Venturi Wealth Management LLC Buys 2,747 Shares of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (NYSE:MSM)

Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (NYSE:MSM) by 2,543.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,855 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,747 shares during the quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in MSC Industrial Direct were worth $213,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of MSC Industrial Direct by 53.0% in the 3rd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 407 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 141 shares in the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP increased its stake in MSC Industrial Direct by 412.0% during the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 425 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 342 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in MSC Industrial Direct by 54.0% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 476 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Synergy Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in MSC Industrial Direct during the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, V Square Quantitative Management LLC increased its stake in MSC Industrial Direct by 77.0% during the 4th quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 531 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 231 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.26% of the company’s stock.

MSC Industrial Direct Price Performance

MSM opened at $80.68 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $80.11 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $81.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 1.93 and a quick ratio of 0.91. The company has a market capitalization of $4.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.26 and a beta of 0.91. MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. has a 1 year low of $72.79 and a 1 year high of $104.76.

MSC Industrial Direct (NYSE:MSM) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 8th. The industrial products company reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $928.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $904.90 million. MSC Industrial Direct had a net margin of 6.21% and a return on equity of 17.80%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.25 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. will post 3.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

MSC Industrial Direct Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 29th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 15th were issued a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.21%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, January 15th. MSC Industrial Direct’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 81.15%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of MSC Industrial Direct from $87.00 to $73.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of MSC Industrial Direct in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $95.00 price target for the company. Finally, Stephens downgraded shares of MSC Industrial Direct from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $85.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $83.80.

About MSC Industrial Direct

MSC Industrial Direct Co, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products and services in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's MRO products include cutting tools, measuring instruments, tooling components, metalworking products, fasteners, flat stock products, raw materials, abrasives, machinery hand and power tools, safety and janitorial supplies, plumbing supplies, materials handling products, power transmission components, and electrical supplies.