MS vs. NTRS
MS (Morgan Stanley) and NTRS (Northern Trust Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — MS in Capital Markets, NTRS in Asset Management. Over the past 10 years, MS returned 27.13%/yr vs 12.06%/yr for NTRS. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
MS vs. NTRS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MS achieves a 20.86% return, which is significantly lower than NTRS's 25.08% return. Over the past 10 years, MS has outperformed NTRS with an annualized return of 27.13%, while NTRS has yielded a comparatively lower 12.06% annualized return.
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%
NTRS
- 1D
- -0.80%
- 1M
- 5.91%
- YTD
- 25.08%
- 6M
- 27.99%
- 1Y
- 60.27%
- 3Y*
- 35.23%
- 5Y*
- 10.74%
- 10Y*
- 12.06%
MS vs. NTRS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MS Morgan Stanley | 20.86% | 45.16% | 39.73% | 13.93% | -10.34% | 46.65% | 38.09% | 32.67% | -22.76% | 26.61% |
NTRS Northern Trust Corporation | 25.08% | 36.92% | 25.63% | -1.02% | -23.82% | 31.65% | -9.29% | 30.59% | -14.68% | 14.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between MS and NTRS is 0.60, 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 | 0.60 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.71 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 24, 1993 | 0.58 |
The correlation between MS and NTRS shifts across timeframes, from 0.58 (all time) to 0.71 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MS:
$11.41
NTRS:
$9.09
MS:
18.59
NTRS:
18.59
MS:
1.75
NTRS:
1.46
MS:
2.81
NTRS:
2.26
MS:
$120.22B
NTRS:
$14.30B
MS:
$69.72B
NTRS:
$8.09B
MS:
$27.21B
NTRS:
$3.21B
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Return for Risk
MS vs. NTRS — Risk / Return Rank
MS
NTRS
MS vs. NTRS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Morgan Stanley (MS) and Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS). 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.
| MS | NTRS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.24 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.08 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.40 | +0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.46 | 4.89 | -1.43 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.46 | 13.20 | -1.74 |
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
| MS | NTRS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.55 | 2.31 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | 0.37 | +0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.86 | 0.40 | +0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.29 | 0.39 | -0.09 |
Drawdowns
MS vs. NTRS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MS drawdown since its inception was -88.12%, which is greater than NTRS's maximum drawdown of -67.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MS and NTRS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MS | NTRS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -88.12% | -67.67% | -20.45% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.83% | -12.39% | -6.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -29.24% | -25.21% | -4.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.38% | -50.03% | +17.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.33% | -50.03% | -1.30% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.76% | -1.83% | -0.93% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -33.70% | -20.96% | -12.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.68% | 4.58% | +1.10% |
Volatility
MS vs. NTRS - Volatility Comparison
Morgan Stanley (MS) has a higher volatility of 8.06% compared to Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS) at 4.74%. This indicates that MS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NTRS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MS | NTRS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.06% | 4.74% | +3.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.21% | 18.84% | +2.37% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.62% | 26.27% | -0.65% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 28.72% | 29.58% | -0.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.51% | 30.38% | +1.13% |
Dividends
MS vs. NTRS - Dividend Comparison
MS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.88%, which matches NTRS's 1.89% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
NTRS Northern Trust Corporation | 1.89% | 2.27% | 2.93% | 3.56% | 3.28% | 2.34% | 3.01% | 2.45% | 2.32% | 1.60% | 1.66% | 1.96% |
Financials
MS vs. NTRS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Morgan Stanley and Northern Trust Corporation. 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
MS vs. NTRS - Profitability Comparison
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%.
NTRS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Northern Trust Corporation reported a gross profit of 2.12B and revenue of 3.61B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 58.8%.
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%.
NTRS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Northern Trust Corporation reported an operating income of 625.80M and revenue of 3.61B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.3%.
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%.
NTRS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Northern Trust Corporation reported a net income of 466.00M and revenue of 3.61B, resulting in a net margin of 12.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions
MS and NTRS have a correlation of 0.60, 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 NTRS (4.74%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MS dropped -88.12% vs NTRS's -67.67%.
MS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.55 vs 2.31), 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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