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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM) and STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES CORP (STC). 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 $764.6M, roughly 1.3× STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES CORP). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC runs the higher net margin — 5.4% vs 2.2%, a 3.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES CORP posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (27.7% vs 4.0%). Over the past eight quarters, STEWART INFORMATION SERVICES CORP's revenue compounded faster (12.7% 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.

Stewart Information Services Corporation (SISCO) is a real estate information, title insurance and transaction management company. Wholly owned subsidiaries, Stewart Title Guaranty Co. and Stewart Title Company offer products and services in the United States and abroad through its direct retail operations, independent agencies in the Stewart Trusted Provider network, and other companies. Stewart Title is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and has approximately 6,350 employees.

MSM vs STC — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MSM
MSM
1.3× larger
MSM
$965.7M
$764.6M
STC
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
STC
STC
+23.7% gap
STC
27.7%
4.0%
MSM
Higher net margin
MSM
MSM
3.1% more per $
MSM
5.4%
2.2%
STC
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
STC
STC
Annualised
STC
12.7%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Revenue
$965.7M
$764.6M
Net Profit
$51.8M
$17.0M
Gross Margin
40.7%
Operating Margin
7.9%
Net Margin
5.4%
2.2%
Revenue YoY
4.0%
27.7%
Net Profit YoY
11.1%
448.4%
EPS (diluted)
$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
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
$764.6M
Q4 25
$965.7M
$790.6M
Q3 25
$978.2M
$796.9M
Q2 25
$971.1M
$722.2M
Q1 25
$612.0M
Q4 24
$928.5M
$665.9M
Q3 24
$667.9M
Q2 24
$979.4M
$602.2M
Net Profit
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
$17.0M
Q4 25
$51.8M
$36.3M
Q3 25
$56.5M
$44.3M
Q2 25
$56.8M
$31.9M
Q1 25
$3.1M
Q4 24
$46.6M
$22.7M
Q3 24
$30.1M
Q2 24
$71.7M
$17.3M
Gross Margin
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
40.7%
Q3 25
40.4%
Q2 25
41.0%
Q1 25
Q4 24
40.7%
Q3 24
Q2 24
40.9%
Operating Margin
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
7.9%
6.5%
Q3 25
8.6%
7.7%
Q2 25
8.5%
6.5%
Q1 25
1.0%
Q4 24
7.8%
5.3%
Q3 24
6.4%
Q2 24
10.9%
4.8%
Net Margin
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
2.2%
Q4 25
5.4%
4.6%
Q3 25
5.8%
5.6%
Q2 25
5.9%
4.4%
Q1 25
0.5%
Q4 24
5.0%
3.4%
Q3 24
4.5%
Q2 24
7.3%
2.9%
EPS (diluted)
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$0.93
$1.26
Q3 25
$1.02
$1.55
Q2 25
$1.02
$1.13
Q1 25
$0.11
Q4 24
$0.83
$0.81
Q3 24
$1.07
Q2 24
$1.27
$0.62

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$40.3M
$317.5M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$214.1M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
Total Assets
$2.5B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.16×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
$317.5M
Q4 25
$40.3M
$369.7M
Q3 25
$56.2M
$233.2M
Q2 25
$71.7M
$223.8M
Q1 25
$194.2M
Q4 24
$57.3M
$257.5M
Q3 24
$228.7M
Q2 24
$25.9M
$176.7M
Total Debt
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$214.1M
Q3 25
$168.8M
Q2 25
$285.0M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$289.9M
$445.8M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$299.8M
Stockholders' Equity
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.4B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.4B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$1.4B
Q3 24
$1.4B
Q2 24
$1.4B
$1.4B
Total Assets
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$2.5B
$3.3B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$2.8B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$2.8B
Q1 25
$2.7B
Q4 24
$2.5B
$2.7B
Q3 24
$2.7B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$2.6B
Debt / Equity
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.16×
Q3 25
0.12×
Q2 25
0.21×
Q1 25
Q4 24
0.21×
0.32×
Q3 24
Q2 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
STC
STC
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$29.4M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.57×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$29.4M
$89.5M
Q3 25
$92.6M
Q2 25
$151.6M
$53.4M
Q1 25
$-29.9M
Q4 24
$101.9M
$68.0M
Q3 24
$76.1M
Q2 24
$143.5M
$21.1M
Free Cash Flow
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
$7.4M
$62.3M
Q3 25
$73.6M
Q2 25
$100.7M
$38.7M
Q1 25
$-42.2M
Q4 24
$81.7M
$55.6M
Q3 24
$67.4M
Q2 24
$114.0M
$11.9M
FCF Margin
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.8%
7.9%
Q3 25
9.2%
Q2 25
10.4%
5.4%
Q1 25
-6.9%
Q4 24
8.8%
8.4%
Q3 24
10.1%
Q2 24
11.6%
2.0%
Capex Intensity
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
2.3%
3.4%
Q3 25
2.4%
Q2 25
5.2%
2.0%
Q1 25
2.0%
Q4 24
2.2%
1.9%
Q3 24
1.3%
Q2 24
3.0%
1.5%
Cash Conversion
MSM
MSM
STC
STC
Q1 26
Q4 25
0.57×
2.47×
Q3 25
2.09×
Q2 25
2.67×
1.67×
Q1 25
-9.73×
Q4 24
2.18×
2.99×
Q3 24
2.53×
Q2 24
2.00×
1.22×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

MSM
MSM

Segment breakdown not available.

STC
STC

Agency title$333.0M44%
Direct title$270.2M35%
Real estate solutions$161.4M21%

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