Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Wednesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 16.400-17.000 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 16.470. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Moody’s Price Performance

NYSE:MCO opened at $449.69 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $497.86 and a 200 day moving average of $494.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $80.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 1.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.84 and a current ratio of 1.74. Moody’s has a 52-week low of $378.71 and a 52-week high of $546.88.

Moody’s (NYSE:MCO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The business services provider reported $3.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.39 by $0.25. The firm had revenue of $1.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.87 billion. Moody’s had a return on equity of 66.01% and a net margin of 31.86%.The company’s revenue was up 13.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.62 earnings per share. Moody’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 16.400-17.000 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Moody’s will post 13.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Moody’s Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be given a dividend of $1.03 per share. This is an increase from Moody’s’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.94. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. Moody’s’s payout ratio is 30.23%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Moody’s from $600.00 to $560.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Moody’s in a research report on Tuesday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $550.00 price target on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $531.00 price target on Moody’s in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Moody’s from $520.00 to $526.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group upgraded Moody’s from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $500.00 to $590.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Moody’s has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $553.75.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Moody’s news, CEO Robert Fauber sold 575 shares of Moody’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $498.90, for a total value of $286,867.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 61,082 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $30,473,809.80. The trade was a 0.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Moody’s

Here are the key news stories impacting Moody’s this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — Moody’s reported non?GAAP EPS of $3.64 and revenue of $1.89B (revenue +13% y/y), outpacing consensus and driven by strong Investor Services and analytics demand. This is the main bullish catalyst behind recent investor interest. MarketBeat: Earnings Report
• Positive Sentiment: Upbeat FY?2026 outlook — Moody’s issued FY?2026 EPS guidance of $16.40–$17.00, roughly in line with or slightly ahead of Street expectations, citing strong demand for credit ratings and higher issuance. The guidance supports forward earnings visibility. Reuters: Upbeat 2026 Profit Forecast
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend raised — Moody’s declared a quarterly dividend of $1.03 (9.6% increase versus prior payout), offering modest income support and signaling confidence in cash flow. Ex?dividend date: March 2. Press Release (PDF)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst repositioning — JPMorgan cut its price target from $600 to $560 but kept an Overweight rating (the new PT still implies material upside from current levels). This is mixed: lower target tempers enthusiasm but the rating remains constructive. Benzinga: JPMorgan Price Target Change
• Neutral Sentiment: Business development — Moody’s is expanding its regional presence with a new headquarters in Saudi Arabia, supporting long?term client access in a growth market. Albawaba: Regional HQ in Saudi Arabia
• Negative Sentiment: Near?term share reaction and commentary — Some analysts/commentaries framed a post?earnings pullback as expected and pointed to headwinds (rising expenses, valuation). That narrative can pressure the stock in the short term despite the beat. Seeking Alpha: Post?earnings Pullback

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Moody’s

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in Moody’s by 73.5% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,716,304 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $876,775,000 after purchasing an additional 726,971 shares in the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Moody’s by 315.6% during the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 417,782 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $213,424,000 after acquiring an additional 317,245 shares during the period. Two Sigma Investments LP grew its position in shares of Moody’s by 1,222.0% during the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 324,251 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $154,499,000 after buying an additional 299,724 shares in the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its position in shares of Moody’s by 62.8% in the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 675,076 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $344,865,000 after purchasing an additional 260,431 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. increased its position in shares of Moody’s by 10,311.9% during the third quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 197,826 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $94,260,000 after purchasing an additional 195,926 shares in the last quarter. 92.11% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Moody’s

Moody’s Corporation is a global provider of credit ratings, research, data and analytics that support financial decision-making and transparency in capital markets. The company traces its origins to the early 20th century when financial analyst John Moody began publishing credit information; today Moody’s is headquartered in New York and serves a broad set of market participants including investors, issuers, financial institutions, corporations, governments and regulators.

Moody’s operates primarily through two complementary businesses.