Applied Industrial Technologies vs MSC Industrial Direct Co
Applied Industrial Technologies is the larger business, with $4.97bn of revenue in fiscal 2026 against $4.01bn for MSC Industrial Direct Co (1.2 times as much). Applied Industrial Technologies grew faster (8.8% against 6.4%). Applied Industrial Technologies kept more of each dollar of sales as profit: a net margin of 8.3% against 5.6%.
| Latest fiscal year | Applied Industrial TechnologiesAIT, 2026 | MSC Industrial Direct CoMSM, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $4.97bn | $4.01bn |
| Revenue growth | 8.8% | 6.4% |
| Net income | $415m | $223m |
| Operating margin | — | 8.0% |
| Net margin | 8.3% | 5.6% |
| Return on equity | 22.4% | 15.8% |
| Free cash flow | $461m | $225m |
| Cash | $127m | $65.0m |
| Total debt | $262m | $477m |
| Debt to equity | — | 33.5% |
| Dividend per share | $1.99 | — |
| Dividend yield | 0.7% | 2.9% |
| Share buybacks | $317m | $14.0m |
| Employees | 6,900 | 7,028 |
| Market value | $10.99bn | $6.71bn |
| Price vs our value range | Within our value range | Above our value range |
| Moat score | 58 (Moderate) | 70 (Strong) |
| Insider trades, 12 months | 0 buys, 14 sales | 9 buys, 1 sales |