BCS vs. MSCI: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on October 3, 2025

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

Company Profile

BCS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, MSCI is a standard domestic listing.

Symbol	BCS	MSCI
Company Name	Barclays PLC	MSCI Inc.
Country	United Kingdom	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Banks	Capital Markets
Market Capitalization	71.96 billion USD	43.74 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	September 9, 1986	November 15, 2007
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BCS and MSCI 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	MSCI
5-Day Price Return	-1.42%	0.17%
13-Week Price Return	15.13%	-1.62%
26-Week Price Return	22.75%	-0.36%
52-Week Price Return	72.39%	-1.52%
Month-to-Date Return	5.33%	-0.05%
Year-to-Date Return	41.56%	-5.43%
10-Day Avg. Volume	25.97M	0.79M
3-Month Avg. Volume	21.18M	0.68M
3-Month Volatility	21.99%	28.67%
Beta	0.18	1.35

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BCS

12.12%

Banks Industry

Max: 25.40%
Q3: 15.55%
Median: 12.00%
Q1: 8.98%
Min: -0.10%

BCS’s Return on Equity of 12.12% is on par with the norm for the Banks industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

MSCI

108.67%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 38.97%
Q3: 22.24%
Median: 13.52%
Q1: 8.61%
Min: -4.25%

MSCI’s Return on Equity of 108.67% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Capital Markets industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: 54.20%
Q3: 35.73%
Median: 28.97%
Q1: 22.56%
Min: 6.98%

Net Profit Margin data for BCS is currently unavailable.

MSCI

39.46%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 69.91%
Q3: 37.24%
Median: 24.30%
Q1: 13.06%
Min: -15.18%

A Net Profit Margin of 39.46% places MSCI in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: 63.35%
Q3: 44.73%
Median: 37.24%
Q1: 28.25%
Min: 12.28%

Operating Profit Margin data for BCS is currently unavailable.

MSCI

53.86%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 84.86%
Q3: 47.16%
Median: 32.23%
Q1: 18.65%
Min: -21.87%

An Operating Profit Margin of 53.86% places MSCI in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	MSCI
Return on Equity (TTM)	12.12%	108.67%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.57%	21.86%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	--	39.46%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	--	53.86%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	82.18%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

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

MSCI

0.86

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 3.37
Q3: 1.81
Median: 1.01
Q1: 0.56
Min: 0.04

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

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BCS

3.86

Banks Industry

Max: 5.78
Q3: 2.66
Median: 1.05
Q1: 0.40
Min: 0.00

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

MSCI

6.80

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 6.52
Q3: 2.79
Median: 0.96
Q1: 0.28
Min: 0.00

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

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

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

MSCI

9.26

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 107.59
Q3: 48.41
Median: 10.85
Q1: 4.56
Min: -36.26

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

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	MSCI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	0.86
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	0.77
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.86	6.80
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	9.26

Growth

Revenue Growth

BCS vs. MSCI: 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

BCS vs. MSCI: 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)

BCS

0.00%

Banks Industry

Max: 11.03%
Q3: 6.00%
Median: 3.87%
Q1: 2.41%
Min: 0.00%

BCS 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.

MSCI

1.22%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 9.02%
Q3: 4.54%
Median: 2.55%
Q1: 1.27%
Min: 0.00%

MSCI’s Dividend Yield of 1.22% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BCS

22.39%

Banks Industry

Max: 134.24%
Q3: 79.39%
Median: 55.09%
Q1: 36.09%
Min: 0.00%

BCS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.39% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

MSCI

45.34%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 199.38%
Q3: 99.28%
Median: 60.67%
Q1: 32.00%
Min: 0.00%

MSCI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.34% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	MSCI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.00%	1.22%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	22.39%	45.34%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BCS

6.00

Banks Industry

Max: 22.69
Q3: 13.75
Median: 10.32
Q1: 7.73
Min: 2.59

In the lower quartile for the Banks industry, BCS’s P/E Ratio of 6.00 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

MSCI

37.22

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 51.69
Q3: 29.42
Median: 17.58
Q1: 12.55
Min: 5.59

A P/E Ratio of 37.22 places MSCI in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BCS

Banks Industry

Max: 4.90
Q3: 2.98
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.59
Min: 0.45

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.

MSCI

14.69

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 14.65
Q3: 7.29
Median: 4.53
Q1: 2.26
Min: 0.04

With a P/S Ratio of 14.69, MSCI trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Capital Markets industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BCS

0.63

Banks Industry

Max: 2.09
Q3: 1.40
Median: 1.11
Q1: 0.86
Min: 0.29

BCS’s P/B Ratio of 0.63 is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

MSCI

42.21

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 10.83
Q3: 5.12
Median: 2.66
Q1: 1.19
Min: 0.37

At 42.21, MSCI’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Capital Markets industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

BCS vs. MSCI: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Banks and Capital Markets industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	BCS	MSCI
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	6.00	37.22
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	--	14.69
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.63	42.21
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	2.61	32.27