moodys stock: MCO Guide

A comprehensive, investor-focused guide to moodys stock (MCO) covering company background, listing details, price history, financials, risks, analyst sentiment, and where to follow and trade the eq...

2024-07-11 04:57:00

By Nexus Link

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Moody's Corporation (MCO) — Stock

This article explains moodys stock (MCO) for investors and market followers. In the context of U.S. equities and broader markets, moodys stock refers to the publicly traded shares of Moody's Corporation (ticker: MCO) listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Readers will get a company overview, listing and ticker details, market data and historical performance, segment-level financials, dividend and capital allocation information, ownership and analyst coverage, competitor context, key risks, recent developments, and practical guidance on how to research and follow the stock. As of January 27, 2026, according to Benzinga, Moody's market capitalization was about $94.60 billion and the reported intraday price was $517.11 — see References for full source details.

Company overview

Moody's Corporation is a publicly traded company that provides credit ratings, research, tools, and analytical services to global financial markets. The company operates primarily through two segments: Moody's Investors Service (ratings business) and Moody's Analytics (data, software, and research). Founded in the early 20th century, Moody's has become one of the leading credit rating agencies with a global footprint, headquartered in the United States.

Moody's Investors Service evaluates creditworthiness across debt issuers, structured finance, and sovereign entities. Moody's Analytics offers economic research, risk management software, and data services to financial institutions, corporates, and public-sector organizations. Together these segments create a recurring-revenue profile supported by fees tied to debt issuance and subscription-style analytics contracts.

Listing and ticker information

Exchange and ticker: moodys stock trades under the ticker symbol MCO on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Share class: Public common shares are listed as MCO. There are no widely traded dual-class share structures for the company’s ordinary equity.
Trading hours: Regular U.S. equity trading hours apply (pre-market and after-hours sessions are available through many brokers and market data providers). When looking up quotes, be mindful of intraday vs. after-hours prices.
Identifiers: Official securities identifiers such as CUSIP and ISIN are published in company filings and investor relations materials and are available via regulatory filings (10-K/10-Q) and investor relations pages.
Investor resources: Moody's investor relations provides official filings, shareholder materials, earnings releases, and governance information. For real-time monitoring, use trusted market-data terminals and brokerage quote pages.

Market data and price history

Market data for moodys stock is commonly presented as the current trading price, intraday changes, after-hours quotes, historical price series, and aggregated metrics.

Commonly referenced metrics include:

Current price and intraday change (price, % change).
52-week high and low ranges to gauge recent volatility.
All-time high and low markers for longer-term perspective.
Average daily trading volume as a liquidity measure.
Moving averages (50-day, 200-day) used by technical analysts.
Market capitalization derived from outstanding shares multiplied by price — Benzinga reported a market cap near $94.60 billion as of January 27, 2026.

Historical performance

Long-term performance of moodys stock has shown meaningful compounded returns over the past decade. According to Benzinga reporting, moodys stock outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 5.78% on an annualized basis, producing an average annual return of 19.33%. Benzinga also illustrated the effect of compounding: a hypothetical $1,000 investment in moodys stock ten years earlier would have grown to approximately $5,962.54 based on provided price comparisons in that report.

Historical adjustments: when reviewing long-term price series, note any stock splits, dividends, or corporate actions that adjust historical prices. Moody's has historically used dividend payments and share repurchases as capital allocation tools rather than frequent stock splits.

Financials and business segments

For investors, the most relevant financial items include revenue, operating income, net income, operating margins, free cash flow, and segment-level revenue contributions.

Revenue: Moody's generates revenue from rating fees (largely tied to debt issuance) and subscription/licensing or services revenue from Moody's Analytics.
Net income and margins: Moody's historically shows high operating margins relative to larger financial-sector peers because much of its business is intellectual-capital and data-driven with lower incremental costs per client.
Free cash flow: Free cash flow is an important metric used to assess Moody's ability to pay dividends and repurchase shares.
Segment split: Revenue and profit are typically reported separately for Moody's Investors Service and Moody's Analytics, allowing investors to see how cyclical issuance cycles affect ratings revenue versus recurring analytics revenue.

All financial statement details and the most recent figures should be confirmed via Moody's published 10-K, 10-Q filings, and earnings releases.

Recent earnings and guidance

Moody's reports earnings on a quarterly cadence (typical for U.S. public companies). Each quarter the company issues results that include revenue, EPS, segment performance, and management commentary on drivers. Analyst consensus estimates and company guidance inform market reactions; brokers and data providers publish consensus estimates prior to earnings and track revisions.

When reviewing moodys stock around earnings:

Compare reported revenue and EPS to consensus estimates.
Watch guidance ranges and management commentary on issuance markets and demand for analytics products.
Observe how ratings backlog or large deals are described, since these can affect future revenue recognition.

Analyst coverage often adjusts price targets and recommendations following quarterly results or material strategic news.

Dividends and capital allocation

Moody's returns capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Key points:

Dividend policy: Moody's pays a cash dividend on common shares; payout levels and frequency are announced by the board.
Dividend history: Moody's dividend payout history can be reviewed in annual reports and investor presentations; payout ratios relative to earnings and free cash flow provide context on sustainability.
Buybacks: Share repurchase programs reduce share count, enhancing EPS growth when buybacks occur at accretive valuations.

Investors should monitor the payout ratio, free cash flow coverage of dividends, and any announced changes to repurchase authorizations.

Ownership and insider activity

Institutional ownership: moodys stock is held widely by institutional investors, mutual funds, and ETFs. Large institutional holders and their share of outstanding stock are disclosed in regulatory filings and aggregated ownership tables.

Insider ownership and activity: Insiders (executives and directors) must report share transactions under SEC rules. Significant insider buying or selling can be a signal of management conviction or liquidity needs but should be interpreted in context and not used as sole investment guidance.

Ownership trends: Changes in institutional holdings or the emergence of activist investors can influence corporate strategy and capital allocation decisions.

Analyst coverage and investor sentiment

Sell-side coverage: moodys stock is covered by multiple sell-side analysts who publish ratings and price targets. Coverage typically spans buy/hold/sell recommendations, forward-looking estimates, and valuation models.

Bull vs. bear arguments:

Bullish thesis often cites Moody's strong market position in credit ratings, recurring revenue from analytics products, high margins, and consistent free cash flow enabling dividends and buybacks.
Bearish thesis may emphasize cyclical exposure to debt issuance, regulatory and litigation risks tied to rating activities, and competition or technological disruption in analytics.

Investor sentiment is also shaped by macro factors such as interest rates and capital markets activity, which affect issuance volumes and therefore ratings revenue.

Competitors and market positioning

Primary competitors for moodys stock include other global ratings agencies and financial-data/analytics providers. Key competitors and peers often referenced are S&P Global and other data/analytics firms such as FactSet and MSCI in overlapping product areas.

Moody's competitive advantages generally include brand recognition in ratings, a broad dataset, long-standing client relationships, and specialized analytics capabilities. Market positioning combines a regulated ratings franchise with a growing analytics business that can dampen cyclicality tied to issuance.

Key risks and controversies

Investing in moodys stock involves company-specific and industry risks. Important considerations:

Cyclical issuance environment: Ratings revenue is sensitive to debt issuance volumes. Slowdowns in issuance can reduce fee income.
Regulatory scrutiny: Credit rating agencies operate under regulatory oversight; changes in regulation can affect operations and margins.
Conflicts of interest: The issuer-pays model for ratings has led to public scrutiny historically; governance and transparency are ongoing risk factors.
Legal exposures: Past controversies and litigation related to ratings during financial crises have led to settlements and regulatory actions — these remain potential sources of expense and reputational risk.
Concentration and competitive disruption: Although Moody's has a strong position, shifts in how market participants source credit opinions and analytics could affect future revenue growth.

Any assessment of risk should rely on company disclosures, regulatory filings, and independent reporting.

Corporate actions and strategic developments

Moody's strategic actions have included acquisitions to build its analytics capabilities, divestitures where necessary, and investments in data and software platforms. Strategic developments that materially affect moodys stock include:

Major acquisitions that expand Analytics capabilities or geographic reach.
Announcements of new products, data partnerships, or platform launches that drive subscription revenue.
Changes in corporate governance or executive leadership that alter strategic direction.
Share repurchase program launches or increases, and significant dividend changes.

Tracking press releases and filings is essential to understand how mergers, acquisitions, or product launches may affect future financial performance.

Regulatory and industry context

Credit rating agencies are subject to regulatory frameworks that aim to promote transparency and reduce conflicts of interest. Regulatory agencies and rules differ by jurisdiction, and changes in rules can affect business models and compliance costs.

Broader market drivers that materially affect moodys stock include macroeconomic growth, interest rate levels, corporate and municipal issuance volumes, and systemic credit conditions that change demand for ratings and risk-management products.

Trading considerations and valuation metrics

Common valuation and trading metrics used to evaluate moodys stock include:

Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio to compare current price to earnings per share.
Enterprise Value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) for a capital-structure-neutral view.
Price-to-Sales (P/S) and Price-to-Book (P/B) for cross-industry comparisons.
Return on Equity (ROE) and free cash flow yield to assess profitability and cash conversion.
Beta and historical volatility indicators to evaluate market sensitivity.

Liquidity and options: Average daily trading volume indicates liquidity. Option market activity can reflect investor expectations of volatility or be used by traders for hedging strategies.

When discussing where to trade, consider regulated brokerage platforms. For readers focused on Web3 and digital asset services, Bitget is recommended for crypto-native services and Bitget Wallet for custody and Web3 interactions; for equity trading specifically, consult licensed brokerages and your local regulations.

Recent news and developments (timeline)

As of January 27, 2026, several data points and market observations were reported by Benzinga: moodys stock was trading near $517.11 with a market capitalization around $94.60 billion. Benzinga noted that moodys stock produced an average annual return of 19.33% over the past 10 years and outperformed the market on an annualized basis by approximately 5.78% over that period. The Benzinga piece highlighted the long-term impact of compounded returns and provided a hypothetical example where a $1,000 investment would have grown to roughly $5,962.54 over ten years under their reference prices.

For up-to-date specific corporate actions, earnings releases, guidance updates, or M&A activity affecting moodys stock, check the company's recent SEC filings and investor relations announcements.

How to research and follow the stock

Practical steps to follow moodys stock and research its fundamentals:

Official filings: Read Moody's 10-K (annual) and 10-Q (quarterly) SEC filings for audited financial statements, risk factors, and management discussion.
Earnings calls and transcripts: Review quarterly earnings presentations and call transcripts for management commentary and Q&A with analysts.
Investor relations: Use Moody's investor relations materials for slides, press releases, and governance information.
Market-data providers: Monitor price quotes, volume, and analyst consensus from reputable financial news services and data terminals.
Analyst reports: Read sell-side research for detailed modeling and sensitivity analysis; note differing price targets and rating rationales.
News and timeline tracking: Track material news items, regulatory developments, and industry trends that affect issuance and analytics demand.

Note: When executing trades or building positions, use regulated brokers and platforms and consider tax and regulatory implications in your jurisdiction. For digital-asset oriented readers, Bitget and Bitget Wallet are suggested brand options for crypto and Web3 services; for equities, choose a licensed brokerage in your region.

References

As of January 27, 2026, according to Benzinga reporting: summary statistics on moodys stock performance over the last 10 years, reported price near $517.11, and market capitalization near $94.60 billion. (Source: Benzinga automated content reviewed by an editor, January 27, 2026.)
Moody's Investor Relations — investor presentations, press releases, and SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q).
Yahoo Finance — MCO quote and historical price tables.
CNBC Market Data — company profile and quote for MCO.
Robinhood — MCO overview and profile materials.
MacroTrends — historical price charts and long-term metrics for MCO.
Morningstar — fundamental data and analyst commentary on MCO.
Business Insider / Markets Insider — snapshot and market data summaries for MCO.
CNN Markets — MCO profile and quote data.
The Motley Fool — articles and analysis related to Moody's and MCO.

All numerical figures and performance metrics referenced above should be verified against primary sources and the most recent market data before making any decisions. The Benzinga figures were reported and cited as of the date indicated.

Further exploration and next steps: If you want a printable quick reference (key metrics and links to Moody's filings) or a simplified checklist for monitoring moodys stock events (earnings dates, dividend dates, regulatory filings), I can prepare a one-page summary tailored to your needs. To learn about trading digital assets or custody for crypto related to institutional workflows, explore Bitget services and Bitget Wallet for secure Web3 interactions.

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