AMZN vs. MS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 28, 2025

Here’s a clear look at AMZN and MS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	AMZN	MS
Company Name	Amazon.com, Inc.	Morgan Stanley
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Discretionary	Financials
GICS Industry	Broadline Retail	Capital Markets
Market Capitalization	2,430.96 billion USD	235.70 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqGS	NYSE
Listing Date	May 15, 1997	February 23, 1993
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of AMZN and MS by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

AMZN vs. MS: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	AMZN	MS
5-Day Price Return	-0.03%	2.48%
13-Week Price Return	12.23%	16.94%
26-Week Price Return	0.58%	4.95%
52-Week Price Return	29.42%	46.83%
Month-to-Date Return	-2.64%	3.64%
Year-to-Date Return	3.90%	17.44%
10-Day Avg. Volume	35.82M	4.69M
3-Month Avg. Volume	43.43M	5.55M
3-Month Volatility	27.21%	17.61%
Beta	1.30	1.34

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

AMZN

23.84%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 49.17%
Q3: 28.98%
Median: 19.22%
Q1: 10.86%
Min: -11.14%

AMZN’s Return on Equity of 23.84% is on par with the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

MS

13.95%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 38.97%
Q3: 21.61%
Median: 13.77%
Q1: 8.31%
Min: -4.25%

MS’s Return on Equity of 13.95% is on par with the norm for the Capital Markets industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

AMZN

10.54%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 19.78%
Q3: 11.90%
Median: 8.63%
Q1: 5.21%
Min: 0.82%

AMZN’s Net Profit Margin of 10.54% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

MS

13.06%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 66.67%
Q3: 35.11%
Median: 23.49%
Q1: 13.63%
Min: -15.18%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, MS’s Net Profit Margin of 13.06% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

AMZN

11.37%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 27.23%
Q3: 15.96%
Median: 11.13%
Q1: 8.31%
Min: 1.77%

AMZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.37% is around the midpoint for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

MS

17.07%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 86.40%
Q3: 46.46%
Median: 32.80%
Q1: 18.32%
Min: -21.87%

MS’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.07% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	AMZN	MS
Return on Equity (TTM)	23.84%	13.95%
Return on Assets (TTM)	11.14%	1.15%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	10.54%	13.06%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	11.37%	17.07%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	49.61%	54.42%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AMZN

1.02

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 3.54
Q3: 2.42
Median: 1.49
Q1: 1.22
Min: 0.67

AMZN’s Current Ratio of 1.02 falls into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

MS

0.29

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 3.76
Q3: 1.89
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.54
Min: -0.41

For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

AMZN

0.15

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 2.14
Q3: 1.34
Median: 0.63
Q1: 0.27
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, AMZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.15 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

MS

7.68

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 6.62
Q3: 2.84
Median: 1.02
Q1: 0.32
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

0.62

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 37.34
Q3: 20.63
Median: 11.28
Q1: 4.22
Min: -19.29

AMZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.62 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.

MS

1.25

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 126.03
Q3: 60.98
Median: 11.77
Q1: 4.95
Min: -36.26

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	AMZN	MS
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.02	0.29
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.81	0.29
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.15	7.68
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	0.62	1.25

Growth

Revenue Growth

AMZN vs. MS: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

AMZN vs. MS: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

AMZN

0.00%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 5.46%
Q3: 2.38%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AMZN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

MS

2.78%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 10.26%
Q3: 4.86%
Median: 2.78%
Q1: 1.22%
Min: 0.00%

MS’s Dividend Yield of 2.78% is consistent with its peers in the Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

0.00%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 131.17%
Q3: 63.48%
Median: 29.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AMZN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

MS

43.20%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 200.72%
Q3: 101.92%
Median: 57.97%
Q1: 32.36%
Min: 0.00%

MS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 43.20% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	AMZN	MS
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	2.78%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	0.00%	43.20%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

34.03

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 66.12
Q3: 35.17
Median: 16.29
Q1: 10.47
Min: 5.94

AMZN’s P/E Ratio of 34.03 is within the middle range for the Broadline Retail industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

MS

15.56

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 58.89
Q3: 31.00
Median: 18.54
Q1: 12.09
Min: 5.24

MS’s P/E Ratio of 15.56 is within the middle range for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

3.59

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 5.40
Q3: 3.33
Median: 2.04
Q1: 0.80
Min: 0.16

AMZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.59 is in the upper echelon for the Broadline Retail industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

MS

2.03

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 14.49
Q3: 7.41
Median: 4.68
Q1: 2.25
Min: 0.04

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, MS’s P/S Ratio of 2.03 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

AMZN

6.98

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 9.06
Q3: 5.22
Median: 3.48
Q1: 1.90
Min: 0.74

AMZN’s P/B Ratio of 6.98 is in the upper tier for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

MS

2.08

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 9.48
Q3: 4.94
Median: 2.42
Q1: 1.21
Min: 0.38

MS’s P/B Ratio of 2.08 is within the conventional range for the Capital Markets industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

AMZN vs. MS: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	AMZN	MS
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	34.03	15.56
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	3.59	2.03
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	6.98	2.08
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	111.85	10.44