MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. (MSM): Today's Featured Wholesale Loser

MSC Industrial Direct (MSM) pushed the Wholesale industry lower today making it today's featured Wholesale loser. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.9%. By the end of trading, MSC Industrial Direct fell 42 cents (-0.6%) to $64.97 on heavy volume. Throughout the day, 1.1 million shares of MSC Industrial Direct exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 506,400 shares. The stock ranged in price between $64.66-$65.47 after having opened the day at $65.40 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $65.39. Other company's within the Wholesale industry that declined today were: Rada Electronics Industries (RADA), down 11.9%, Bluelinx Holdings (BXC), down 7.2%, Addvantage Technologies Group (AEY), down 6.3%, and Longwei Petroleum Investment Holding Limite (LPH), down 4.9%.

• ACTIVE STOCK TRADERS: Check out TheStreet's special offer for Real Money, headlined by Jim Cramer, now!

MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a direct marketer and distributor of metalworking and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products to industrial customers in the United States. MSC Industrial Direct has a market cap of $3.24 billion and is part of the services sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 18.1, equal to the average wholesale industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are down 3.8% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are seven analysts that rate MSC Industrial Direct a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and three rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates MSC Industrial Direct as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

• You can view the full MSC Industrial Direct Ratings Report.

On the positive front, Westinghouse Solar (WEST), up 20.3%, Chindex International (CHDX), up 7.2%, China Armco Metals (CNAM), up 5.8%, and Grupo Casa Saba S.A.B. de C.V (SAB), up 4.6%, were all gainers within the wholesale industry with Arrow Electronics (ARW) being today's featured wholesale industry winner.

• Use our wholesale section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the wholesale industry could consider iShares Dow Jones US Cons Goods (IYK) while those bearish on the wholesale industry could consider ProShares Ultra Sht Consumer Goods (SZK).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. click any of the following:

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Stock Price

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Analyst Ratings

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Key Stats & Profile

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Earnings

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Ratio Comparison

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Growth Rates

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Balance Sheet

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Cash Flow

• MSC Industrial Direct Co. Inc. Income Statement