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

Updated on October 4, 2025

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

Company Profile

KB 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	KB	MSCI
Company Name	KB Financial Group Inc.	MSCI Inc.
Country	South Korea	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Banks	Capital Markets
Market Capitalization	30.42 billion USD	43.74 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	November 13, 2001	November 15, 2007
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of KB 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.

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

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	KB	MSCI
5-Day Price Return	0.17%	0.17%
13-Week Price Return	4.24%	-1.62%
26-Week Price Return	41.03%	-0.36%
52-Week Price Return	8.71%	-1.52%
Month-to-Date Return	6.75%	-0.05%
Year-to-Date Return	39.32%	-5.43%
10-Day Avg. Volume	0.73M	0.79M
3-Month Avg. Volume	1.16M	0.68M
3-Month Volatility	37.67%	28.67%
Beta	-0.18	1.35

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

KB

9.84%

Banks Industry

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

KB’s Return on Equity of 9.84% 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.

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

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

KB

10.66%

Banks Industry

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

Falling into the lower quartile for the Banks industry, KB’s Net Profit Margin of 10.66% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

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.

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

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

KB

14.94%

Banks Industry

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

KB’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.94% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

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.

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

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	KB	MSCI
Return on Equity (TTM)	9.84%	108.67%
Return on Assets (TTM)	0.75%	21.86%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	10.66%	39.46%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	14.94%	53.86%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	--	82.18%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

KB

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.

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

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

KB

2.44

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.

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

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

KB

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.

KB 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	KB	MSCI
Current Ratio (MRQ)	--	0.86
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	--	0.77
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	2.44	6.80
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	--	9.26

Growth

Revenue Growth

KB 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

KB 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)

KB

2.93%

Banks Industry

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

KB’s Dividend Yield of 2.93% is consistent with its peers in the Banks industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

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.

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

KB

30.54%

Banks Industry

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

KB’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 30.54% 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.

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

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	KB	MSCI
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.93%	1.22%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	30.54%	45.34%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

KB

7.34

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, KB’s P/E Ratio of 7.34 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.

KB 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)

KB

0.52

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.

KB 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)

KB

0.71

Banks Industry

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

KB’s P/B Ratio of 0.71 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.

KB 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	KB	MSCI
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	7.34	37.22
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	0.52	14.69
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	0.71	42.21
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	11.83	32.27