BAC vs. MS
BAC (Bank of America Corporation) and MS (Morgan Stanley) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — BAC in Banks - Diversified, MS in Capital Markets. Over the past 10 years, BAC returned 17.09%/yr vs 27.13%/yr for MS. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
BAC vs. MS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BAC achieves a -1.43% return, which is significantly lower than MS's 20.86% return. Over the past 10 years, BAC has underperformed MS with an annualized return of 17.09%, while MS has yielded a comparatively higher 27.13% annualized return.
BAC
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- 5.06%
- YTD
- -1.43%
- 6M
- 0.58%
- 1Y
- 21.86%
- 3Y*
- 25.47%
- 5Y*
- 7.45%
- 10Y*
- 17.09%
MS
- 1D
- 0.15%
- 1M
- 9.92%
- YTD
- 20.86%
- 6M
- 21.34%
- 1Y
- 64.89%
- 3Y*
- 39.40%
- 5Y*
- 21.89%
- 10Y*
- 27.13%
BAC vs. MS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BAC Bank of America Corporation | -1.43% | 28.04% | 33.85% | 4.83% | -23.82% | 49.61% | -11.63% | 46.19% | -15.00% | 35.69% |
MS Morgan Stanley | 20.86% | 45.16% | 39.73% | 13.93% | -10.34% | 46.65% | 38.09% | 32.67% | -22.76% | 26.61% |
Correlation
The correlation between BAC and MS is 0.66, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.69 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 23, 1993 | 0.64 |
The correlation between BAC and MS shifts across timeframes, from 0.64 (all time) to 0.78 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
BAC:
$397.80B
MS:
$338.10B
BAC:
$4.19
MS:
$11.41
BAC:
12.79
MS:
18.59
BAC:
5.14
MS:
1.75
BAC:
2.32
MS:
2.81
BAC:
1.44
MS:
3.23
BAC:
$174.85B
MS:
$120.22B
BAC:
$110.47B
MS:
$69.72B
BAC:
$41.74B
MS:
$27.21B
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Return for Risk
BAC vs. MS — Risk / Return Rank
BAC
MS
BAC vs. MS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Bank of America Corporation (BAC) and Morgan Stanley (MS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| BAC | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.43 | -0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.22 | 3.46 | -2.24 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.15 | 11.46 | -8.31 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BAC | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.02 | 2.55 | -1.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 0.77 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 | 0.86 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.20 | 0.29 | -0.09 |
Drawdowns
BAC vs. MS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BAC drawdown since its inception was -93.10%, which is greater than MS's maximum drawdown of -88.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BAC and MS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BAC | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -93.10% | -88.12% | -4.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -17.93% | -18.83% | +0.90% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.51% | -29.24% | +1.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.64% | -32.38% | -14.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -48.95% | -51.33% | +2.38% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.30% | -2.76% | -2.54% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -28.31% | -33.70% | +5.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.95% | 5.68% | +1.27% |
Volatility
BAC vs. MS - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is 6.59%, while Morgan Stanley (MS) has a volatility of 8.06%. This indicates that BAC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BAC | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.59% | 8.06% | -1.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.36% | 21.21% | -4.85% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.50% | 25.62% | -4.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.89% | 28.72% | -1.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.70% | 31.51% | -0.81% |
Dividends
BAC vs. MS - Dividend Comparison
BAC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.09%, more than MS's 1.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BAC Bank of America Corporation | 2.09% | 1.96% | 2.28% | 2.73% | 2.60% | 1.75% | 2.38% | 1.87% | 2.19% | 1.32% | 1.13% | 1.19% |
MS Morgan Stanley | 1.88% | 2.17% | 2.82% | 3.49% | 3.47% | 2.14% | 2.04% | 2.54% | 2.77% | 1.72% | 1.66% | 1.73% |
Financials
BAC vs. MS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Bank of America Corporation and Morgan Stanley. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
BAC vs. MS - Profitability Comparison
BAC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Bank of America Corporation reported a gross profit of 28.94B and revenue of 30.27B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 95.6%.
MS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Morgan Stanley reported a gross profit of 20.48B and revenue of 33.15B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 61.8%.
BAC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Bank of America Corporation reported an operating income of 10.40B and revenue of 30.27B, resulting in an operating margin of 34.4%.
MS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Morgan Stanley reported an operating income of 7.01B and revenue of 33.15B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.2%.
BAC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Bank of America Corporation reported a net income of 8.58B and revenue of 30.27B, resulting in a net margin of 28.4%.
MS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Morgan Stanley reported a net income of 5.64B and revenue of 33.15B, resulting in a net margin of 17.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
BAC and MS have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MS has higher volatility (8.06%) compared to BAC (6.59%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BAC dropped -93.10% vs MS's -88.12%.
MS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.55 vs 1.02), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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