Moody's has successfully scaled revenue to $2.1 billion in 2026Q1 while maintaining structural operating efficiency, evidenced by a robust 44.3% operating margin.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 |
|---|
| Sales/Revenue | 7.87B | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Revenue Growth % | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cost of Goods Sold | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| COGS % of Revenue | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gross Profit | 5.49B | 5.26B | 4.71B | 3.85B | 3.52B | 4.32B | 3.68B | 3.24B | 3.06B | 2.87B | 2.49B | 2.42B | 2.35B | 2.08B | 1.86B | 1.55B | 1.38B | 1.2B | 1.19B | 1.63B | 1.46B | 1.24B | 1.03B | 899.3M | 738M | 557.1M | 412.7M | 1.41B | 1.37B |
| Gross Margin % | 69.69% | 68.15% | 66.41% | 65.15% | 64.45% | 69.54% | 68.44% | 67.14% | 68.8% | 68.3% | 69.11% | 69.56% | 70.37% | 69.96% | 68.05% | 67.87% | 68.02% | 66.7% | 67.62% | 72.25% | 71.58% | 71.81% | 71.53% | 72.14% | 72.12% | 69.93% | 68.52% | 71.62% | 70.63% |
| Gross Profit Growth % | - | 11.75% | 22.13% | 9.36% | -18.5% | 17.63% | 13.39% | 6.07% | 6.45% | 15.26% | 2.77% | 3.3% | 12.83% | 11.93% | 20.02% | 12% | 15.3% | 0.99% | -27.27% | 11.93% | 17.27% | 20.87% | 14.4% | 21.86% | 32.47% | 34.99% | -70.78% | 3.37% | - |
| Operating Expenses | 2.01B | 1.8B | 1.74B | 1.63B | 1.53B | 1.48B | 1.23B | 1.17B | 1.13B | 1.03B | 976.5M | 950.4M | 901.9M | 837M | 768.2M | 659.1M | 608.3M | 495.7M | 441.3M | 451.1M | 359.3M | 303.9M | 242.4M | 236.2M | 199.9M | 158.6M | 124.2M | 932.2M | 917.6M |
| OpEx % of Revenue | - | 23.39% | 24.49% | 27.6% | 27.93% | 23.8% | 22.88% | 24.17% | 25.46% | 24.45% | 27.09% | 27.28% | 27.05% | 28.16% | 28.14% | 28.9% | 29.94% | 27.58% | 25.14% | 19.97% | 17.64% | 17.55% | 16.85% | 18.95% | 19.53% | 19.91% | 20.62% | 47.28% | 47.43% |
| Selling, General & Admin | 1.84B | 1.8B | 1.74B | 1.63B | 1.53B | 1.48B | 1.23B | 1.17B | 1.08B | 985.9M | 936.4M | 921.3M | 864M | 814.2M | 752.1M | 629.3M | 588M | 495.7M | 441.3M | 451.1M | 359.3M | 303.9M | 242.4M | 203.6M | 175.3M | 141.6M | 107.6M | 791.3M | 776M |
| SG&A % of Revenue | - | 23.36% | 24.49% | 27.6% | 27.93% | 23.8% | 22.88% | 24.17% | 24.31% | 23.45% | 25.98% | 26.44% | 25.91% | 27.39% | 27.55% | 27.59% | 28.94% | 27.58% | 25.14% | 19.97% | 17.64% | 17.55% | 16.85% | 16.33% | 17.13% | 17.77% | 17.86% | 40.13% | 40.11% |
| Research & Development | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R&D % of Revenue | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Operating Expenses | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Operating Income | 3.48B | 3.46B | 2.97B | 2.22B | 2B | 2.84B | 2.45B | 2.08B | 1.93B | 1.84B | 1.51B | 1.47B | 1.44B | 1.24B | 1.09B | 888.9M | 773.9M | 703.1M | 745.7M | 1.18B | 1.1B | 939.6M | 786.4M | 663.1M | 538.1M | 398.5M | 288.5M | 480.1M | 448.7M |
| Operating Margin % | 44.16% | 44.77% | 41.92% | 37.54% | 36.52% | 45.74% | 45.56% | 42.97% | 43.33% | 43.85% | 42.02% | 42.28% | 43.32% | 41.8% | 39.91% | 38.97% | 38.09% | 39.12% | 42.48% | 52.28% | 53.94% | 54.26% | 54.68% | 53.19% | 52.58% | 50.02% | 47.9% | 24.35% | 23.19% |
| Operating Income Growth % | - | 16.29% | 33.77% | 11.22% | -29.78% | 16.22% | 17.93% | 7.78% | 4.44% | 21.71% | 2.79% | 2.01% | 16.25% | 14.02% | 22.59% | 14.86% | 10.07% | -5.71% | -36.86% | 7.47% | 16.95% | 19.48% | 18.59% | 23.23% | 35.03% | 38.13% | -39.91% | 7% | - |
| EBITDA | 3.97B | 3.94B | 3.4B | 2.59B | 2.33B | 3.1B | 2.67B | 2.27B | 2.12B | 2B | 1.64B | 1.59B | 1.54B | 1.34B | 1.18B | 968.1M | 840.2M | 767.2M | 820.8M | 1.22B | 1.14B | 974.8M | 820.5M | 695.7M | 562.7M | 415.5M | 305.1M | 621M | 590.3M |
| EBITDA Margin % | 50.37% | 50.98% | 48% | 43.85% | 42.58% | 49.87% | 49.66% | 47.11% | 47.65% | 47.61% | 45.54% | 45.54% | 46.19% | 44.94% | 43.34% | 42.45% | 41.35% | 42.69% | 46.76% | 54.18% | 55.88% | 56.29% | 57.05% | 55.81% | 54.99% | 52.15% | 50.66% | 31.49% | 30.51% |
| EBITDA Growth % | 13.41% | 15.67% | 31.15% | 11.43% | -24.93% | 16.27% | 17.23% | 7.46% | 5.77% | 21.96% | 3.42% | 3.05% | 15.28% | 12.91% | 22.22% | 15.22% | 9.52% | -6.53% | -32.94% | 7.51% | 16.78% | 18.81% | 17.94% | 23.64% | 35.43% | 36.18% | -50.87% | 5.2% | - |
| D&A (Non-Cash Add-back) | 489M | 480M | 431M | 373M | 331M | 257M | 220M | 200M | 191.9M | 158.3M | 126.7M | 113.5M | 95.6M | 93.4M | 93.5M | 79.2M | 66.3M | 64.1M | 75.1M | 42.9M | 39.5M | 35.2M | 34.1M | 32.6M | 24.6M | 17M | 16.6M | 140.9M | 141.6M |
| EBIT | 3.46B | 3.46B | 2.9B | 2.14B | 1.98B | 3B | 2.46B | 2.04B | 1.88B | 2B | 710.3M | 1.51B | 1.6B | 1.26B | 1.1B | 903.3M | 762M | 687.6M | 788.7M | 1.16B | 1.28B | 955.7M | 794.3M | 663.1M | 538.1M | 398.5M | 288.5M | 270.4M | 225.5M |
| Net Interest Income | -160M | -124M | -102M | -144M | -201M | -234M | -221M | -213M | -198.2M | -199.9M | -141.4M | -125M | -127.4M | -89.8M | -69.8M | -58.2M | -44.5M | -38.9M | -40.8M | -20.3M | 3M | 5M | -16.2M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interest Income | 41M | 65M | 102M | 63M | 15M | 9M | 11M | 17M | 14.7M | 16M | 10.9M | 9.7M | 6.7M | 5.5M | 5.2M | 5.3M | 3.1M | 2.5M | 18.1M | 19.3M | 18.2M | 26M | 6.8M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interest Expense | 201M | 189M | 204M | 207M | 216M | 243M | 232M | 230M | 212.9M | 215.9M | 152.3M | 134.7M | 134.1M | 95.3M | 75M | 63.5M | 47.6M | 41.4M | 58.9M | 39.6M | 15.2M | 21M | 23M | 6.7M | 20.7M | 16.6M | 4.5M | 45.2M | 15.2M |
| Other Income/Expense | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pretax Income | 3.2B | 3.13B | 2.7B | 1.94B | 1.76B | 2.75B | 2.23B | 1.81B | 1.67B | 1.79B | 558M | 1.38B | 1.46B | 1.17B | 1.02B | 839.8M | 714.4M | 646.2M | 725.8M | 1.12B | 1.26B | 934.7M | 771.3M | 656.4M | 517.4M | 381.9M | 284M | 434.9M | 399.8M |
| Pretax Margin % | 40.59% | 40.55% | 38.08% | 32.71% | 32.19% | 44.31% | 41.5% | 37.48% | 37.61% | 42.5% | 15.48% | 39.59% | 43.82% | 39.34% | 37.51% | 36.82% | 35.16% | 35.96% | 41.35% | 49.43% | 61.88% | 53.98% | 53.63% | 52.66% | 50.56% | 47.94% | 47.15% | 22.06% | 20.67% |
| Income Tax | 698M | 668M | 640M | 327M | 386M | 541M | 452M | 381M | 351.6M | 779.1M | 282.2M | 430M | 455M | 353.4M | 324.3M | 261.8M | 201M | 239.1M | 268.2M | 415.2M | 506.6M | 373.9M | 346.2M | 292.5M | 228.5M | 169.7M | 125.5M | 178.9M | 153.4M |
| Effective Tax Rate % | 21.84% | 21.34% | 23.71% | 16.9% | 21.93% | 19.64% | 20.28% | 21.05% | 21.04% | 43.6% | 50.57% | 31.17% | 31.14% | 30.22% | 31.67% | 31.17% | 28.14% | 37% | 36.95% | 37.18% | 40.19% | 40% | 44.89% | 44.56% | 44.16% | 44.44% | 44.19% | 41.14% | 38.37% |
| Net Income | 2.5B | 2.46B | 2.06B | 1.61B | 1.37B | 2.21B | 1.78B | 1.42B | 1.31B | 1B | 266.6M | 941.3M | 988.7M | 804.5M | 690M | 571.4M | 507.8M | 402M | 457.6M | 701.5M | 753.9M | 560.8M | 425.1M | 363.9M | 288.9M | 212.2M | 158.5M | 256M | 280.1M |
| Net Margin % | 31.69% | 31.86% | 29.04% | 27.16% | 25.13% | 35.61% | 33.1% | 29.45% | 29.48% | 23.8% | 7.4% | 27.01% | 29.65% | 27.06% | 25.27% | 25.05% | 24.99% | 22.37% | 26.07% | 31.05% | 37.01% | 32.39% | 29.56% | 29.19% | 28.23% | 26.63% | 26.32% | 12.98% | 14.48% |
| Net Income Growth % | 18.47% | 19.48% | 28.06% | 16.96% | -37.94% | 24.52% | 25.04% | 8.58% | 30.88% | 275.32% | -71.68% | -4.79% | 22.9% | 16.59% | 20.76% | 12.52% | 26.32% | -12.15% | -34.77% | -6.95% | 34.43% | 31.92% | 16.82% | 25.96% | 36.15% | 33.88% | -38.09% | -8.6% | - |
| Net Income (Continuing) | 2.5B | 2.46B | 2.06B | 1.61B | 1.37B | 2.21B | 1.78B | 1.43B | 1.32B | 1.01B | 275.8M | 949.6M | 1.01B | 815.9M | 699.7M | 578M | 513.4M | 407.1M | 461.6M | 701.5M | 753.9M | 560.8M | 425.1M | 363.9M | 288.9M | 212.2M | 158.5M | 155.6M | 142M |
| Discontinued Operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minority Interest | 149M | 151M | 162M | 158M | 170M | 189M | 194M | 225M | 196.6M | 212.8M | 197.7M | 232M | 230.7M | 80M | 68.9M | 60.5M | 11.2M | 10.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 301.9M | 301.7M |
| EPS (Diluted) | 14.07 | 13.67 | 11.26 | 8.73 | 7.44 | 11.78 | 9.39 | 7.42 | 6.74 | 5.15 | 1.36 | 4.63 | 4.61 | 3.60 | 3.05 | 2.49 | 2.15 | 1.69 | 1.87 | 2.58 | 2.58 | 1.84 | 1.40 | 1.19 | 0.92 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 0.78 | 0.82 |
| EPS Growth % | 20.38% | 21.4% | 28.98% | 17.34% | -36.84% | 25.45% | 26.55% | 10.09% | 30.87% | 278.68% | -70.63% | 0.43% | 28.06% | 18.03% | 22.49% | 15.81% | 27.22% | -9.63% | -27.52% | 0% | 40.22% | 31.43% | 17.65% | 29.35% | 39.39% | 34.69% | -37.18% | -4.88% | - |
| EPS (Basic) | - | 13.73 | 11.32 | 8.77 | 7.47 | 11.88 | 9.48 | 7.51 | 6.84 | 5.24 | 1.38 | 4.70 | 4.69 | 3.67 | 3.09 | 2.52 | 2.16 | 1.70 | 1.89 | 2.63 | 2.65 | 1.88 | 1.43 | 1.22 | 0.94 | 0.67 | 0.49 | 0.79 | 0.83 |
| Diluted Shares Outstanding | 177.3M | 179.9M | 182.7M | 184M | 184.7M | 187.9M | 189.3M | 191.6M | 194.4M | 194.2M | 195.4M | 203.4M | 214.7M | 223.5M | 226.6M | 229.4M | 236.6M | 237.8M | 245.3M | 272.2M | 291.9M | 305.6M | 304.7M | 304.6M | 315M | 320.4M | 326M | 328.6M | 343.41M |
| Basic Shares Outstanding | 176.8M | 179.1M | 181.8M | 183.2M | 183.9M | 186.4M | 187.6M | 189.3M | 191.6M | 191.1M | 192.7M | 200.1M | 210.7M | 219.4M | 223.2M | 226.3M | 235M | 236.1M | 242.4M | 266.4M | 284.2M | 297.7M | 297M | 297.8M | 307.8M | 315.2M | 323.4M | 324.6M | 338.98M |
| Dividend Payout Ratio | - | 28.51% | 30.13% | 35.1% | 37.48% | 20.91% | 23.62% | 26.58% | 25.75% | 29.02% | 106.94% | 28.91% | 23.87% | 24.52% | 20.72% | 21.18% | 19.42% | 23.51% | 21.15% | 12.15% | 10.55% | 10.75% | 10.52% | 7.36% | 9.62% | 13.34% | 4.54% | 46.91% | 49.05% |
Regulatory and cyclical sensitivity
As evidenced by the progression from $1.5 billion in 2023Q4 to $2.1 billion in 2026Q1, Moody's has demonstrated a consistent ability to expand its top-line revenue, suggesting that the firm's core credit rating and analytics offerings remain highly relevant despite broader fluctuations in global debt issuance volumes.
The revenue trajectory appears to be supported by a combination of mandatory refinancing activity and the recurring nature of the Analytics segment. Investors should monitor whether this growth remains sustainable if global interest rate environments shift, as the current expansion may be partially driven by opportunistic debt issuance.
According to the provided financial data, Moody's maintained a robust gross margin of 74.5% in 2026Q1, reflecting the significant operating leverage inherent in its business model where the marginal cost of providing additional credit ratings remains exceptionally low relative to the high-value service provided to institutional clients.
The ability to sustain gross margins above 65% across all reported periods suggests strong pricing power and a competitive moat protected by regulatory requirements. This margin profile appears to be a structural feature of the issuer-pay model, which effectively insulates the firm from the typical cost pressures seen in more labor-intensive financial services.
Based on reported figures, operating income scaled to $922 million in 2026Q1, indicating that Moody's has successfully managed its SG&A expenses relative to gross profit growth, thereby enhancing the firm's overall operating leverage as it continues to integrate advanced data tools and automated research capabilities into its core workflows.
The firm's ability to keep SG&A relatively contained while revenue grows suggests that management is effectively leveraging its existing analytical infrastructure. This trend warrants further investigation into whether future margin expansion will be driven by continued cost discipline or the successful deployment of generative AI within the Analytics segment.
As reported in financial statements, the variability in stock-based compensation, which reached $174 million in 2025Q3 before dropping to zero in subsequent quarters, suggests that investors should exercise caution when evaluating the consistency of net income and EPS figures, as these non-cash items can significantly distort quarterly profitability metrics.
The fluctuations in SBC appear to create noise in the reported earnings, making it difficult to assess the underlying operational performance without adjusting for these periodic charges. Analysts should focus on normalized EPS trends to better understand the true earnings power of the business, especially given the company's aggressive history of share repurchases.
While current margins appear strong, a critical challenge to the bullish narrative is the potential for regulatory intervention or a shift in the issuer-pay model, which could fundamentally alter the firm's cost structure and limit its ability to maintain the high profitability levels observed in recent quarterly filings.
Short-term observers might focus on the sensitivity of the MIS segment to interest rate volatility, which could lead to sudden margin compression if issuance volumes decline sharply. Furthermore, the reliance on high-margin 'jumbo' deals suggests that any shift in the composition of debt issuance could negatively impact the firm's profitability profile.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying MCO stock.
Moody's Corporation (MCO) is profitable, generating $2.46B in net income for the fiscal year ending 2025 with a net profit margin of 31.9%.
Moody's Corporation (MCO) reported an operating income of $3.46B, resulting in an operating profit margin of 44.8%. This margin reflects the operational efficiency of the business before interest and taxes.
Moody's Corporation (MCO) generated $5.26B in gross profit for the year, representing a gross profit margin of 68.2%. This demonstrates the company's core pricing power and production efficiency.