MSCI vs. MS
MSCI (MSCI Inc.) and MS (Morgan Stanley) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — MSCI in Financial Data & Stock Exchanges, MS in Capital Markets. Over the past 10 years, MSCI returned 24.30%/yr vs 28.45%/yr for MS. At a 0.43 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
MSCI vs. MS - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSCI achieves a 2.12% return, which is significantly lower than MS's 28.71% return. Over the past 10 years, MSCI has underperformed MS with an annualized return of 24.30%, while MS has yielded a comparatively higher 28.45% annualized return.
MSCI
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- -1.20%
- YTD
- 2.12%
- 6M
- 0.79%
- 1Y
- 6.22%
- 3Y*
- 9.06%
- 5Y*
- 2.89%
- 10Y*
- 24.30%
MS
- 1D
- -0.47%
- 1M
- 12.44%
- YTD
- 28.71%
- 6M
- 27.30%
- 1Y
- 72.75%
- 3Y*
- 43.83%
- 5Y*
- 24.98%
- 10Y*
- 28.45%
MSCI vs. MS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSCI MSCI Inc. | 2.12% | -3.17% | 7.31% | 22.90% | -23.34% | 38.14% | 74.38% | 77.19% | 17.95% | 62.63% |
MS Morgan Stanley | 28.71% | 45.16% | 39.73% | 13.93% | -10.34% | 46.65% | 38.09% | 32.67% | -22.76% | 26.61% |
Correlation
The correlation between MSCI and MS is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2007 | 0.43 |
The correlation between MSCI and MS shifts across timeframes, from 0.27 (1 year) to 0.44 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
MSCI:
$42.68B
MS:
$360.07B
MSCI:
$17.28
MS:
$11.41
MSCI:
33.65
MS:
19.80
MSCI:
2.08
MS:
1.86
MSCI:
13.71
MS:
3.00
MSCI:
$3.24B
MS:
$120.22B
MSCI:
$2.68B
MS:
$69.72B
MSCI:
$1.99B
MS:
$27.21B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
MSCI vs. MS — Risk / Return Rank
MSCI
MS
MSCI vs. MS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MSCI Inc. (MSCI) 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| MSCI | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.61 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.93 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 1.46 | -0.39 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.35 | 3.88 | -3.54 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.89 | 12.81 | -11.93 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
MSCI vs. MS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSCI drawdown since its inception was -69.06%, smaller than the maximum MS drawdown of -88.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSCI and MS.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| MSCI | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -69.06% | -88.12% | +19.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.07% | -18.83% | +0.76% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.99% | -29.24% | +3.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.74% | -32.38% | -11.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.74% | -51.33% | +7.59% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.68% | -0.47% | -9.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.07% | -33.66% | +20.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.03% | 5.70% | +1.33% |
Volatility
MSCI vs. MS - Volatility Comparison
MSCI Inc. (MSCI) has a higher volatility of 8.23% compared to Morgan Stanley (MS) at 7.76%. This indicates that MSCI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| MSCI | MS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.23% | 7.76% | +0.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 21.10% | 21.58% | -0.48% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.85% | 25.85% | +3.00% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 30.74% | 28.67% | +2.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.18% | 31.34% | -0.16% |
Dividends
MSCI vs. MS - Dividend Comparison
MSCI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.32%, less than MS's 1.77% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MS Morgan Stanley | 1.77% | 2.17% | 2.82% | 3.49% | 3.47% | 2.14% | 2.04% | 2.54% | 2.77% | 1.72% | 1.66% | 1.73% |
MSCI MSCI Inc. | 1.32% | 1.25% | 1.07% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.59% | 0.65% | 0.98% | 1.30% | 1.04% | 1.27% | 1.11% |
Financials
MSCI vs. MS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between MSCI Inc. 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
MSCI vs. MS - Profitability Comparison
MSCI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSCI Inc. reported a gross profit of 709.00M and revenue of 850.80M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 83.3%.
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%.
MSCI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSCI Inc. reported an operating income of 456.90M and revenue of 850.80M, resulting in an operating margin of 53.7%.
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%.
MSCI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSCI Inc. reported a net income of 406.00M and revenue of 850.80M, resulting in a net margin of 47.7%.
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
MSCI and MS have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MSCI has higher volatility (8.23%) compared to MS (7.76%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSCI dropped -69.06% vs MS's -88.12%.
MS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.83 vs 0.22), 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.
Find the right allocation for MSCI and MS
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer