Core Insights - Dividend-growth stocks combine the benefits of high-yielding stocks and growth stocks, providing potential for cash flow and capital appreciation over time [1] Group 1: Wingstop (WING) - Wingstop has gained 73% over the past year and 320% over the past five years, with a market cap of $8 billion [2] - The company reported 26.4% year-over-year revenue growth in Q3 2023, including a 66.9% increase in digital sales [2] - Wingstop has a net profit margin of 16.7% and a 46% year-over-year increase in net income [2] - The company raised its dividend by 15.8% in 2023 and has a history of special dividends, with $4 per share distributed in 2022 [3] Group 2: Moody's (MCO) - Moody's is a risk management and financial services company with consistent dividend growth, raising its quarterly dividend from $0.70 to $0.77 in 2023 [5] - The company is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance its software, aiming to attract new clients and increase revenue per customer [5] - Moody's repurchased $278 million in shares and paid out $424 million in dividends during the first nine months of 2023 [5] - The stock trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 35, with a highest price target of $455 per share indicating a 15% upside [6] Group 3: Walmart (WMT) - Walmart has delivered a 77% gain over the past five years and repurchased $1.3 billion in shares in the first nine months of fiscal 2024 [7] - The company reported a total revenue growth of 5.2% year-over-year, with 15% e-commerce growth in Q3 FY2024 [7] - Walmart raised its fiscal year sales growth guidance from 5% to 5.5% and increased its annual earnings per share estimate from $6.40 to $6.48 [7] - The company has a 1.35% dividend yield and recently increased its quarterly payout from $0.56 to $0.57 per share, with expectations for another increase soon [8]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Moody's reported an 8% revenue growth for 2023, with adjusted diluted EPS increasing by 16% [6][9] - The company achieved a recurring revenue base of over $4 billion, with a projected adjusted operating margin of 44% to 46% for 2024, indicating a 100 basis point improvement [9][23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Moody's Analytics (MA) delivered an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) growth of 10%, with specific growth rates of 11% for decision solutions, 10% for data and information, and 7% for research and insights [6][7] - Moody's Investor Service (MIS) experienced a 19% growth in Q4 and a 6% growth for the full year, with corporate finance, financial institutions, and public project finance achieving double-digit revenue growth [7][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company anticipates a constructive market environment in 2024, with expectations of mid to high single-digit growth in MIS rated issuance [21][22] - The Moody's Local initiative in Latin America saw organic revenue growth of 22% in 2023, highlighting strong demand in emerging markets [15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Moody's is focusing on accelerating investments in three critical areas: GenAI, new product development, and technology platforming to capture growth opportunities [8][20] - The company aims to enhance its market position by expanding into new customer segments beyond financial services, with a 14% new sales compound annual growth rate over the last two years in corporate and public sectors [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the growth potential in 2024, driven by strong demand for risk management tools and digital transformation solutions [6][21] - The company expects adjusted diluted EPS for 2024 to be in the range of $10.25 to $11, reflecting a 24% growth rate since 2022 [9][23] Other Important Information - Moody's announced the appointment of Noemie Heuland as the new Chief Financial Officer, effective April 1, 2024, bringing extensive experience in scaling high-growth companies [5][6] - The company received over 150 external accolades in 2023, reinforcing its market leadership in ratings and analytics [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Incremental strategic investments in GenAI products and platforming - Management discussed the timing and expected benefits of investments in GenAI, indicating upfront costs but potential for significant long-term gains [26][27] Question: Normalized level of issuance - Management indicated that issuance levels are returning to normal, with expectations for 2024 to be slightly above long-term averages [31][32] Question: Cadence of issuance in 2024 - The company expects stronger issuance in the first half of 2024 compared to the second half, following historical patterns [35][38] Question: MIS margins and investments - Management clarified that while margins are expected to improve, investments in growth areas will impact margin flow-through [40][41] Question: ROI for strategic investments - Management emphasized that investments are focused on high-growth areas, with expectations for significant revenue growth from GenAI and enhanced solutions for corporate and public sectors [42][44] Question: Contribution of GenAI to revenue - Management indicated that the research and insights line will see the most significant contributions from GenAI products, with early sales trends showing promise [46][49] Question: MA division revenue and margins - Management provided insights on expected revenue growth and margin patterns for the MA division, indicating a steady ramp-up throughout the year [52][53]

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K (MARK ONE) ☑ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED December 31, 2023 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TO . COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-14037 MOODY’S CORPORATION (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER) Delaware 13-3998945 (STATE OF INCORPORATION) (I.R.S. ...

Moody's (MCO) reported $1.48 billion in revenue for the quarter ended December 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 14.7%. EPS of $2.19 for the same period compares to $1.60 a year ago.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.49 billion, representing a surprise of -0.66%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -6.41%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $2.34.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how ...

Moody's (MCO) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.19 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.34 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.60 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -6.41%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this credit ratings agency would post earnings of $2.35 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.43, delivering a surprise of 3.40%.Over the last four quarters, the comp ...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO) today announced results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023, and provided its outlook for full year 2024. The Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Earnings Release and other earnings materials can be found on the Moody’s IR website at ir.moodys.com. In addition, the Earnings Release will be furnished with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on a Form 8-K and will be available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. “ 2023 was a year of trem ...

Moody's (MCO) is scheduled to announce fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 results on Feb 13, before the opening bell. The company’s Corporate Finance line, the largest revenue contributor at the Moody's Investors Service (“MIS”) division, is likely to have witnessed solid revenue performance in the to-be-reported quarter.Global issuance activity was robust in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the prior-year quarter. The issuance volume also got boosted by the tightening of corporate spreads in the lat ...

Analysts on Wall Street project that Moody's (MCO) will announce quarterly earnings of $2.34 per share in its forthcoming report, representing an increase of 46.3% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $1.49 billion, increasing 15.5% from the same quarter last year.Over the last 30 days, there has been an upward revision of 1.5% in the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter, leading to its current level. This signifies the covering analysts' collective reconsideration of their initial forecasts ov ...

Have you been searching for a stock that might be well-positioned to maintain its earnings-beat streak in its upcoming report? It is worth considering Moody's (MCO) , which belongs to the Zacks Financial - Miscellaneous Services industry.When looking at the last two reports, this credit ratings agency has recorded a strong streak of surpassing earnings estimates. The company has topped estimates by 3.27%, on average, in the last two quarters.For the last reported quarter, Moody's came out with earnings of $ ...

Wall Street expects a year-over-year increase in earnings on higher revenues when Moody's (MCO) reports results for the quarter ended December 2023. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move ...