MSM vs. SPY
MSM (MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc.) is a stock, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, MSM returned 10.28%/yr vs 15.70%/yr for SPY. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MSM vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSM achieves a 42.43% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 9.74% return. Over the past 10 years, MSM has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 10.28%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.70% annualized return.
MSM
- 1D
- -0.93%
- 1M
- 10.24%
- YTD
- 42.43%
- 6M
- 37.43%
- 1Y
- 50.56%
- 3Y*
- 11.12%
- 5Y*
- 9.91%
- 10Y*
- 10.28%
SPY
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 0.09%
- YTD
- 9.74%
- 6M
- 9.27%
- 1Y
- 26.65%
- 3Y*
- 21.27%
- 5Y*
- 13.51%
- 10Y*
- 15.70%
MSM vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSM MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. | 42.43% | 17.41% | -23.40% | 28.52% | 0.90% | 3.09% | 25.33% | 5.76% | -18.26% | 6.96% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 9.74% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between MSM and SPY is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 20, 1995 | 0.45 |
The correlation between MSM and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.30 (1 year) to 0.50 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
MSM vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
MSM
SPY
MSM vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (MSM) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| MSM | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.28 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.39 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.28 | 3.01 | +1.27 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.52 | 13.54 | -3.01 |
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Drawdowns
MSM vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSM drawdown since its inception was -76.60%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSM and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MSM | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.60% | -55.19% | -21.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.86% | -8.88% | -2.98% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.31% | -18.76% | -10.55% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.31% | -24.50% | -4.81% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.17% | -33.72% | -14.45% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.93% | -1.75% | +0.82% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.36% | -9.04% | -10.32% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.82% | 1.97% | +2.85% |
Volatility
MSM vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (MSM) has a higher volatility of 7.39% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 4.64%. This indicates that MSM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MSM | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.39% | 4.64% | +2.75% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.93% | 9.75% | +10.18% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.11% | 12.43% | +14.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.84% | 17.14% | +7.70% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.74% | 17.99% | +8.75% |
Dividends
MSM vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
MSM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.95%, more than SPY's 1.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSM MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. | 2.95% | 4.07% | 4.47% | 3.16% | 3.72% | 3.57% | 13.63% | 3.52% | 3.08% | 1.89% | 1.88% | 2.90% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.01% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MSM and SPY have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MSM has higher volatility (7.39%) compared to SPY (4.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSM dropped -76.60% vs SPY's -55.19%.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 1.88), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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