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Side-by-side financial comparison of Knife River Corp (KNF) 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 $755.1M, roughly 1.3× Knife River Corp). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC runs the higher net margin — 5.4% vs 4.2%, a 1.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Knife River Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (14.9% vs 4.0%). Knife River Corp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($138.2M vs $7.4M). Over the past eight quarters, Knife River Corp's revenue compounded faster (51.4% CAGR vs -3.4%).

Columbia River Knife & Tool, Inc. (CRKT) is an American knife company established in 1994, and currently based in Tualatin, Oregon, United States. The company's president and sales executive is Rod Bremer and the finance executive is Peggy Bremer.

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.

KNF vs MSM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSM
MSM
1.3× larger
MSM
$965.7M
$755.1M
KNF
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
KNF
KNF
+10.9% gap
KNF
14.9%
4.0%
MSM
Higher net margin
MSM
MSM
1.1% more per $
MSM
5.4%
4.2%
KNF
More free cash flow
KNF
KNF
$130.8M more FCF
KNF
$138.2M
$7.4M
MSM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
KNF
KNF
Annualised
KNF
51.4%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Revenue
$755.1M
$965.7M
Net Profit
$32.0M
$51.8M
Gross Margin
19.2%
40.7%
Operating Margin
8.6%
7.9%
Net Margin
4.2%
5.4%
Revenue YoY
14.9%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
37.6%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.56
$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
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$755.1M
$965.7M
Q3 25
$1.2B
$978.2M
Q2 25
$833.8M
$971.1M
Q1 25
$353.5M
Q4 24
$657.2M
$928.5M
Q3 24
$1.1B
Q2 24
$806.9M
$979.4M
Q1 24
$329.6M
$935.3M
Net Profit
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$32.0M
$51.8M
Q3 25
$143.2M
$56.5M
Q2 25
$50.6M
$56.8M
Q1 25
$-68.7M
Q4 24
$23.3M
$46.6M
Q3 24
$148.1M
Q2 24
$77.9M
$71.7M
Q1 24
$-47.6M
$61.8M
Gross Margin
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
19.2%
40.7%
Q3 25
23.6%
40.4%
Q2 25
18.9%
41.0%
Q1 25
-2.7%
Q4 24
17.4%
40.7%
Q3 24
24.7%
Q2 24
21.8%
40.9%
Q1 24
2.0%
41.5%
Operating Margin
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
8.6%
7.9%
Q3 25
17.9%
8.6%
Q2 25
10.6%
8.5%
Q1 25
-23.4%
Q4 24
6.7%
7.8%
Q3 24
18.9%
Q2 24
14.5%
10.9%
Q1 24
-16.3%
9.7%
Net Margin
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
4.2%
5.4%
Q3 25
11.9%
5.8%
Q2 25
6.1%
5.9%
Q1 25
-19.4%
Q4 24
3.5%
5.0%
Q3 24
13.4%
Q2 24
9.7%
7.3%
Q1 24
-14.5%
6.6%
EPS (diluted)
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$0.56
$0.93
Q3 25
$2.52
$1.02
Q2 25
$0.89
$1.02
Q1 25
$-1.21
Q4 24
$0.42
$0.83
Q3 24
$2.60
Q2 24
$1.37
$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
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$73.8M
$40.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$1.2B
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.6B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$3.7B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.71×
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$73.8M
$40.3M
Q3 25
$30.7M
$56.2M
Q2 25
$26.6M
$71.7M
Q1 25
$86.1M
Q4 24
$236.8M
$57.3M
Q3 24
$220.4M
Q2 24
$15.5M
$25.9M
Q1 24
$128.4M
$22.2M
Total Debt
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$1.2B
$214.1M
Q3 25
$1.2B
$168.8M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$285.0M
Q1 25
$1.2B
Q4 24
$677.4M
$289.9M
Q3 24
$678.5M
Q2 24
$679.5M
$299.8M
Q1 24
$680.6M
$294.5M
Stockholders' Equity
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$1.6B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$1.6B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$1.5B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.4B
Q4 24
$1.5B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$1.4B
Q2 24
$1.3B
$1.4B
Q1 24
$1.2B
$1.4B
Total Assets
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$3.7B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$3.7B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$3.6B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$3.3B
Q4 24
$2.9B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$2.9B
Q2 24
$2.7B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$2.5B
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
0.71×
0.16×
Q3 25
0.74×
0.12×
Q2 25
0.93×
0.21×
Q1 25
0.83×
Q4 24
0.46×
0.21×
Q3 24
0.47×
Q2 24
0.52×
0.21×
Q1 24
0.56×
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
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$195.9M
$29.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$138.2M
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
18.3%
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
7.6%
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
6.12×
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-69.6M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$195.9M
$29.4M
Q3 25
$250.4M
Q2 25
$-42.6M
$151.6M
Q1 25
$-125.3M
Q4 24
$172.4M
$101.9M
Q3 24
$239.7M
Q2 24
$-46.6M
$143.5M
Q1 24
$-43.2M
$78.7M
Free Cash Flow
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$138.2M
$7.4M
Q3 25
$188.7M
Q2 25
$-196.2M
$100.7M
Q1 25
$-200.2M
Q4 24
$127.2M
$81.7M
Q3 24
$216.1M
Q2 24
$-106.5M
$114.0M
Q1 24
$-86.9M
$53.4M
FCF Margin
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
18.3%
0.8%
Q3 25
15.7%
Q2 25
-23.5%
10.4%
Q1 25
-56.6%
Q4 24
19.3%
8.8%
Q3 24
19.6%
Q2 24
-13.2%
11.6%
Q1 24
-26.4%
5.7%
Capex Intensity
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
7.6%
2.3%
Q3 25
5.1%
Q2 25
18.4%
5.2%
Q1 25
21.2%
Q4 24
6.9%
2.2%
Q3 24
2.1%
Q2 24
7.4%
3.0%
Q1 24
13.3%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
KNF
KNF
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
6.12×
0.57×
Q3 25
1.75×
Q2 25
-0.84×
2.67×
Q1 25
Q4 24
7.41×
2.18×
Q3 24
1.62×
Q2 24
-0.60×
2.00×
Q1 24
1.27×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

KNF
KNF

Services$347.2M46%
Ready Mix Concrete$88.4M12%
Contracting Services Public Sector$80.2M11%
Aggregates$73.9M10%
Energy Services Segment$56.2M7%
Liquid Asphalt$49.1M7%
Other$43.2M6%
Asphalt$22.7M3%

MSM
MSM

Segment breakdown not available.

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