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HLI vs. MS: Houlihan Lokey vs. Morgan Stanley Stock Comparison

How do Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS) are both classified in the Investment Banking & Brokerage sub-industry within the broader Capital Markets industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
Profile ItemHLIMS
NameHoulihan Lokey, Inc.Morgan Stanley Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS IndustryCapital MarketsCapital Markets
GICS Sub-IndustryInvestment Banking & BrokerageInvestment Banking & Brokerage
Market Capitalization10.13 billion USD283.60 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 13, 2015February 23, 1993
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

HLI
MS
GSPC
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
Total Return (1Y)-16.23%19.44%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.13%40.69%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)6.74%17.38%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

HLI
MS
GSPC
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)31.00%29.73%
Beta (5Y)0.871.21
Max Drawdown (5Y)-40.30%-32.38%
Avg. Volume (3M)816.85K5.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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HLI and MS are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.660.51
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.910.73

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 17.29% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 18.04% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

17.29%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
HLI
17.29%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%

MS

Financial Services industry group

18.04%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
MS
18.04%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 15.80% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 25.63% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

15.80%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
HLI
15.80%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%

MS

Financial Services industry group

25.63%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
MS
25.63%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 24.42% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 39.00% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

24.42%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
Median
30.09%
HLI
24.42%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%

MS

Financial Services industry group

39.00%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
MS
39.00%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
ROE (TTM)17.29%18.04%
ROA (TTM)10.38%1.35%
Net Margin (TTM)15.80%25.63%
Operating Margin (TTM)24.42%39.00%
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 9.55% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 14.48% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 6.87% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 28.43% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
Revenue Growth (YoY)9.55%14.48%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)13.10%9.52%
EPS Growth (YoY)6.87%28.43%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)16.05%18.41%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Houlihan Lokey (HLI) in Financial Services and Morgan Stanley (MS) in Financial Services both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Houlihan Lokey (HLI) in Financial Services and Morgan Stanley (MS) in Financial Services run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 1.77% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 2.40% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

1.77%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
HLI
1.77%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MS

Financial Services industry group

2.40%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
MS
2.40%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 43.62% and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 32.91% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

43.62%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
HLI
43.62%
Median
25.77%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MS

Financial Services industry group

32.91%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
MS
32.91%
Median
25.77%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.77%2.40%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)43.62%32.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 24.47 and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 14.39 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

24.47

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
HLI
24.47
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16

MS

Financial Services industry group

14.39

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
MS
14.39
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 3.96 and Morgan Stanley (MS) at 3.55 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

3.96

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
HLI
3.96
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55

MS

Financial Services industry group

3.55

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
MS
3.55
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Morgan Stanley (MS) at 2.65 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Houlihan Lokey (HLI) at 4.39 carries an above-peer premium to book — HLI is pricier on assets.

HLI

Financial Services industry group

4.39

Max
7.79
HLI
4.39
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39

MS

Financial Services industry group

2.65

Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
MS
2.65
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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Houlihan Lokey (HLI) vs. Morgan Stanley (MS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Houlihan Lokey (HLI) and Morgan Stanley (MS)
MetricHLIMS
P/E Ratio (TTM)24.4714.39
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.963.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.392.65
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----