Overview
BofA Securities has reinstated coverage on Moody’s Corporation with a Buy rating and a $550.00 price objective, the firm said on Monday. That target sits near a 30% uplift from the stock’s prevailing price of $428.40 and is consistent with the broader analyst community, where the consensus view on the shares is Buy.
Business profile and financial metrics
Moody’s offers credit ratings, data, research and risk assessment products to clients worldwide. The company combines rating opinions with data and analytical tools. According to InvestingPro data cited in the briefing, Moody’s operates with an elevated gross profit margin of 73.75% and registers a Piotroski Score of 9, a signal used by some investors to assess firm financial strength.
Why BofA is constructive
BofA pointed to debt issuance activity as a central driver for Moody’s outlook. The firm said debt issuance accounts for more than 50% of Moody’s revenue and that those revenue streams display roughly 70% incremental margins, providing potential leverage to earnings as issuance volumes rise. BofA suggested this mix could support both earnings growth and a re-rating of Moody’s valuation multiple.
The analyst team also flagged artificial intelligence as a possible source of productivity gains and as an avenue for new products, though the commentary framed AI as a future opportunity rather than an established contributor to current results.
Recent trends and analyst revisions
Revenue growth of 8.77% was noted in the firm’s review, and BofA said six analysts have revised their earnings estimates higher for the coming period, which the firm presented as supporting its constructive view.
Competitive advantages
BofA listed Moody’s proprietary data, regulatory embedding in core markets, and high switching costs as structural advantages that support the company’s market position.
Other market moves and corporate actions
Other brokerages have also adjusted their views. Daiwa Securities upgraded Moody’s from Neutral to Outperform and raised its price target to $590.00, citing a favorable bond and loan issuance environment and stronger demand for credit ratings in private credit. Stifel upgraded the shares from Hold to Buy with a $574.00 target, pointing to expectations for a strong debt issuance year in 2026 that could lift revenue and earnings.
On the corporate governance and asset side, Moody’s announced the appointment of Lisa P. Sawicki to its Board of Directors, effective March 16, 2026; she previously served as Chair of the Global Board at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Separately, Moody National REIT II, a Moody’s subsidiary, completed the sale of an Austin hotel property for $9.4 million.
Context for investors
The commentary from BofA and other brokers highlights debt markets and issuance activity as central to Moody’s near-term revenue and profit trajectory, and identifies technology and regulatory positioning as structural supports for the franchise.
Key points
- BofA reinstated coverage on Moody’s with a Buy rating and $550 price target, implying nearly 30% upside from $428.40.
- Debt issuance represents over 50% of Moody’s revenue and has about 70% incremental margins, per BofA.
- Other broker upgrades include Daiwa (to Outperform, $590 target) and Stifel (to Buy, $574 target); Moody’s also named Lisa P. Sawicki to its board and sold an Austin hotel via a subsidiary for $9.4 million.
Risks and uncertainties
- Moody’s revenue and earnings are materially exposed to debt issuance volumes, which the firm says make up more than half of sales; changes in issuance activity would affect results.
- The projected earnings leverage and multiple re-rating are contingent on sustained issuance and favorable market conditions; those outcomes are not guaranteed.
- AI was cited as a potential productivity and product driver, but the commentary describes this as an opportunity rather than a current source of material revenue or profit.