MSM vs. POOL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at MSM and POOL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | MSM | POOL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. | Pool Corporation |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Consumer Discretionary |
| GICS Industry | Trading Companies & Distributors | Distributors |
| Market Capitalization | 4.98 billion USD | 11.26 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | December 15, 1995 | October 13, 1995 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of MSM and POOL by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | MSM | POOL |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.65% | -3.31% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -1.29% | -2.19% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 19.12% | -3.86% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 8.85% | -16.89% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -2.83% | -2.69% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 19.87% | -11.50% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.50M | 0.43M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.55M | 0.58M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 20.52% | 31.92% |
| Beta | 0.86 | 1.25 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
MSM
14.46%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 32.99%
- Q3
- 19.66%
- Median
- 13.72%
- Q1
- 9.74%
- Min
- -0.34%
MSM’s Return on Equity of 14.46% is on par with the norm for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
POOL
31.34%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 35.43%
- Q3
- 27.95%
- Median
- 14.57%
- Q1
- 11.23%
- Min
- 11.19%
In the upper quartile for the Distributors industry, POOL’s Return on Equity of 31.34% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
MSM
5.30%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 16.11%
- Q3
- 9.48%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.68%
- Min
- -1.09%
MSM’s Net Profit Margin of 5.30% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
POOL
7.79%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.68%
- Q3
- 5.68%
- Median
- 5.36%
- Q1
- 4.87%
- Min
- 4.81%
POOL’s Net Profit Margin of 7.79% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Distributors industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
MSM
8.23%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 26.26%
- Q3
- 14.59%
- Median
- 7.05%
- Q1
- 4.94%
- Min
- -8.06%
MSM’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.23% is around the midpoint for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
POOL
11.13%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 11.13%
- Q3
- 7.77%
- Median
- 5.57%
- Q1
- 5.27%
- Min
- 4.95%
An Operating Profit Margin of 11.13% places POOL in the upper quartile for the Distributors industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | MSM | POOL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 14.46% | 31.34% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.04% | 11.64% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 5.30% | 7.79% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.23% | 11.13% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 40.92% | 29.46% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
MSM
1.92
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 2.27
- Median
- 1.60
- Q1
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.26
MSM’s Current Ratio of 1.92 aligns with the median group of the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
POOL
2.52
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.81
- Q3
- 1.66
- Median
- 1.21
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 1.09
POOL’s Current Ratio of 2.52 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Distributors industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
MSM
0.38
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.93
- Q3
- 1.24
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.61
- Min
- 0.01
Falling into the lower quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, MSM’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.38 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
POOL
0.95
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.19
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.81
- Q1
- 0.52
- Min
- 0.46
POOL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.95 is typical for the Distributors industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
MSM
14.52
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 15.13
- Q3
- 7.93
- Median
- 5.67
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -1.67
MSM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 14.52 is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
POOL
12.28
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 13.15
- Q3
- 10.84
- Median
- 5.59
- Q1
- 4.01
- Min
- 3.80
POOL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.28 is in the upper quartile for the Distributors industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | MSM | POOL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.92 | 2.52 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.75 | 0.82 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.38 | 0.95 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 14.52 | 12.28 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
MSM
3.77%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 5.25%
- Q3
- 2.95%
- Median
- 2.06%
- Q1
- 1.11%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 3.77%, MSM offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Trading Companies & Distributors industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
POOL
1.65%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 37.24%
- Median
- 4.28%
- Q1
- 3.20%
- Min
- 1.61%
POOL’s Dividend Yield of 1.65% is in the lower quartile for the Distributors industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
MSM
95.14%
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 136.12%
- Q3
- 71.34%
- Median
- 47.49%
- Q1
- 22.56%
- Min
- 0.00%
MSM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 95.14% is in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
POOL
44.67%
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 903.92%
- Q3
- 695.25%
- Median
- 56.97%
- Q1
- 44.33%
- Min
- 26.53%
POOL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 44.67% is within the typical range for the Distributors industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | MSM | POOL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.77% | 1.65% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 95.14% | 44.67% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
MSM
25.26
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 42.69
- Q3
- 25.21
- Median
- 16.99
- Q1
- 13.13
- Min
- 5.35
A P/E Ratio of 25.26 places MSM in the upper quartile for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
POOL
27.12
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 27.78
- Q3
- 22.45
- Median
- 18.78
- Q1
- 12.95
- Min
- 5.82
A P/E Ratio of 27.12 places POOL in the upper quartile for the Distributors industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
MSM
1.34
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 2.71
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.30
MSM’s P/S Ratio of 1.34 aligns with the market consensus for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
POOL
2.11
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 1.07
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.94
- Q1
- 0.62
- Min
- 0.28
With a P/S Ratio of 2.11, POOL trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Distributors industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
MSM
3.26
Trading Companies & Distributors Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 2.09
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.31
MSM’s P/B Ratio of 3.26 is within the conventional range for the Trading Companies & Distributors industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
POOL
8.44
Distributors Industry
- Max
- 3.58
- Q3
- 3.46
- Median
- 3.12
- Q1
- 2.75
- Min
- 2.63
At 8.44, POOL’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Distributors industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | MSM | POOL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 25.26 | 27.12 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.34 | 2.11 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 3.26 | 8.44 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 19.02 | 22.96 |