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Side-by-side financial comparison of MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC (MSM) and WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD (WTM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.6B vs $965.7M, roughly 1.7× MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC). WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD runs the higher net margin — 52.1% vs 5.4%, a 46.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (348.0% vs 4.0%). Over the past eight quarters, WHITE MOUNTAINS INSURANCE GROUP LTD's revenue compounded faster (57.4% 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.

White Mountains Insurance Group is a diversified insurance and related financial services holding company based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Redomiciled from Delaware, United States, on October 25, 1999, the company conducts most of its business through its insurance subsidiaries and other affiliates.

MSM vs WTM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WTM
WTM
1.7× larger
WTM
$1.6B
$965.7M
MSM
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
WTM
WTM
+344.0% gap
WTM
348.0%
4.0%
MSM
Higher net margin
WTM
WTM
46.7% more per $
WTM
52.1%
5.4%
MSM
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WTM
WTM
Annualised
WTM
57.4%
-3.4%
MSM

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Revenue
$965.7M
$1.6B
Net Profit
$51.8M
$835.8M
Gross Margin
40.7%
97.1%
Operating Margin
7.9%
56.2%
Net Margin
5.4%
52.1%
Revenue YoY
4.0%
348.0%
Net Profit YoY
11.1%
741.0%
EPS (diluted)
$0.93
$325.02

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
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$965.7M
$1.6B
Q3 25
$978.2M
$864.2M
Q2 25
$971.1M
$689.2M
Q1 25
$577.8M
Q4 24
$928.5M
$358.0M
Q3 24
$839.1M
Q2 24
$979.4M
$395.4M
Q1 24
$935.3M
$647.3M
Net Profit
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$51.8M
$835.8M
Q3 25
$56.5M
$113.8M
Q2 25
$56.8M
$122.9M
Q1 25
$33.9M
Q4 24
$46.6M
$-130.4M
Q3 24
$179.0M
Q2 24
$71.7M
$-54.6M
Q1 24
$61.8M
$236.4M
Gross Margin
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
40.7%
97.1%
Q3 25
40.4%
93.6%
Q2 25
41.0%
93.8%
Q1 25
98.7%
Q4 24
40.7%
97.9%
Q3 24
99.1%
Q2 24
40.9%
98.2%
Q1 24
41.5%
98.8%
Operating Margin
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
7.9%
56.2%
Q3 25
8.6%
20.7%
Q2 25
8.5%
25.6%
Q1 25
12.5%
Q4 24
7.8%
-33.7%
Q3 24
28.5%
Q2 24
10.9%
-8.8%
Q1 24
9.7%
35.9%
Net Margin
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
5.4%
52.1%
Q3 25
5.8%
13.2%
Q2 25
5.9%
17.8%
Q1 25
5.9%
Q4 24
5.0%
-36.4%
Q3 24
21.3%
Q2 24
7.3%
-13.8%
Q1 24
6.6%
36.5%
EPS (diluted)
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$0.93
$325.02
Q3 25
$1.02
$44.18
Q2 25
$1.02
$47.75
Q1 25
$13.19
Q4 24
$0.83
$-50.98
Q3 24
$69.68
Q2 24
$1.27
$-21.24
Q1 24
$1.10
$92.33

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$40.3M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$214.1M
$837.0M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$1.4B
$5.4B
Total Assets
$2.5B
$12.3B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.16×
0.15×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
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
Total Debt
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$214.1M
$837.0M
Q3 25
$168.8M
$870.4M
Q2 25
$285.0M
$694.6M
Q1 25
$676.1M
Q4 24
$289.9M
$562.5M
Q3 24
$544.9M
Q2 24
$299.8M
$530.2M
Q1 24
$294.5M
$532.1M
Stockholders' Equity
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$1.4B
$5.4B
Q3 25
$1.4B
$4.8B
Q2 25
$1.4B
$4.6B
Q1 25
$4.5B
Q4 24
$1.4B
$4.5B
Q3 24
$4.6B
Q2 24
$1.4B
$4.4B
Q1 24
$1.4B
$4.5B
Total Assets
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$2.5B
$12.3B
Q3 25
$2.5B
$12.3B
Q2 25
$2.5B
$11.8B
Q1 25
$11.0B
Q4 24
$2.5B
$9.9B
Q3 24
$10.3B
Q2 24
$2.5B
$10.2B
Q1 24
$2.5B
$9.6B
Debt / Equity
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
0.16×
0.15×
Q3 25
0.12×
0.18×
Q2 25
0.21×
0.15×
Q1 25
0.15×
Q4 24
0.21×
0.13×
Q3 24
0.12×
Q2 24
0.21×
0.12×
Q1 24
0.21×
0.12×

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
WTM
WTM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$29.4M
$53.9M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$7.4M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
0.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
2.3%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
0.57×
0.06×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$29.4M
$53.9M
Q3 25
$359.3M
Q2 25
$151.6M
$177.5M
Q1 25
$-40.2M
Q4 24
$101.9M
$64.1M
Q3 24
$269.4M
Q2 24
$143.5M
$216.8M
Q1 24
$78.7M
$36.5M
Free Cash Flow
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
$7.4M
Q3 25
Q2 25
$100.7M
Q1 25
Q4 24
$81.7M
Q3 24
Q2 24
$114.0M
Q1 24
$53.4M
FCF Margin
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
0.8%
Q3 25
Q2 25
10.4%
Q1 25
Q4 24
8.8%
Q3 24
Q2 24
11.6%
Q1 24
5.7%
Capex Intensity
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
2.3%
Q3 25
Q2 25
5.2%
Q1 25
Q4 24
2.2%
Q3 24
Q2 24
3.0%
Q1 24
2.7%
Cash Conversion
MSM
MSM
WTM
WTM
Q4 25
0.57×
0.06×
Q3 25
3.16×
Q2 25
2.67×
1.44×
Q1 25
-1.19×
Q4 24
2.18×
Q3 24
1.51×
Q2 24
2.00×
Q1 24
1.27×
0.15×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

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