MCO vs JPM

For growth investors, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the stronger pick with 14. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 9% for Moody's Corporation (MCO). JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) offers the better valuation at 15. 9x trailing P/E (14. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Moody's Corporation (MCO) a "Buy" — based on 32 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, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the cheapest at 15. 9x versus Moody's Corporation at 32. 8x. On forward P/E, JPMorgan Chase & Co. is actually cheaper at 14. 2x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: JPMorgan Chase & Co. wins at 1. 09x versus Moody's Corporation's 3. 44x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) delivered a total return of +110. 3%, compared to +40. 9% for Moody's Corporation (MCO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JPM returned +471. 7% versus MCO's +401. 6%. 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), Moody's Corporation (MCO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

86β versus JPMorgan Chase & Co. 's 1. 00β — meaning JPM is approximately 16% more volatile than MCO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Moody's Corporation (MCO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 175% versus 2% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is pulling ahead at 14. 6% versus 8. 9% for Moody's Corporation (MCO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew EPS 21. 7% year-over-year, compared to 21. 4% for Moody's Corporation. 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.

Moody's Corporation (MCO) is the more profitable company, earning 31.

9% net margin versus 21. 6% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — meaning it keeps 31. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MCO leads at 44. 8% versus 27. 7% for JPM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MCO leads at 68. 2%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 09x versus Moody's Corporation's 3. 44x. A PEG below 1. 5 suggests fair-to-attractive pricing relative to expected growth. On forward earnings alone, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) trades at 14. 2x forward P/E versus 26. 9x for Moody's Corporation — 12. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MCO: 21. 4% to $544. 75.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) offers the highest yield at 1. 6%, versus 0. 9% for Moody's Corporation (MCO).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Moody's Corporation (MCO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

86), 0. 9% yield, +401. 6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MCO: +401. 6%, JPM: +471. 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: MCO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; JPM is a large-cap deep-value 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.