US Stocks Likely To Open Higher: S&P 500 Sees 'Average Gain Of 6.1%' In 2nd Half, Expert Says
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jul 02 2025
0mins
Should l Buy MSM?
Source: Benzinga
Market Overview: U.S. futures rose slightly after a mixed close on Tuesday, following the Senate's narrow approval of President Trump's tax-and-spending bill. The Dow Jones index gained 0.91%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite experienced slight declines.
Economic Insights: Economic data showed mixed signals with an increase in job openings and improvement in manufacturing PMI, but a decline in construction spending. Analysts suggest a positive outlook for the second half of 2025 based on historical trends, despite potential volatility.
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Analyst Views on MSM
Wall Street analysts forecast MSM stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for MSM is 93.33 USD with a low forecast of 90.00 USD and a high forecast of 96.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 94.950
Low
90.00
Averages
93.33
High
96.00
Current: 94.950
Low
90.00
Averages
93.33
High
96.00
About MSM
MSC Industrial Direct Co, Inc. is a distributor of a range of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services. Its range of metalworking and MRO products includes cutting tools, measuring instruments, tooling components, metalworking products, fasteners, flat stock, raw materials, abrasives, machinery hand and power tools, safety and janitorial supplies, plumbing supplies, materials handling products, power transmission components and electrical supplies. It offers saleable stock-keeping units through its e-commerce channels, including its Website https://www.mscdirect.com; its inventory management solutions; its brochures, and its customer care centers, customer fulfillment centers, regional inventory centers and warehouses. It offers advanced tools that integrate its solutions with customer purchasing platforms and workflows. This includes straightforward integrations, such as embedding customer inventory levels into searches on the Company’s Website.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
MSC Industrial Reports Q1 Earnings of $51.8M with 4% Revenue Growth
- Earnings Growth: MSC Industrial's first-quarter net income reached $51.8 million, translating to earnings per share of $0.93, which marks a significant increase from last year's $46.6 million and $0.83 per share, indicating sustained improvement in the company's profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding special items, adjusted earnings stood at $55.53 million, or $0.99 per share, reflecting robust performance in core operations and bolstering investor confidence in the company's financial health.
- Revenue Increase: The company reported a 4% year-over-year revenue growth, totaling $965.684 million compared to $928.484 million last year, demonstrating a recovery in market demand and the effectiveness of its sales strategies.
- Market Outlook: With both revenue and earnings on the rise, MSC Industrial showcases strong competitive positioning in the industrial supply sector, setting a solid foundation for future expansion and growth opportunities.
See More
MSC Industrial Direct Reports Q1 Earnings Beat but Stock Falls on Cautious Outlook
- Earnings Beat: MSC Industrial Direct reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.99 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.95 and marking a 15.1% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance, yet the stock fell due to a cautious outlook.
- Sales Growth: The company achieved net sales of $965.7 million in the first quarter, exceeding expectations of $963.6 million and reflecting a 4.0% year-over-year increase, showcasing ongoing sales momentum despite market concerns about future profitability.
- Margin Improvement: The adjusted operating margin increased to 8.4% from 8.0% last year, achieving a 10 basis point gain, which demonstrates progress in cost control and operational efficiency, although future margin expectations have been tempered.
- Future Outlook: For Q2 of fiscal 2026, MSC expects average daily sales growth between 3.5% and 5.5%, with adjusted operating margins projected between 7.3% and 7.9%, and while management remains optimistic about sustained profitable growth, holiday timing may impact short-term performance.
See More
Movers: Strategy, Sandisk, Ventyx Biosciences, Mobileye, Cal-Maine Foods, and Others
- Market Overview: Stock futures were mostly lower on Wednesday, indicating a potential stall in the recent risk-on rally.
- Investor Sentiment: The shift in stock futures suggests a change in investor sentiment, moving away from the optimism seen in previous trading sessions.
- Economic Indicators: The decline in futures may reflect concerns over economic indicators that could impact market performance.
- Future Outlook: Analysts are watching closely to see if this trend continues or if the market can regain momentum in the coming days.
See More
MSC Industrial (MSM) Expected to Report 10.5% Year-over-Year Earnings Growth
- Earnings Expectations: Analysts anticipate MSC Industrial's upcoming quarterly earnings to be $0.95 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 10.5%, indicating sustained improvement in profitability that could bolster investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth: Expected revenues of $964.99 million represent a 3.9% year-over-year increase, showcasing the company's stable performance in the market, which may attract more investor interest in its future growth potential.
- Sales Days Analysis: Analysts forecast 'Sales Days' to remain at 62 days, consistent with the same quarter last year, indicating stability in inventory management that aids in optimizing operational efficiency.
- Average Daily Sales: The forecast for 'Average Daily Sales' is $15.55 million, up from $15.00 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting effective sales strategies that could further drive market share growth.
See More
MSC Industrial Expected to Report Q1 Earnings of 95 Cents per Share
- Earnings Expectation Increase: MSC Industrial is projected to report earnings of 95 cents per share for Q1 2026, reflecting a 10.5% increase from 86 cents in the same quarter last year, indicating sustained improvement in profitability that may bolster investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth Projection: Analysts forecast quarterly revenue of $963.07 million, up 3.7% from $928.48 million a year ago, showcasing the company's robust performance in the market and potential for sales growth.
- Dividend Declaration: On December 18, MSC Industrial declared a cash dividend of 87 cents per share, indicating a commitment to shareholder returns alongside earnings growth, which may attract more income-focused investors.
- Stock Price Fluctuation: Despite positive fundamentals, MSC Industrial's shares fell 1.9% to $84.59 on Wednesday, reflecting market caution regarding future performance, which could impact short-term investor sentiment.
See More
MSC Industrial Expected to Rise Ahead of $0.87 Dividend Ex-Date
- Dividend Anticipation: MSC Industrial is expected to rise ahead of its upcoming $0.87 dividend, with the stock price increasing from $84.31 to $89.27 over the past two weeks, indicating strong investor anticipation for the dividend.
- Historical Performance Analysis: In the last four dividend payments, investors using the Dividend Run strategy captured capital gains exceeding the dividend amount three out of four times, totaling $12.2 in gains, demonstrating the strategy's effectiveness.
- Dividend Details: The latest dividend for MSC Industrial will go ex-dividend on January 14, 2026, with a payment date of January 28, 2026, and a quarterly payment frequency that makes it an attractive dividend stock for investors.
- Annualized Yield: The company's current implied annualized yield stands at 4.01%, further enhancing its appeal as a dividend investment choice, especially in the current market environment.
See More
MSC Industrial Reports Q1 Earnings of $51.8M with 4% Revenue Growth
- Earnings Growth: MSC Industrial's first-quarter net income reached $51.8 million, translating to earnings per share of $0.93, which marks a significant increase from last year's $46.6 million and $0.83 per share, indicating sustained improvement in the company's profitability.
- Adjusted Earnings: Excluding special items, adjusted earnings stood at $55.53 million, or $0.99 per share, reflecting robust performance in core operations and bolstering investor confidence in the company's financial health.
- Revenue Increase: The company reported a 4% year-over-year revenue growth, totaling $965.684 million compared to $928.484 million last year, demonstrating a recovery in market demand and the effectiveness of its sales strategies.
- Market Outlook: With both revenue and earnings on the rise, MSC Industrial showcases strong competitive positioning in the industrial supply sector, setting a solid foundation for future expansion and growth opportunities.
See More
MSC Industrial Direct Reports Q1 Earnings Beat but Stock Falls on Cautious Outlook
- Earnings Beat: MSC Industrial Direct reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.99 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus of $0.95 and marking a 15.1% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance, yet the stock fell due to a cautious outlook.
- Sales Growth: The company achieved net sales of $965.7 million in the first quarter, exceeding expectations of $963.6 million and reflecting a 4.0% year-over-year increase, showcasing ongoing sales momentum despite market concerns about future profitability.
- Margin Improvement: The adjusted operating margin increased to 8.4% from 8.0% last year, achieving a 10 basis point gain, which demonstrates progress in cost control and operational efficiency, although future margin expectations have been tempered.
- Future Outlook: For Q2 of fiscal 2026, MSC expects average daily sales growth between 3.5% and 5.5%, with adjusted operating margins projected between 7.3% and 7.9%, and while management remains optimistic about sustained profitable growth, holiday timing may impact short-term performance.
See More
Movers: Strategy, Sandisk, Ventyx Biosciences, Mobileye, Cal-Maine Foods, and Others
- Market Overview: Stock futures were mostly lower on Wednesday, indicating a potential stall in the recent risk-on rally.
- Investor Sentiment: The shift in stock futures suggests a change in investor sentiment, moving away from the optimism seen in previous trading sessions.
- Economic Indicators: The decline in futures may reflect concerns over economic indicators that could impact market performance.
- Future Outlook: Analysts are watching closely to see if this trend continues or if the market can regain momentum in the coming days.
See More
MSC Industrial (MSM) Expected to Report 10.5% Year-over-Year Earnings Growth
- Earnings Expectations: Analysts anticipate MSC Industrial's upcoming quarterly earnings to be $0.95 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 10.5%, indicating sustained improvement in profitability that could bolster investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth: Expected revenues of $964.99 million represent a 3.9% year-over-year increase, showcasing the company's stable performance in the market, which may attract more investor interest in its future growth potential.
- Sales Days Analysis: Analysts forecast 'Sales Days' to remain at 62 days, consistent with the same quarter last year, indicating stability in inventory management that aids in optimizing operational efficiency.
- Average Daily Sales: The forecast for 'Average Daily Sales' is $15.55 million, up from $15.00 million in the same quarter last year, reflecting effective sales strategies that could further drive market share growth.
See More
MSC Industrial Expected to Report Q1 Earnings of 95 Cents per Share
- Earnings Expectation Increase: MSC Industrial is projected to report earnings of 95 cents per share for Q1 2026, reflecting a 10.5% increase from 86 cents in the same quarter last year, indicating sustained improvement in profitability that may bolster investor confidence.
- Revenue Growth Projection: Analysts forecast quarterly revenue of $963.07 million, up 3.7% from $928.48 million a year ago, showcasing the company's robust performance in the market and potential for sales growth.
- Dividend Declaration: On December 18, MSC Industrial declared a cash dividend of 87 cents per share, indicating a commitment to shareholder returns alongside earnings growth, which may attract more income-focused investors.
- Stock Price Fluctuation: Despite positive fundamentals, MSC Industrial's shares fell 1.9% to $84.59 on Wednesday, reflecting market caution regarding future performance, which could impact short-term investor sentiment.
See More
MSC Industrial Expected to Rise Ahead of $0.87 Dividend Ex-Date
- Dividend Anticipation: MSC Industrial is expected to rise ahead of its upcoming $0.87 dividend, with the stock price increasing from $84.31 to $89.27 over the past two weeks, indicating strong investor anticipation for the dividend.
- Historical Performance Analysis: In the last four dividend payments, investors using the Dividend Run strategy captured capital gains exceeding the dividend amount three out of four times, totaling $12.2 in gains, demonstrating the strategy's effectiveness.
- Dividend Details: The latest dividend for MSC Industrial will go ex-dividend on January 14, 2026, with a payment date of January 28, 2026, and a quarterly payment frequency that makes it an attractive dividend stock for investors.
- Annualized Yield: The company's current implied annualized yield stands at 4.01%, further enhancing its appeal as a dividend investment choice, especially in the current market environment.
See More
