BEN vs MS

For growth investors, Morgan Stanley (MS) is the stronger pick with 16.

8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Morgan Stanley (MS) offers the better valuation at 24. 3x trailing P/E (16. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Morgan Stanley (MS) a "Buy" — based on 52 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Morgan Stanley (MS) is the cheapest at 24.

3x versus Franklin Resources, Inc. at 34. 2x. On forward P/E, Franklin Resources, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Morgan Stanley (MS) delivered a total return of +142.

2%, compared to +9. 7% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MS returned +739. 4% versus BEN's +24. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Franklin Resources, Inc.

(BEN) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 31β versus Morgan Stanley's 1. 37β — meaning MS is approximately 5% more volatile than BEN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 94% versus 3% for Morgan Stanley — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Morgan Stanley (MS) is pulling ahead at 16.

8% versus 3. 5% for Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Morgan Stanley grew EPS 53. 5% year-over-year, compared to 7. 1% for Franklin Resources, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Morgan Stanley (MS) is the more profitable company, earning 13.

0% net margin versus 6. 0% for Franklin Resources, Inc. — meaning it keeps 13. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MS leads at 17. 1% versus 6. 9% for BEN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BEN leads at 80. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Franklin Resources, Inc.

(BEN) trades at 11. 4x forward P/E versus 16. 3x for Morgan Stanley — 4. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MS: 6. 5% to $205. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) offers the highest yield at 4. 3%, versus 2. 0% for Morgan Stanley (MS).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Morgan Stanley (MS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2.

0% yield, +739. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MS: +739. 4%, BEN: +24. 7%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: BEN is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; MS is a large-cap high-growth stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.