
MSM

Segment breakdown not available.

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