MS
Morgan Stanley
MS has the edge over PFLT overall, supported by stronger fundamentals and stronger modeled upside.
PFLT
PennantPark Floating Rate Capital Ltd.
PFLT trails on the overall score without a compensating advantage in the available component scores.
MS Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Healthy | |
| Strong | |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
MS's revenue and profitability are currently healthy. Free cash flow and net leverage aren't meaningful measures for financial services companies like MS.
PFLT Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Weak | |
| Healthy | |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
PFLT's profitability is currently healthy, but its revenue is weak. Free cash flow and net leverage aren't meaningful measures for financial services companies like PFLT.
MS PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap | 11x | $134 | -29% |
| Fair | 14x | $178 | -5.7% |
| Forward | 14x | $189 | — |
| Current | 15x | $189 | — |
| Expensive | 18x | $223 | +18% |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
MS's PE is in its fair range at 15x. If earnings grow as analysts expect, today's price would be 14x next year's earnings.
PFLT PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | 6.3x | $6.73 | — |
| Cheap | 7.8x | $3.97 | -41% |
| Fair | 13x | $6.55 | -2.6% |
| Current | 13x | $6.73 | — |
| Expensive | 36x | $18.38 | +173% |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
PFLT has the edge over MS in the historical PE scenario, which offers more potential upside but is not a forecast.
MS Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Improving | |
| Growth | |
| Growth | |
| Improving | |
| Limited | |
| Moderate |
MS has the edge over PFLT on the outlook, with more favorable earnings and revenue expectations.
PFLT Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Strongly improving | |
| Stable | |
| Stable | |
| Weakening | |
| Limited | |
| High |
Analysts expect PFLT's profitability to weaken, with its earnings and revenue holding steady.
MS Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $13.39 | +6.3% |
| Q3 2026 | $12.60 | +29% |
| Q2 2026 | $12.37 | +40% |
| Q1 2026 | $11.04 | +29% |
| Q4 2025 | $10.21 | +28% |
| Q3 2025 | $9.76 | +48% |
| Q2 2025 | $8.84 | +45% |
| Q1 2025 | $8.53 | +55% |
| Q4 2024 | $7.95 | +53% |
MS has the edge over PFLT on earnings, with more consistent year-over-year improvement.
PFLT Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $1.06 | +109% |
| Q2 2026 | $0.51 | -41% |
| Q1 2026 | $0.62 | -33% |
| Q4 2025 | $0.35 | -75% |
| Q3 2025 | $0.73 | -50% |
| Q2 2023 | -$0.13 | -125% |
| Q1 2023 | -$0.35 | -134% |
| Q4 2022 | -$0.31 | -127% |
| Q3 2022 | $0.09 | -94% |
PFLT's earnings per share have fallen from their peak: $0.51 over the past year, against $1.79 in mid-2021.
MS Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | $20.3B | +12% |
| Q2 2026 | $21.3B | +27% |
| Q1 2026 | $20.6B | +16% |
| Q4 2025 | $17.9B | +10% |
| Q3 2025 | $18.2B | +18% |
| Q2 2025 | $16.8B | +12% |
| Q1 2025 | $17.7B | +17% |
| Q4 2024 | $16.2B | +26% |
MS has the stronger quarterly revenue trend. Revenue is up 12% for MS versus down 131% for PFLT.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 32% | -1.2 points |
| Q2 2026 | 34% | +6.9 points |
| Q1 2026 | 34% | +2.8 points |
| Q4 2025 | 32% | +2 points |
| Q3 2025 | 33% | +5.6 points |
| Q2 2025 | 28% | +0.4 points |
| Q1 2025 | 31% | +2.2 points |
| Q4 2024 | 30% | +14 points |
MS's operating margin was 32% last quarter, down 1.2 points from the same quarter a year ago.
PFLT Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2022 | $3.2M | -85% |
| Q1 2022 | $18.7M | +8.1% |
| Q4 2021 | $23.5M | -27% |
| Q3 2021 | $13M | -45% |
| Q2 2021 | $21.1M | +3.9% |
| Q4 2020 | $32.3M | +76% |
| Q3 2020 | $23.6M | +62% |
PFLT's revenue has slid since its 2020 peak: −$4M last quarter, down 131% from the same quarter a year ago.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2022 | -157% | -227 points |
| Q1 2022 | 60% | -8.5 points |
| Q4 2021 | 68% | -13 points |
| Q3 2021 | 32% | -41 points |
| Q2 2021 | 70% | +7.9 points |
| Q1 2021 | 68% | N/A |
| Q4 2020 | 81% | +26 points |
| Q3 2020 | 72% | +22 points |
PFLT's operating margin was −157% last quarter, down 227 points from the same quarter a year ago, near the bottom of its range since 2019.
MS Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | -$46B | -$42.7B |
| Q2 2026 | -$2.7B | -123% |
| Q1 2026 | -$7.1B | +$16.9B |
| Q4 2025 | -$2.4B | -120% |
| Q3 2025 | -$3.3B | +$14B |
| Q2 2025 | $11.8B | +368% |
| Q1 2025 | -$24B | -650% |
| Q4 2024 | $11.8B | +$29.6B |
MS's free cash flow was −$58.3B over the past year, against −$3.7B the year before. Free cash flow isn't a meaningful measure for financial services companies like MS.
PFLT Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | $103.3M | +$138.5M |
| Q1 2026 | $24.3M | +$142.4M |
| Q4 2025 | $148.6M | +$381.3M |
| Q3 2025 | -$334.5M | -$42.8M |
| Q2 2025 | -$35.3M | +$119.8M |
| Q1 2025 | -$118.1M | +$54.5M |
| Q4 2024 | -$232.7M | -$50.7M |
| Q3 2024 | -$291.7M | -488% |
PFLT has the edge over MS on cash flow, with more consistent year-over-year improvement.
MS Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | -0.2% | -3M shares |
| 1 year | -1.5% | -24M shares |
| 3 years | -4.7% | -77M shares |
| 5 years | -14% | -246M shares |
| Available history | -4.5% | -74M shares |
MS has the edge over PFLT on shareholder dilution, with a more favorable share count trend.
PFLT Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | 0% | -- |
| 1 year | 0% | -- |
| 3 years | +69% | +40.5M shares |
| 5 years | +156% | +60.4M shares |
| Available history | +156% | +60.4M shares |
PFLT has 99M diluted shares, about the same as a year ago.
| Quarter | Spent |
|---|---|
| Q3 2022 | — |
| Q2 2022 | — |
| Q1 2022 | — |
| Q4 2021 | — |
| Q3 2021 | — |
| Q2 2021 | — |
| Q1 2021 | — |
| Q4 2020 | — |
MS Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 7.8x | High |
| Q2 2026 | 7.3x | High |
| Q1 2026 | 8.2x | High |
| Q4 2025 | 8.6x | High |
| Q3 2025 | 8.4x | High |
| Q2 2025 | 8.7x | High |
| Q1 2025 | 8.7x | High |
| Q4 2024 | 7.9x | High |
MS's net debt is about 7.8 years of its operating earnings (EBITDA), down from 8.4 years a year ago. Net leverage isn't a meaningful measure for financial services companies like MS.
PFLT Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2022 | 73.7x | High |
| Q2 2022 | 27.2x | High |
| Q1 2022 | 15.1x | High |
| Q4 2021 | 14.7x | High |
| Q3 2021 | 10.6x | High |
| Q2 2021 | 7.4x | High |
| Q1 2021 | 6.9x | High |
| Q4 2020 | 11.3x | High |
PFLT's net debt is more than 20 years of its operating earnings (EBITDA), up from 11 years a year ago. Net leverage isn't a meaningful measure for financial services companies like PFLT.
MS Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 45.0 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 18.7 | Oversold |
MS's weekly RSI is 45 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 19 (oversold).
PFLT Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 38.0 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 45.6 | Neutral |
PFLT's weekly RSI is 38 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 46 (neutral).
MS PE vs Financial Services Sector
| Metric | MS | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 15x | 13x | 15% above |
| PE % | 59 | 63 | 4 pts below |
MS is trading at 15x earnings, a 15% premium to the Financial Services sector's median of 13x.
PFLT PE vs Financial Services Sector
| Metric | PFLT | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 13x | 13x | 2.1% above |
| PE % | 55 | 63 | 8 pts below |
PFLT has the edge over MS on valuation relative to its sector.
MS Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $186.5 | 1.5% above |
| 20 week MA | $203.3 | 6.9% below |
| 50 week MA | $191.9 | 1.4% below |
| 100 week MA | $164.9 | 15% above |
| 200 week MA | $129.3 | 46% above |
MS has the edge over PFLT on trend strength, trading above more of its moving averages.
PFLT Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $6.74 | 0.1% below |
| 20 week MA | $7.04 | 4.4% below |
| 50 week MA | $8.00 | 16% below |
| 100 week MA | $9.13 | 26% below |
| 200 week MA | $10.1 | 33% below |
PFLT is in a downtrend: it's below all five of its weekly moving averages, and 33% below its 200-week average.
MS Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $51.1 | $68.1 | +33% |
| 2021 | $68.1 | $99.3 | +46% |
| 2022 | $99.3 | $86.1 | -13% |
| 2023 | $86.1 | $93.3 | +8.3% |
| 2024 | $93.3 | $126.8 | +36% |
| 2025 | $126.8 | $181.9 | +43% |
| 2026 YTD | $181.9 | $189.2 | +4% |
MS has the edge over PFLT on returns for 2026, with the stronger performance.
PFLT Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $12.3 | $10.3 | -16% |
| 2021 | $10.3 | $12.6 | +23% |
| 2022 | $12.6 | $11.0 | -13% |
| 2023 | $11.0 | $12.1 | +10% |
| 2024 | $12.1 | $10.8 | -10% |
| 2025 | $10.8 | $9.15 | -16% |
| 2026 YTD | $9.15 | $6.73 | -26% |
PFLT has finished lower in four of the last six years. It's down 26% so far in 2026.