Will Moody's Robust 1H25 Revenue and Earnings Growth Continue?

Core Insights - Moody's Corp. reported strong financial performance in the first half of 2025, with revenues of $3.82 billion and earnings per share of $6.66, reflecting year-over-year increases of 6.1% and 8.1% respectively, partly due to the acquisition of CAPE Analytics [1][7] - The second quarter alone generated revenues of $1.9 billion, with $1.01 billion coming from the Moody's Analytics division, raising questions about the sustainability of this growth [1][4] Revenue and Earnings Trends - Moody's Analytics division achieved annualized recurring revenue (ARR) of $3.3 billion, up 8.1% year-over-year, primarily driven by Decision Solutions [2] - Recurring and transaction revenues for Moody's Investors Service accounted for 67% of total segment revenues in the first half of 2025, a decrease of 100 basis points from the previous year, influenced by growth in Corporate Finance revenues [2] - Management projects earnings for 2025 to be between $12.25 and $12.75 per share, a narrower range than the previous expectation [3] Operating Performance - Moody's operating margin was reported at 43.5%, down 20 basis points from the previous year due to increased restructuring and depreciation costs [3][7] - The company has achieved annualized savings exceeding $100 million through its efficiency program, which is expected to continue benefiting the company [3] Competitive Landscape - MSCI Inc. reported a 9.4% increase in total operating revenues to $1.52 billion for the first half of 2025, driven by higher assets under management [5] - S&P Global Inc. achieved net revenues of $7.53 billion, up 7% year-over-year, supported by strong market intelligence and subscription revenues [6]