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MSC Industrial Direct CoMSM +0.21%81 Cash-to-Debt is 0.13 as of May. 2026, which is 117% above its 10-year median of 0.06. GuruFocus rates MSM with a GF Score™ of 81/100 and a GF Value™ of $93.32 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 162 Industrial Distribution companies, MSC Industrial Direct Co ranks worse than 74.07% on this metric.
Cash to Debt Ratio measures the financial strength of a company. It is calculated as a company's cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities divide by its debt. MSC Industrial Direct Co's cash to debt ratio for the quarter that ended in May. 2026 was 0.13.
If Cash to Debt ratio is less than 1, the company cannot pay off its debt using the cash in hand. Here we can see, MSC Industrial Direct Cocouldn't pay off its debt using the cash in hand for the quarter that ended in May. 2026.
The historical rank and industry rank for MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt or its related term are showing as below:
MSM'
s Cash-to-Debt Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.02 Med: 0.06 Max: 0.34
Current: 0.13
During the past 13 years, MSC Industrial Direct Co's highest Cash to Debt Ratio was 0.34. The lowest was 0.02. And the median was 0.06.
MSM's Cash-to-Debt is ranked worse than 74.07% of 162
companies
in the Industrial Distribution industry
Industry Median: 0.465
vs MSM: 0.13
MSC Industrial Direct Co (NYSE:MSM) Cash-to-Debt Explanation
If Cash to Debt ratio is greater than 1, the company can pay off its debt using the cash in hand. If it is smaller than 1, it means the company has more debt than the cash in hands. In this case, it is important to look the the company's Interest Coverage. Ben Graham requires that a company must have an Interest Coverage of at least 5.
MSC Industrial Direct Co Cash-to-Debt Related Terms
MSC Industrial Direct Co Cash-to-Debt Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Note: An indication of "No Debt" does not necessarily mean that the company has no debt obligations; it could be due to missing data in the quarterly or annual report. Use caution when interpreting this information.
For the Industrial Distribution subindustry, MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt, along with its competitors' market caps and Cash-to-Debt data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
MSC Industrial Direct Co Cash-to-Debt vs Industrial Distribution Industry
For the Industrial Distribution industry and Industrials sector, MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
MSC Industrial Direct Co (MSM) has a Cash-to-Debt of 0.13 as of May. 2026. This is 117% above median its historical median of 0.06. Over the past decade, MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt has ranged from 0.02 to 0.34. According to the industry distribution chart, MSC Industrial Direct Co ranks #120 out of 162 companies in the Industrial Distribution industry, placing it in the top 74.1%.
Is MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt too high?
MSC Industrial Direct Co's current Cash-to-Debt of 0.13 is 117% above median its 10-year median of 0.06. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.02 to a high of 0.34. The Industrial Distribution industry median Cash-to-Debt is 0.47. MSC Industrial Direct Co's value of 0.13 is 72% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, MSC Industrial Direct Co ranks #120 out of 162 companies in the Industrial Distribution industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, MSC Industrial Direct Co has a GF Score™ of 81/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does MSC Industrial Direct Co's Cash-to-Debt compare to POOL and XMTR?
According to the Industrial Distribution industry distribution chart, MSC Industrial Direct Co ranks #120 out of 162 companies for Cash-to-Debt. This places MSC Industrial Direct Co in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Cash-to-Debt is 0.47. MSC Industrial Direct Co's value of 0.13 is 72% below this benchmark. Historically, MSC Industrial Direct Co's own Cash-to-Debt has ranged from 0.02 to 0.34 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.06 vs. the industry median of 0.47, MSC Industrial Direct Co has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Cash-to-Debt for an Industrial Distribution company?
The median Cash-to-Debt among Industrial Distribution companies is 0.47, based on 162 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cash-to-Debt significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cash-to-Debt should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. MSC Industrial Direct Co's current Cash-to-Debt of 0.13 is 72% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Cash-to-Debt mean?
A high Cash-to-Debt can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. For the Industrial Distribution industry, the median Cash-to-Debt is 0.47 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. MSC Industrial Direct Co's current Cash-to-Debt is 0.13, which is 117% above median its own 10-year median of 0.06. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is MSC Industrial Direct Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, MSC Industrial Direct Co (MSM) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $93.32, compared to a current price of $119.68 — trading 28.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Cash-to-Debt is 0.13, which is 117% above median its 10-year median of 0.06 and 72% below the Industrial Distribution industry median of 0.47. MSC Industrial Direct Co's overall GF Score™ is 81/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Cash-to-Debt calculated?
Cash-to-Debt is calculated from a company's financial statements. For MSC Industrial Direct Co (MSM), the current Cash-to-Debt is 0.13 as of May. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is MSC Industrial Direct Co (MSM) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, MSC Industrial Direct Co stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $119.68 is trading 28.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $93.32.
GuruFocus considers MSC Industrial Direct Co to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for MSM:
Cash-to-Debt: 0.13 (117% above median its 10-year median of 0.06)
GF Value™: $93.32 vs. price of $119.68 (28.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 72% below the Industrial Distribution median (#120 of 162)
No single metric tells the full story. See the MSM stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Founded in 1941, MSC Industrial Direct originally manufactured and sold cutting tools to metalworking shops in New York. Through a series of acquisitions and organic expansions, MSC has grown into an industrial distribution powerhouse with a focus on specialized metalworking products and services. The firm also distributes a wide breadth of maintenance, repair, and operations supplies. MSC primarily operates in North America, where it derives over 95% of its revenue.
81GF Score
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