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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM) and StepStone Group Inc. (STEP). 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 $586.5M, roughly 1.6× StepStone Group Inc.). MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC runs the higher net margin — 5.4% vs -21.0%, a 26.4% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, StepStone Group Inc. posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (73.0% vs 4.0%). StepStone Group Inc. produced more free cash flow last quarter ($26.7M vs $7.4M). Over the past eight quarters, StepStone Group Inc.'s revenue compounded faster (28.2% 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.
Rosetta Stone Inc. is an American education technology software company that develops language, literacy and brain-fitness software. Best known for its language-learning products, in 2013, the company expanded beyond language into education-technology with its acquisitions of Livemocha, Lexia Learning, Fit Brains, and Tell Me More. In 2021, it became a subsidiary of IXL Learning.
MSM vs STEP — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2026
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $965.7M | $586.5M |
| Net Profit | $51.8M | $-123.5M |
| Gross Margin | 40.7% | — |
| Operating Margin | 7.9% | -33.2% |
| Net Margin | 5.4% | -21.0% |
| Revenue YoY | 4.0% | 73.0% |
| Net Profit YoY | 11.1% | 35.7% |
| EPS (diluted) | $0.93 | $-1.55 |
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.
| Q4 25 | $965.7M | $586.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $978.2M | $454.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $971.1M | $364.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $377.7M | ||
| Q4 24 | $928.5M | $339.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $271.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $979.4M | $186.4M | ||
| Q1 24 | $935.3M | $356.8M |
| Q4 25 | $51.8M | $-123.5M | ||
| Q3 25 | $56.5M | $-366.1M | ||
| Q2 25 | $56.8M | $-38.4M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-18.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $46.6M | $-192.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $17.6M | ||
| Q2 24 | $71.7M | $13.3M | ||
| Q1 24 | $61.8M | $30.8M |
| 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% | — |
| Q4 25 | 7.9% | -33.2% | ||
| Q3 25 | 8.6% | -148.8% | ||
| Q2 25 | 8.5% | -5.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 2.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 7.8% | -101.7% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 21.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 10.9% | 29.4% | ||
| Q1 24 | 9.7% | 26.5% |
| Q4 25 | 5.4% | -21.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 5.8% | -80.6% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.9% | -10.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -4.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 5.0% | -56.6% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 6.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 7.3% | 7.2% | ||
| Q1 24 | 6.6% | 8.6% |
| Q4 25 | $0.93 | $-1.55 | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.02 | $-4.66 | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.02 | $-0.49 | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-0.37 | ||
| Q4 24 | $0.83 | $-2.61 | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $0.26 | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.27 | $0.20 | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.10 | $0.47 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $40.3M | — |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $214.1M | $270.2M |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $1.4B | $-378.8M |
| Total Assets | $2.5B | $5.2B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.16× | — |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| 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 | — |
| Q4 25 | $214.1M | $270.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | $168.8M | $269.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $285.0M | $269.6M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $269.3M | ||
| Q4 24 | $289.9M | $168.9M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $172.3M | ||
| Q2 24 | $299.8M | $172.1M | ||
| Q1 24 | $294.5M | $148.8M |
| Q4 25 | $1.4B | $-378.8M | ||
| Q3 25 | $1.4B | $-233.5M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.4B | $153.9M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $179.4M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.4B | $209.8M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $397.5M | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.4B | $366.9M | ||
| Q1 24 | $1.4B | $324.5M |
| Q4 25 | $2.5B | $5.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.5B | $5.3B | ||
| Q2 25 | $2.5B | $4.8B | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $4.6B | ||
| Q4 24 | $2.5B | $4.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $4.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $2.5B | $3.8B | ||
| Q1 24 | $2.5B | $3.8B |
| Q4 25 | 0.16× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.12× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.21× | 1.75× | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 1.50× | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.21× | 0.81× | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 0.43× | ||
| Q2 24 | 0.21× | 0.47× | ||
| Q1 24 | 0.21× | 0.46× |
Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency
How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | $29.4M | $27.2M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | $7.4M | $26.7M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | 0.8% | 4.6% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | 2.3% | 0.1% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | 0.57× | — |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $18.6M |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q4 25 | $29.4M | $27.2M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $16.2M | ||
| Q2 25 | $151.6M | $46.3M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-66.5M | ||
| Q4 24 | $101.9M | $27.6M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $53.7M | ||
| Q2 24 | $143.5M | $50.2M | ||
| Q1 24 | $78.7M | $7.6M |
| Q4 25 | $7.4M | $26.7M | ||
| Q3 25 | — | $15.9M | ||
| Q2 25 | $100.7M | $45.2M | ||
| Q1 25 | — | $-69.2M | ||
| Q4 24 | $81.7M | $27.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | — | $52.4M | ||
| Q2 24 | $114.0M | $49.6M | ||
| Q1 24 | $53.4M | $6.7M |
| Q4 25 | 0.8% | 4.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 3.5% | ||
| Q2 25 | 10.4% | 12.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | -18.3% | ||
| Q4 24 | 8.8% | 8.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 19.3% | ||
| Q2 24 | 11.6% | 26.6% | ||
| Q1 24 | 5.7% | 1.9% |
| Q4 25 | 2.3% | 0.1% | ||
| Q3 25 | — | 0.1% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.2% | 0.3% | ||
| Q1 25 | — | 0.7% | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.2% | 0.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 0.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 3.0% | 0.3% | ||
| Q1 24 | 2.7% | 0.3% |
| Q4 25 | 0.57× | — | ||
| Q3 25 | — | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 2.67× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | — | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 2.18× | — | ||
| Q3 24 | — | 3.05× | ||
| Q2 24 | 2.00× | 3.76× | ||
| Q1 24 | 1.27× | 0.25× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
MSM
Segment breakdown not available.
STEP
| Other | $210.1M | 36% |
| Management And Advisory Fees Net Focused Commingled Funds | $143.3M | 24% |
| Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds | $85.1M | 15% |
| Carried Interest Allocation Separately Managed Accounts | $63.6M | 11% |
| Carried Interest Allocation Realized | $46.7M | 8% |
| Management And Advisory Fees Net Advisory And Other Services | $18.3M | 3% |
| Legacy Carried Interest Allocation Focused Commingled Funds | $10.3M | 2% |
| Income Based Incentive Fees | $6.0M | 1% |
| Management And Advisory Fees Net Fund Reimbursement Revenues | $3.1M | 1% |
