MCO Q4 Earnings Beat on Rising Analytics Demand & High Issuance Volume

Core Insights - Moody's reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of $3.64 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.46, with a year-over-year growth of 39% [1][8] - The company's revenues improved significantly, driven by strong demand for analytics and robust performance in the Moody's Investors Service segment [1][5] - Moody's liquidity position remained strong, although a modest increase in operating expenses presented a challenge [1] Financial Performance - Net income attributable to Moody's was $610 million or $3.41 per share, up from $395 million or $2.17 per share in the prior-year quarter [2] - For 2025, adjusted earnings per share reached $14.94, a 20% increase, surpassing the consensus estimate of $14.78 [2] - Quarterly revenues were $1.89 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.88 billion, with a year-over-year increase of 13% [3] - Total expenses rose to $1.12 billion, an increase of almost 1% year over year [3] Segment Performance - Moody's Investors Service revenues increased by 17% year over year to $946 million, driven by strong performance across various finance categories [5] - Moody's Analytics revenues rose by 9% year over year to $943 million, supported by growth in Decision Solutions, Research and Insights, and Data & Information [5] Balance Sheet and Share Repurchase - As of December 31, 2025, Moody's had total cash and short-term investments of $2.45 billion, down from $2.97 billion a year earlier [6] - The company had $7 billion in outstanding debt and $1.25 billion in additional borrowing capacity [6] - In the quarter, Moody's repurchased 0.9 million shares at an average price of $485.55, with $4 billion of share repurchase authorization still available [7][9] 2026 Guidance - Moody's expects adjusted earnings in the range of $16.40-$17.00 per share and GAAP earnings between $15.00-$15.60 per share for 2026 [10] - Revenue growth is projected to be in the high-single-digit percent range, with operating expenses expected to increase in the mid-single-digit range [10]