Moody's Corporation (NYSE:MCO) is among the 20 Best Investments in 2026. UBS Maintains Neutral on Moody's Corporation (MCO) Following Q4 Earnings Release Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO) is among the best investments on our list. TheFly reported on February 19 that UBS reduced its price target on MCO to $490 from $515 and maintained a Neutral rating, reflecting adjustments to its model after the company’s fourth-quarter earnings release. On February 18, 2026, Moody's Corporation (NYSE:MCO) released its f ...

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Earnings Call February 18,,2026 Shivani Kak HEAD OF INVESTOR RELATIONS Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 - Earnings Call 2 Disclaimer Certain statements contained in this document are forward-looking statements and are based on future expectations, plans and prospects for Moody's business and operations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such statements involve estimates, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual res ...

Core Viewpoint - Moody's Corporation is a significant entity in the financial services sector, known for its credit ratings and risk management products, which are vital for global investors and businesses [1] Group 1: Price Target Trends - The consensus price target for Moody's has decreased from $539.53 to $532 over the past year, indicating a downward trend in analysts' expectations [2][5] - This decline in price targets may be influenced by various factors, including market conditions and company performance [2] Group 2: Earnings Performance - Moody's has a history of delivering impressive earnings surprises, suggesting strong performance despite the declining price targets [3] - The company is expected to report robust fourth-quarter results, driven by global loan and bond issuance, benefiting its Moody's Investors Service segment [3][5] - There is sustained demand for Moody's Analytics services, contributing to the anticipated growth in earnings [3] Group 3: Strategic Outlook - The upcoming earnings announcement is expected to show growth, with Wall Street anticipating positive results [4] - Moody's strategic positioning and strong performance history indicate it may continue its positive trend, even with rising acquisition costs [4]

4Q and Full-Year 2025 Earnings Supplemental Disclosure When adding colors, don't use the variants or the Standard Colors of the Theme Colors. Only use the Data Visualization colors for charts. Data Visualization colors in correct order. No content below the line No content below the line February 10, 2026 1 Always copy slides into a new presentation using Paste Options / Paste Special Use Destination Theme Default Footer text on all slides is "S&P Global – Internal Use Only" – to change / remove use Insert ...

Financial Performance - 3Q 2025 - S&P Global's revenue increased by 9% to $3888 million in 3Q 2025, compared to $3575 million in 3Q 2024[41] - Operating profit increased by 16% to $2026 million, with an operating margin of 52.1%, a 330 bps increase from 48.8% in 3Q 2024[41] - Net income (less NCI) increased by 19% to $1442 million, compared to $1210 million in 3Q 2024[41] - Diluted EPS increased by 22% to $4.73, compared to $3.89 in 3Q 2024[41] - Adjusted Free Cash Flow, excluding certain items, increased by 6% to $1505 million[41] Segment Performance - 3Q 2025 - S&P Global Market Intelligence revenue increased by 6% to $1236 million, with a segment operating margin of 35.6%[71] - S&P Global Ratings revenue increased by 12% to $1240 million, with a segment operating margin of 67.1%[79] - S&P Global Commodity Insights revenue increased by 6% to $556 million, with a segment operating margin of 48.1%[86] - S&P Global Mobility revenue increased by 8% to $445 million, with a segment operating margin of 43.3%[92] - S&P Dow Jones Indices revenue increased by 11% to $462 million, with a segment operating margin of 71.2%[98] Updated 2025 Guidance - The company updated its 2025 revenue growth guidance from 5%-7% to 7%-8%[110, 116] - The company updated its 2025 diluted EPS guidance from $14.35-$14.60 to $14.80-$15.05 on a GAAP basis[110] and from $17.00-$17.25 to $17.60-$17.85 on an adjusted basis[116]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Moody's achieved record quarterly revenue exceeding $2 billion for the first time, representing an 11% increase from the same quarter last year [5] - Adjusted operating margin reached almost 53%, up over 500 basis points year-over-year, indicating strong operating leverage [5] - Adjusted diluted EPS was $3.92, a 22% increase from the previous year, reflecting consistent earnings power growth [5][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Moody's Investors Service (MIS) reported a 12% revenue growth, surpassing $1 billion in quarterly revenue for the third consecutive quarter [6][21] - Revenue from private credit grew over 60% in the third quarter, driven by strong demand in fund finance and securitization [11] - Moody's Analytics (MA) delivered a 9% year-over-year revenue growth, with an 11% increase in decision solutions [12][28] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The issuance pipeline remains robust, with projected refunding needs over the next four years exceeding $5 trillion, a 10% compound annual growth rate from 2018 to 2025 [9] - Spec-grade bond maturities increased by over 20% in both the U.S. and EMEA regions, indicating a favorable backdrop for future issuance [10] - The number of private credit-related deals grew almost 70% in the third quarter, highlighting the sector's growth potential [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Moody's is focused on investing in scalable solutions across high-growth markets while simplifying its product suite [12] - The company is expanding its presence in emerging markets, including acquiring a majority interest in Meris, a leading ratings agency in Egypt [19] - Strategic partnerships, such as with Salesforce, are being leveraged to enhance customer integration and drive durable growth [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the issuance environment heading into 2026, citing tight spreads and potential Fed easing as positive factors [60] - The company anticipates continued strong demand for credit insights, particularly in the private credit market amid rising concerns about credit health [70] - Management acknowledged risks related to ongoing tariff negotiations and potential government shutdown impacts on market conditions [28] Other Important Information - Moody's is increasing its full-year guidance for adjusted diluted EPS to a range of $14.50 to $14.75, implying approximately 17% growth at the midpoint [37] - Free cash flow is expected to be around $2.5 billion, with share repurchase guidance increased to at least $1.5 billion [37] Q&A Session Summary Question: Thoughts on AI in the analytics business - Management clarified that AI is being embedded into various workflow solutions and that they have developed over 50 domain-specific agents leveraging proprietary data [41] Question: Impact of record issuance in Q3 - Management noted that pull forward activity is more prevalent in spec-grade than investment-grade issuers, with healthy maturity walls expected [46] Question: Proprietary data sets in KYC solutions - Management highlighted the unique data sets used in KYC solutions, including Orbis and AI-curated news, which provide a comprehensive view of business relationships [50] Question: Differences in refi walls portrayal - Management explained that the article referenced a decline in U.S. spec-grade refi walls, which is a subset of broader maturities that remain healthy [52] Question: Outlook for issuance in 2026 - Management indicated more tailwinds than headwinds for 2026, with expectations for continued strong issuance driven by M&A activity and infrastructure investments [60]

Financial Highlights - Adjusted Diluted EPS grew by 22% due to record revenue performance[9] - Quarterly revenue surpassed $2 billion, up 11% year-over-year[12] - Adjusted Operating Margin expanded 510bps to 529%[12] - MCO revenue growth increased to be in the high-single-digit percent range[12] - Adjusted Diluted EPS is up 17% at the midpoint, for a range of $1450 to $1475[12] - Free Cash Flow is approximately $25 billion[43] Moody's Investors Service (MIS) - MIS revenue reached a record high of $11 billion[9] - MIS rated issuance guidance increased to the mid-single-digit percent range[40] - Refinancing walls approximately doubled since 2018, reaching $52 trillion in September 2025[13, 14] - Year-over-year increase of 6% since previous study; stock of forward maturities remains robust, exceeding $5 trillion funding deep currents[15] - Adjusted Operating Margin increased 560 bps to 652%[26] Moody's Analytics (MA) - MA delivered 400bps of margin expansion in Q3[16] - ARR grew by 8% versus the prior year, reaching $34 billion[12] - Decision Solutions ARR is up 10%[9] - Recurring revenue accounts for 96% of total revenue[17]

Core Insights - Moody's is expected to report third-quarter 2025 results on October 22, with strong revenue growth anticipated in its Corporate Finance line, the largest revenue contributor within the Moody's Investors Service division [1][2] Corporate Finance - Global bond issuance activity remained healthy in the third quarter, driven by strong corporate refinancing needs, leading to robust leveraged loan issuance [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Corporate Finance revenues is $548.7 million, indicating a 6.5% increase year-over-year [2][10] Financial Institutions and Other Business Lines - The consensus estimate for revenues from the Financial Institutions business line is $174.9 million, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 2.9% [3] - Public, Project, and Infrastructure Finance business revenues are estimated at $155.2 million, implying nearly 1% growth [3] Structured Finance - Quarterly issuance volumes for collateral debt obligations were robust, with marginal improvements in commercial mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities [4] - The consensus estimate for Structured Finance revenues stands at $145.7 million, suggesting a 7.9% increase [4][10] Overall MIS Division Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MIS division revenues is $1.12 billion, implying an 8.9% year-over-year rise [5] Moody's Analytics Division - Revenues from the Moody's Analytics division are expected to have increased, with a consensus estimate of $909.52 million, indicating 9.1% growth from the prior year [6][7] - Increased expenses are anticipated due to costs related to acquisitions and restructuring efforts [7] Strategic Developments - Moody's plans to secure majority equity ownership in MERIS, a domestic credit rating agency in Egypt, enhancing its presence in the Middle East and Africa [8][9] Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is $3.65, reflecting a 13.7% rise from the previous year [12] - The consensus estimate for sales is $1.95 billion, suggesting a 7.6% increase [13]

Core Insights - PineStone Asset Management reduced its stake in Moody's Corporation by selling 46,977 shares, valued at approximately $23.7 million, during the quarter ended September 30 [2][6] - The remaining position in Moody's stands at nearly 2.3 million shares, worth about $1.1 billion, representing 6.7% of reportable assets under management (AUM) [2][3] Company Overview - Moody's Corporation has a market capitalization of $84.5 billion, with a trailing twelve months (TTM) revenue of $7.3 billion and a net income of $2.1 billion [4] - The company's shares closed at $471.04, reflecting a 3% decline over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 by 17 percentage points [3][4] Business Model and Services - Moody's is a leading global provider of credit ratings, research, and risk analytics, leveraging its reputation and extensive data assets to deliver essential solutions to financial markets [5][8] - The company generates revenue primarily from its Moody's Investors Service and Moody's Analytics segments, offering subscription-based research, data products, credit ratings, and risk management solutions [8] Recent Performance and Outlook - Moody's reported steady recurring revenue growth across its analytics and ratings businesses, supported by disciplined cost control and increasing demand for data-driven risk insights [9] - The company is well-positioned for long-term growth, with a strong market presence, high-margin analytics growth, and a recurring revenue model, even amid cyclical credit market fluctuations [10]

Core Insights - Moody's Corp. plans to acquire a majority equity stake in Middle East Rating & Investors Service (MERIS), a domestic credit rating agency in Egypt, with deal terms undisclosed [1][3][7] Company Overview - MERIS, established in 2003, is a joint venture between Moody's and Egyptian consultancy FinBi, providing national-scale credit ratings across various sectors including financial institutions and structured finance [2][7] Strategic Rationale - The acquisition strengthens the partnership between Moody's and MERIS, enhancing Moody's presence in the Middle East and Africa, and supporting local capital market growth [3][4] - The deal is pending regulatory approvals, and MERIS will maintain its independence, including its own rating methodologies and management team [3][7] Management Commentary - Monica Merli, COO of Moody's Ratings, expressed enthusiasm about the strengthened relationship with MERIS, highlighting its importance in Egypt's domestic credit rating landscape [4] Recent Performance - Moody's shares have increased by 3.5% over the past six months, compared to a 10.6% growth in the industry [5]