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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM) and MARZETTI CO (MZTI). 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 $518.0M, roughly 1.9× MARZETTI CO). MARZETTI CO runs the higher net margin — 11.4% vs 5.4%, a 6.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.0% vs 1.7%). MARZETTI CO produced more free cash flow last quarter ($70.9M vs $7.4M). Over the past eight quarters, MARZETTI CO's revenue compounded faster (4.8% CAGR vs -3.4%).

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.

The T. Marzetti Company is the Specialty Food Group of the Lancaster Colony Corporation. T. Marzetti produces numerous salad dressings, fruit and vegetable dips, frozen baked goods, and specialty brand items. It is one of the largest food and beverage companies based in Central Ohio. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, the T. Marzetti Company was founded by Teresa Marzetti.

MSM vs MZTI — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSM
MSM
1.9× larger
MSM
$965.7M
$518.0M
MZTI
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
MSM
MSM
+2.3% gap
MSM
4.0%
1.7%
MZTI
Higher net margin
MZTI
MZTI
6.0% more per $
MZTI
11.4%
5.4%
MSM
More free cash flow
MZTI
MZTI
$63.5M more FCF
MZTI
$70.9M
$7.4M
MSM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
MZTI
MZTI
Annualised
MZTI
4.8%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q2 FY2026

Metric
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Revenue
$965.7M
$518.0M
Net Profit
$51.8M
$59.1M
Gross Margin
40.7%
26.5%
Operating Margin
7.9%
14.5%
Net Margin
5.4%
11.4%
Revenue YoY
4.0%
1.7%
Net Profit YoY
11.1%
20.6%
EPS (diluted)
$0.93
$2.15

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
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$965.7M
$518.0M
Q3 25
$978.2M
$493.5M
Q2 25
$971.1M
$475.4M
Q1 25
$457.8M
Q4 24
$928.5M
$509.3M
Q3 24
$466.6M
Q2 24
$979.4M
$452.8M
Q1 24
$935.3M
$471.4M
Net Profit
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$51.8M
$59.1M
Q3 25
$56.5M
$47.2M
Q2 25
$56.8M
$32.5M
Q1 25
$41.1M
Q4 24
$46.6M
$49.0M
Q3 24
$44.7M
Q2 24
$71.7M
$34.8M
Q1 24
$61.8M
$28.4M
Gross Margin
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
40.7%
26.5%
Q3 25
40.4%
24.1%
Q2 25
41.0%
22.3%
Q1 25
23.1%
Q4 24
40.7%
26.1%
Q3 24
23.8%
Q2 24
40.9%
21.6%
Q1 24
41.5%
22.2%
Operating Margin
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
7.9%
14.5%
Q3 25
8.6%
12.0%
Q2 25
8.5%
8.2%
Q1 25
10.9%
Q4 24
7.8%
14.9%
Q3 24
12.0%
Q2 24
10.9%
9.2%
Q1 24
9.7%
7.5%
Net Margin
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
5.4%
11.4%
Q3 25
5.8%
9.6%
Q2 25
5.9%
6.8%
Q1 25
9.0%
Q4 24
5.0%
9.6%
Q3 24
9.6%
Q2 24
7.3%
7.7%
Q1 24
6.6%
6.0%
EPS (diluted)
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$0.93
$2.15
Q3 25
$1.02
$1.71
Q2 25
$1.02
$1.18
Q1 25
$1.49
Q4 24
$0.83
$1.78
Q3 24
$1.62
Q2 24
$1.27
$1.27
Q1 24
$1.10
$1.03

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$40.3M
$201.6M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
$1.0B
Total Assets
$2.5B
$1.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$40.3M
$201.6M
Q3 25
$56.2M
$182.2M
Q2 25
$71.7M
$161.5M
Q1 25
$124.6M
Q4 24
$57.3M
$203.1M
Q3 24
$135.1M
Q2 24
$25.9M
$163.4M
Q1 24
$22.2M
$164.8M
Total Debt
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$214.1M
Q3 25
$168.8M
Q2 25
$285.0M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$289.9M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$299.8M
Q1 24
$294.5M
Stockholders' Equity
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$1.4B
$1.0B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$1.0B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$998.5M
Q1 25
$996.2M
Q4 24
$1.4B
$979.9M
Q3 24
$945.1M
Q2 24
$1.4B
$925.8M
Q1 24
$1.4B
$912.9M
Total Assets
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$2.5B
$1.3B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$1.3B
Q1 25
$1.3B
Q4 24
$2.5B
$1.2B
Q3 24
$1.2B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$1.2B
Q1 24
$2.5B
$1.2B
Debt / Equity
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
0.16×
Q3 25
0.12×
Q2 25
0.21×
Q1 25
Q4 24
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
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$29.4M
$88.6M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$7.4M
$70.9M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.8%
13.7%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.3%
3.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.57×
1.50×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$229.5M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$29.4M
$88.6M
Q3 25
$69.5M
Q2 25
$151.6M
$88.2M
Q1 25
$45.8M
Q4 24
$101.9M
$107.6M
Q3 24
$19.9M
Q2 24
$143.5M
$34.1M
Q1 24
$78.7M
$75.9M
Free Cash Flow
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
$7.4M
$70.9M
Q3 25
$53.9M
Q2 25
$100.7M
$73.9M
Q1 25
$30.8M
Q4 24
$81.7M
$96.6M
Q3 24
$2.3M
Q2 24
$114.0M
$18.5M
Q1 24
$53.4M
$61.1M
FCF Margin
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
0.8%
13.7%
Q3 25
10.9%
Q2 25
10.4%
15.5%
Q1 25
6.7%
Q4 24
8.8%
19.0%
Q3 24
0.5%
Q2 24
11.6%
4.1%
Q1 24
5.7%
13.0%
Capex Intensity
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
2.3%
3.4%
Q3 25
3.2%
Q2 25
5.2%
3.0%
Q1 25
3.3%
Q4 24
2.2%
2.2%
Q3 24
3.8%
Q2 24
3.0%
3.4%
Q1 24
2.7%
3.2%
Cash Conversion
MSM
MSM
MZTI
MZTI
Q4 25
0.57×
1.50×
Q3 25
1.47×
Q2 25
2.67×
2.71×
Q1 25
1.11×
Q4 24
2.18×
2.20×
Q3 24
0.45×
Q2 24
2.00×
0.98×
Q1 24
1.27×
2.68×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MSM
MSM

Segment breakdown not available.

MZTI
MZTI

National Accounts$177.4M34%
Dressings And Sauces$169.5M33%
Frozen Breads And Other$62.7M12%
Branded And Other$54.8M11%
Refrigerated Dressings Dips And Other$46.2M9%
Other Dressings And Sauces For TSA$8.2M2%

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