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Side-by-side financial comparison of MIDDLEBY Corp (MIDD) 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 $866.4M, roughly 1.1× MIDDLEBY Corp). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC runs the higher net margin — 5.4% vs 4.3%, a 1.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs -30.6%). MIDDLEBY Corp produced more free cash flow last quarter ($165.5M vs $7.4M). Over the past eight quarters, MIDDLEBY Corp's revenue compounded faster (-3.3% CAGR vs -3.4%).

The Middleby Corporation is a publicly traded American company based in Elgin, Illinois. The company manufactures commercial cooking equipment, industrial processing equipment, and residential appliances. The commercial cooking equipment side of Middleby does business with 97 out of the top 100 food service chains in the United States and internationally.

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.

MIDD vs MSM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSM
MSM
1.1× larger
MSM
$965.7M
$866.4M
MIDD
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSM
MSM
+34.6% gap
MSM
4.0%
-30.6%
MIDD
Higher net margin
MSM
MSM
1.1% more per $
MSM
5.4%
4.3%
MIDD
More free cash flow
MIDD
MIDD
$158.1M more FCF
MIDD
$165.5M
$7.4M
MSM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MIDD
MIDD
Annualised
MIDD
-3.3%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Revenue
$866.4M
$965.7M
Net Profit
$36.9M
$51.8M
Gross Margin
38.8%
40.7%
Operating Margin
17.3%
7.9%
Net Margin
4.3%
5.4%
Revenue YoY
-30.6%
4.0%
Net Profit YoY
-67.1%
11.1%
EPS (diluted)
$0.74
$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
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$866.4M
$965.7M
Q3 25
$982.1M
$978.2M
Q2 25
$977.9M
$971.1M
Q1 25
$906.6M
Q4 24
$1.0B
$928.5M
Q3 24
$942.8M
Q2 24
$991.5M
$979.4M
Q1 24
$926.9M
$935.3M
Net Profit
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$36.9M
$51.8M
Q3 25
$-513.0M
$56.5M
Q2 25
$106.0M
$56.8M
Q1 25
$92.4M
Q4 24
$112.3M
$46.6M
Q3 24
$114.2M
Q2 24
$115.4M
$71.7M
Q1 24
$86.6M
$61.8M
Gross Margin
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
38.8%
40.7%
Q3 25
36.8%
40.4%
Q2 25
38.0%
41.0%
Q1 25
38.2%
Q4 24
38.4%
40.7%
Q3 24
37.7%
Q2 24
38.3%
40.9%
Q1 24
37.4%
41.5%
Operating Margin
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
17.3%
7.9%
Q3 25
-56.4%
8.6%
Q2 25
15.9%
8.5%
Q1 25
15.5%
Q4 24
16.8%
7.8%
Q3 24
18.4%
Q2 24
17.7%
10.9%
Q1 24
14.8%
9.7%
Net Margin
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
4.3%
5.4%
Q3 25
-52.2%
5.8%
Q2 25
10.8%
5.9%
Q1 25
10.2%
Q4 24
11.1%
5.0%
Q3 24
12.1%
Q2 24
11.6%
7.3%
Q1 24
9.3%
6.6%
EPS (diluted)
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$0.74
$0.93
Q3 25
$-10.15
$1.02
Q2 25
$1.99
$1.02
Q1 25
$1.69
Q4 24
$2.07
$0.83
Q3 24
$2.11
Q2 24
$2.13
$1.27
Q1 24
$1.59
$1.10

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$222.2M
$40.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.2B
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$2.8B
$1.4B
Total Assets
$6.3B
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.78×
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$222.2M
$40.3M
Q3 25
$175.1M
$56.2M
Q2 25
$511.5M
$71.7M
Q1 25
$745.1M
Q4 24
$689.5M
$57.3M
Q3 24
$606.0M
Q2 24
$459.5M
$25.9M
Q1 24
$341.0M
$22.2M
Total Debt
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$2.2B
$214.1M
Q3 25
$168.8M
Q2 25
$285.0M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$2.4B
$289.9M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$299.8M
Q1 24
$294.5M
Stockholders' Equity
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$2.8B
$1.4B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$1.4B
Q2 25
$3.6B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$3.7B
Q4 24
$3.6B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$3.6B
Q2 24
$3.4B
$1.4B
Q1 24
$3.3B
$1.4B
Total Assets
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$6.3B
$2.5B
Q3 25
$6.4B
$2.5B
Q2 25
$7.3B
$2.5B
Q1 25
$7.4B
Q4 24
$7.3B
$2.5B
Q3 24
$7.2B
Q2 24
$7.0B
$2.5B
Q1 24
$6.9B
$2.5B
Debt / Equity
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
0.78×
0.16×
Q3 25
0.12×
Q2 25
0.21×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.66×
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
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$29.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$165.5M
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
19.1%
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.5%
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$530.1M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$29.4M
Q3 25
$176.3M
Q2 25
$122.0M
$151.6M
Q1 25
$141.1M
Q4 24
$239.7M
$101.9M
Q3 24
$156.7M
Q2 24
$149.5M
$143.5M
Q1 24
$140.9M
$78.7M
Free Cash Flow
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
$165.5M
$7.4M
Q3 25
$156.1M
Q2 25
$101.1M
$100.7M
Q1 25
$107.4M
Q4 24
$226.6M
$81.7M
Q3 24
$145.2M
Q2 24
$138.6M
$114.0M
Q1 24
$127.2M
$53.4M
FCF Margin
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
19.1%
0.8%
Q3 25
15.9%
Q2 25
10.3%
10.4%
Q1 25
11.8%
Q4 24
22.3%
8.8%
Q3 24
15.4%
Q2 24
14.0%
11.6%
Q1 24
13.7%
5.7%
Capex Intensity
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
1.5%
2.3%
Q3 25
2.1%
Q2 25
2.1%
5.2%
Q1 25
3.7%
Q4 24
1.3%
2.2%
Q3 24
1.2%
Q2 24
1.1%
3.0%
Q1 24
1.5%
2.7%
Cash Conversion
MIDD
MIDD
MSM
MSM
Q4 25
0.57×
Q3 25
Q2 25
1.15×
2.67×
Q1 25
1.53×
Q4 24
2.13×
2.18×
Q3 24
1.37×
Q2 24
1.30×
2.00×
Q1 24
1.63×
1.27×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

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