Is Now The Time To Look At Buying MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (NYSE:MSM)?

While MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (NYSE:MSM) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NYSE over the last few months, increasing to US$105 at one point, and dropping to the lows of US$92.51. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether MSC Industrial Direct's current trading price of US$99.62 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at MSC Industrial Direct’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for MSC Industrial Direct

Is MSC Industrial Direct Still Cheap?

Good news, investors! MSC Industrial Direct is still a bargain right now. According to my valuation, the intrinsic value for the stock is $147.80, but it is currently trading at US$99.62 on the share market, meaning that there is still an opportunity to buy now. What’s more interesting is that, MSC Industrial Direct’s share price is theoretically quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to move to its intrinsic value, and secondly, there may be less chances to buy low in the future once it reaches that value. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

Can we expect growth from MSC Industrial Direct?

Future outlook is an important aspect when you’re looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that it’s the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. MSC Industrial Direct's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 20%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Since MSM is currently undervalued, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With an optimistic outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as capital structure to consider, which could explain the current undervaluation.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on MSM for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its buoyant future outlook isn’t fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it’s not too late to buy MSM. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed investment decision.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for MSC Industrial Direct you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in MSC Industrial Direct, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.