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LPLA vs. MCO: LPL Financial vs. Moody's Stock Comparison

How do LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO) 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

LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO) both belong to the Capital Markets industry, though LPLA is classified under Investment Banking & Brokerage while MCO falls under Financial Exchanges & Data.

Company profile comparison for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
Profile ItemLPLAMCO
NameLPL Financial Holdings Inc.Moody's Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS IndustryCapital MarketsCapital Markets
GICS Sub-IndustryInvestment Banking & BrokerageFinancial Exchanges & Data
Market Capitalization23.01 billion USD87.19 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateNovember 18, 2010October 31, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LPLA
MCO
GSPC
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO), 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 LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
Total Return (1Y)-17.27%5.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.10%15.27%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)13.92%6.21%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LPLA
MCO
GSPC
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO), 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 LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)39.22%28.61%
Beta (5Y)0.521.28
Max Drawdown (5Y)-33.18%-40.93%
Avg. Volume (3M)855.76K817.57K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LPLA and MCO 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 LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.550.03
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.700.04

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Moody's (MCO) at 76.74% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; LPL Financial (LPLA) at 25.66% also sits in the top quartile.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

25.66%

Max
44.78%
LPLA
25.66%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%

MCO

Financial Services industry group

76.74%

MCO
76.74%
Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Moody's (MCO) at 35.26% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of LPL Financial (LPLA) at 6.97%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

6.97%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
Median
15.36%
LPLA
6.97%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%

MCO

Financial Services industry group

35.26%

Max
62.84%
MCO
35.26%
Q3
28.05%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Moody's (MCO) at 46.27% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while LPL Financial (LPLA) at 10.85% operates in the bottom quartile.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

10.85%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
LPLA
10.85%
Min
-44.34%

MCO

Financial Services industry group

46.27%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
MCO
46.27%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
ROE (TTM)25.66%76.74%
ROA (TTM)7.35%15.56%
Net Margin (TTM)6.97%35.26%
Operating Margin (TTM)10.85%46.27%
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

LPL Financial (LPLA) at 37.18% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Moody's (MCO) at 8.89% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for LPLA.

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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both LPL Financial (LPLA) at -22.17% and Moody's (MCO) at 21.40% 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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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
Revenue Growth (YoY)37.18%8.89%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)25.47%12.17%
EPS Growth (YoY)-22.17%21.40%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)1.64%22.48%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: LPL Financial (LPLA) in Financial Services and Moody's (MCO) 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: LPL Financial (LPLA) in Financial Services and Moody's (MCO) 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 LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both LPL Financial (LPLA) at 0.40% and Moody's (MCO) at 0.78% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

0.40%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
Median
1.09%
LPLA
0.40%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MCO

Financial Services industry group

0.78%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
Median
1.09%
MCO
0.78%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both LPL Financial (LPLA) at 6.88% and Moody's (MCO) at 24.59% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

6.88%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
LPLA
6.88%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MCO

Financial Services industry group

24.59%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
MCO
24.59%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.40%0.78%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.88%24.59%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

LPL Financial (LPLA) at 16.93 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Moody's (MCO) at 30.85 sits in the richer quartile — MCO needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

16.93

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
LPLA
16.93
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16

MCO

Financial Services industry group

30.85

Max
45.85
MCO
30.85
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

LPL Financial (LPLA) at 1.15 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Moody's (MCO) at 10.66 prices above its industry range — a wide gap in sales valuation between them.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

1.15

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
LPLA
1.15
Min
-0.55

MCO

Financial Services industry group

10.66

MCO
10.66
Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: LPL Financial (LPLA) at 3.98 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Moody's (MCO) at 26.68 prices even higher, above its industry range.

LPLA

Financial Services industry group

3.98

Max
7.79
LPLA
3.98
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39

MCO

Financial Services industry group

26.68

MCO
26.68
Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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LPL Financial (LPLA) vs. Moody's (MCO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for LPL Financial (LPLA) and Moody's (MCO)
MetricLPLAMCO
P/E Ratio (TTM)16.9330.85
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.1510.66
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.9826.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----