Jefferies and Stephens upgrade MSC Industrial Direct after Q4 earnings drop

Jefferies upgraded MSC Industrial Direct (MSM) to Buy and raised its price target to $135, while Stephens upgraded the stock to Overweight with the same target. The upgrades followed a 15% share decline after the company reported fiscal Q4 earnings of $1.45 per share and revenue of $1.08 billion, despite a $42 million impairment charge. MSC Industrial’s shares rose about 2‑3% on the news.

The higher price targets and upgraded ratings suggest analysts expect margin expansion and volume growth, which could support a price rally for MSM. Investors may see the upgrades as a catalyst for short‑term upside.

  • 1Jefferies upgraded MSC Industrial Direct to Buy and set a price target of $135, up from $130.
  • 2Stephens upgraded MSC Industrial Direct to Overweight and also set a price target of $135.
  • 3The upgrades came after a 15% share decline, with the stock trading at $112.43.
  • 4MSC Industrial reported fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings of $1.45 per share, beating the $1.40 estimate.
  • 5Fiscal Q4 revenue was $1.08 billion, slightly above the $1.07 billion forecast.
  • 6The company recorded a $42 million impairment charge in the quarter.

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