MSC Industrial Direct Co (FRA:98M) Earnings Power Value (EPV): €35.86 (As of Feb26)


FRA:98M MSC Industrial Direct Co Inc FRA:98M
78 GF Score
Price €103.90
GF Value €80.16
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 8 Warning Signs
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What is MSC Industrial Direct Co Earnings Power Value (EPV)?

MSC Industrial Direct Co FRA:98M +2.06% 78 Earnings Power Value (EPV) is €35.86 as of Feb26. GuruFocus rates FRA:98M with a GF Score™ of 78/100 and a GF Value™ of €80.16 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review.

As of Feb26, MSC Industrial Direct Co's earnings power value is €35.86. *

* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

Margin of Safety is -189.74

The basic concept of EPV is that one should value a stock based on the current free cash flow of a company and not on future projections which may, or may not, come true. It is arguably a better way to analyze stocks than Discounted Cash Flow analysis that relies on highly speculative growth assumptions many years into the future. Assumption: Current profitability is sustainable.


MSC Industrial Direct Co  (FRA:98M) Earnings Power Value (EPV) Explanation

Assumption: Current profitability is sustainable.

Earnings power value (EPV) uses a very basic equation which assumes no growth, although it does rely on an assumption about the cost of capital as well as the fact that current earnings are sustainable. It also involves several adjustments to clean up the underlying Earnings figures.


Be Aware

Though using today's earnings in calculating Earnings Power Value, GuruFocus is normalizing these earnings to the business cycle. This eliminates the effects on profitability of valuing the firm at different points in the business cycle. This means that we are considering the average earnings over 5 years.


MSC Industrial Direct Co Earnings Power Value (EPV) Related Terms


MSC Industrial Direct Co Earnings Power Value (EPV) Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) can be seen below:

* 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 Earnings Power Value (EPV) Chart

MSC Industrial Direct Co Annual Data
Trend Aug16 Aug17 Aug18 Aug19 Aug20 Aug21 Aug22 Aug23 Aug24 Aug25
Earnings Power Value (EPV)
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 29.57 38.96 40.71 36.99 33.99

MSC Industrial Direct Co Quarterly Data
May21 Aug21 Nov21 Feb22 May22 Aug22 Nov22 Feb23 May23 Aug23 Nov23 Feb24 May24 Aug24 Nov24 Feb25 May25 Aug25 Nov25 Feb26
Earnings Power Value (EPV) Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 37.72 35.20 33.99 32.65 32.31

FRA:98M vs POOL, XMTR, SITE: Earnings Power Value (EPV) Comparison

For the Industrial Distribution subindustry, MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV), along with its competitors' market caps and Earnings Power Value (EPV) 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 Earnings Power Value (EPV) vs Industrial Distribution Industry

For the Industrial Distribution industry and Industrials sector, MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) falls into.


FRA:98M
78GF Score
MSC Industrial Direct Co Inc FRA:98M
Earnings Power Value (EPV) is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

MSC Industrial Direct Co Earnings Power Value (EPV) Calculation

Earnings Power Value also known as just Earnings Power is a valuation technique popularised by Bruce Greenwald, an authority on value investing at Columbia University. It is arguably a better way to analyze stocks than Discounted Cash Flow analysis that relies on highly speculative growth assumptions many years into the future.

The basic concept of EPV is that one should value a stock based on the current free cash flow of a company and not on future projections which may, or may not, come true. This valuation tool excludes the potential growth that a company may have so that needs to be looked at separately. Since future growth is excluded from the analysis, only the maintenance capital expenditures are subtracted from after-tax EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) and growth capex is ignored.

MSC Industrial Direct Co's "Earning Power" Calculation:

Average of Last 20 Quarters Last Quarter
Revenue 3,432
DDA 74
Operating Margin % 10.77
SGA * 25% 0
Tax Rate % 24.80
Maintenance Capex 68
Cash and Cash Equivalents 39
Short-Term Debt 287
Long-Term Debt 186
Shares Outstanding (Diluted) 56

1. Start with "Earnings" not including accounting adjustments (one-time charges not excluded unless policy has changed). "Earnings" are "Operating Income.

2. Look at average margins over a business/Industry cycle: Average Operating Margin = 10.77%

To normalize margins and eliminate the effects on profitability of valuing the firm at different points in the business cycle, it is usually best to take a long-term average of operating margins. Ideally this would be as long as 10 years and include at least one economic downturn. However, since most of companies do not have as long as 10-year history, here GuruFocus uses the latest 5 years data to do the calculation. To smooth out unusual years but reflect recent developments, we take an average of the 5 year margin.

3. Multiply average margins by sustainable revenues and then adjust for maintenance SGA. This yields "normalized" EBIT:

To be conservative, GuruFocus uses an average of the 5 year revenues as the sustainable revenue.
EPV analysis recognises that part of SG&A expenditure is made to maintain and replace the existing assets, while part is made to grow sales. Since EPV is only interested in what it costs a going concern to maintain its existing asset base, it adds back a percentage of SG&A (between 15% and 50% - this is a matter of judgment and industry knowledge) to make up for the fact that some of this expenditure went to fund growth and shouldn't be accounted for. To start off, we assume 25% for the sake of prudence.
Sustainable Revenue = €3,432 Mil, Average Operating Margin = 10.77%, Average Adjusted SGA = 0,
therefore "Normalized" EBIT = Sustainable Revenue * Average Operating Margin + Average Adjusted SGA = 3,432 * 10.77% +0 = €369.529326171 Mil.

4. Multiply by one minus Average Tax Rate (NOPAT):

Same as average operating margin calculation, GuruFocus takes an average of the 5 years tax rates.
Average Tax Rate = 24.80%, and "Normalized" EBIT = €369.529326171 Mil,
therefore After-tax "Normalized" EBIT = "Normalized" EBIT * ( 1 - Average Tax Rate ) = 369.529326171 * ( 1 - 24.80% ) = €277.89344386712 Mil.

5. Add back Excess Depreciation (after tax at 1/2 average tax rate). This yields "normalized" Earnings:

Excess Depreciation = Average DDA * % of Excess Depreciation (after tax at 1/2 average tax rate) = 74 * 0.5 * 24.80% = €9.165911154 Mil.
"Normalized" Earnings = After-tax "Normalized" EBIT + Excess Depreciation = 277.89344386712 + 9.165911154 = €287.05935502112 Mil.

6. Adjusted for Maintenance Capital Expenditure:

First, calculate the revenue change regarding to the previous year. If the revenue decreased from the previous year, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
Second, if the revenue increased from the previous year, then calculate the percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue.
Third, calculate Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase.
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase] was negative, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive).
If [Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase] was positive, then the Maintenance Capital Expenditure = Capital Expenditure (positive) - percentage of Net PPE as of corresponding Revenue * revenue increase.
Fourth, GuruFocus uses an average of the 5 year maintenance capital expenditures as maintenance CAPEX.
MSC Industrial Direct Co's Average Maintenance CAPEX = €68 Mil *.
* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

7. Investors require a return of "WACC" for the risk they are taking: WACC = 9%

8. MSC Industrial Direct Co's current cash and cash equivalent = €39 Mil.
MSC Industrial Direct Co's current interest bearing debt = Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation + Short-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation = 186 + 287 = €472.688 Mil.
MSC Industrial Direct Co's current Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) = 56 Mil.

MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) for Feb26 is calculated as:

EPV = ( ( Norm. Earnings-Maint. CAPEX *) / WACC + CashandEquiv - Int. Bearing Debt ) / Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average)
= ( ( 287.05935502112 - 68)/ 9%+39-472.688 )/56
=35.86

Margin of Safety (EPV)=( Earnings Power Value (EPV)-Current Price )/Earnings Power Value (EPV)
=( 35.859283446853-103.90 )/35.859283446853
= -189.74%

* 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.

* GuruFocus does not store EPV value into our database if Average Maintenance CAPEX is 0.

What does a Earnings Power Value (EPV) of €35.86 mean?
MSC Industrial Direct Co (FRA:98M) has a Earnings Power Value (EPV) of €35.86 as of Feb26. Bruce Greenwald's earnings power value focuses on current earnings without factoring in future growth. View historical data on MSC Industrial Direct Co and its competitors.
Is MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) too high?
MSC Industrial Direct Co's current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is €35.86. Overall, MSC Industrial Direct Co has a GF Score™ of 78/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) compare to POOL and XMTR?
MSC Industrial Direct Co's Earnings Power Value (EPV) of €35.86 can be compared against companies in the Industrial Distribution industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Power Value (EPV) for an Industrial Distribution company?
A good Earnings Power Value (EPV) depends on the Industrial Distribution industry context. However, Earnings Power Value (EPV) should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Power Value (EPV) mean?
A high Earnings Power Value (EPV) can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Bruce Greenwald's earnings power value focuses on current earnings without factoring in future growth. View historical data on MSC Industrial Direct Co and its competitors. MSC Industrial Direct Co's current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is €35.86. 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 (FRA:98M) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €80.16, compared to a current price of €103.90 — trading 29.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is €35.86. MSC Industrial Direct Co's overall GF Score™ is 78/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Power Value (EPV) calculated?
Earnings Power Value (EPV) is calculated from a company's financial statements. For MSC Industrial Direct Co (FRA:98M), the current Earnings Power Value (EPV) is €35.86 as of Feb26. 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 (FRA:98M) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, MSC Industrial Direct Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €103.90 is trading 29.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of €80.16. GuruFocus considers MSC Industrial Direct Co to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for FRA:98M:

  • Earnings Power Value (EPV): €35.86
  • GF Value™: €80.16 vs. price of €103.90 (29.6% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 78/100 with 8 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:98M stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


MSC Industrial Direct Co Business Description

Other Exchanges MSM:USA98M:Germany
Address 515 Broadhollow Road, Suite 1000, Melville, NY, USA, 11747
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.
78GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FRA:98M

Earnings Power Value (EPV) is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€103.90
Price
€80.16
GF Value