MS
Morgan Stanley
MS has the edge over PNNT overall, supported by stronger valuation and stronger fundamentals.
PNNT
PennantPark Investment Corporation
PNNT 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.
PNNT Fundamentals
| Metric | Status |
|---|---|
| Weak | |
| Healthy | |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
PNNT'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 PNNT.
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 has the edge over PNNT in the historical PE scenario, which offers more potential upside but is not a forecast.
PNNT PE Valuation
| Level | PE | Price | Vs current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheap | 3x | $0.49 | -85% |
| Forward | 5.6x | $3.25 | — |
| Fair | 7.5x | $1.19 | -63% |
| Expensive | 20x | $3.23 | -0.5% |
| Current | 21x | $3.25 | — |
Historical ranges are pointers, not guarantees.
PNNT's PE is in its expensive range at 21x. On analysts' estimates for next year's earnings, today's price would be 5.6x, in its fair range.
MS Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Improving | |
| Growth | |
| Growth | |
| Improving | |
| Limited | |
| Moderate |
MS has the edge over PNNT on the outlook, with more favorable earnings and revenue expectations.
PNNT Forward outlook
| Metric | Outlook |
|---|---|
| Strongly improving | |
| Stable | |
| Stable | |
| Improving | |
| Limited | |
| Moderate |
Analysts expect PNNT's profitability to improve, 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 stronger earnings trend. Trailing diluted EPS is up 29% for MS versus PNNT down 91%.
PNNT Earnings Per Share
| Quarter | TTM EPS | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Forward | $0.58 | +260% |
| Q2 2023 | -$1.23 | -337% |
| Q1 2023 | -$1.83 | -243% |
| Q4 2022 | -$1.85 | -203% |
| Q3 2022 | -$0.37 | -115% |
| Q2 2022 | $0.52 | -77% |
| Q1 2022 | $1.28 | -36% |
| Q4 2021 | $1.80 | +240% |
| Q3 2021 | $2.48 | +$2.72 |
PNNT has returned to profit: it earned $0.16 per share over the past year, after losing money the year before.
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 185% for PNNT.
| 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.
PNNT Quarterly Revenue
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2022 | $12M | -73% |
| Q4 2021 | $40.3M | -48% |
| Q3 2021 | $31.8M | +66% |
| Q2 2021 | $39.9M | +70% |
| Q4 2020 | $77.4M | +162% |
| Q3 2020 | $19.2M | -13% |
PNNT's revenue has slid since its 2020 peak: −$27M last quarter, down 185% from the same quarter a year ago.
| Quarter | Margin | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2022 | 28% | -58 points |
| Q4 2021 | 76% | -16 points |
| Q3 2021 | 79% | +28 points |
| Q2 2021 | 80% | +13 points |
| Q1 2021 | 86% | N/A |
| Q4 2020 | 92% | +26 points |
| Q3 2020 | 51% | +12 points |
| Q2 2020 | 68% | N/A |
PNNT's operating margin was 28% last quarter, down 58 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.
PNNT Free Cash Flow
| Quarter | Free cash flow | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | $50.1M | -2.7% |
| Q1 2026 | $36.4M | -74% |
| Q4 2025 | $134.5M | +618% |
| Q3 2025 | -$107.8M | -$103.1M |
| Q2 2025 | $51.5M | +$68.3M |
| Q1 2025 | $142.4M | +3247% |
| Q4 2024 | $18.7M | +$173.9M |
| Q3 2024 | -$4.7M | -104% |
PNNT has the edge over MS on cash generation, producing positive trailing cash flow while its opponent burns cash.
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 PNNT on shareholder dilution, with a more favorable share count trend.
PNNT Total Shares
| Period | Change % | Net change |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | 0% | -- |
| 1 year | 0% | -- |
| 3 years | +0.1% | +71.6K shares |
| 5 years | -2.6% | -1.7M shares |
| Available history | -2.6% | -1.7M shares |
PNNT has 65M diluted shares, about the same as a year ago.
| Quarter | Spent |
|---|---|
| Q3 2022 | $1.2M |
| Q2 2022 | $5M |
| 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.
PNNT Net Leverage
| Quarter | Net Leverage | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2022 | 14.2x | High |
| Q1 2022 | 5.7x | High |
| Q4 2021 | 6.1x | High |
| Q3 2021 | 3.5x | Elevated |
| Q2 2021 | 3.2x | Elevated |
| Q1 2021 | 1.6x | Healthy |
| Q4 2020 | 2.4x | Moderate |
| Q3 2020 | 3.2x | Elevated |
PNNT's net debt is about 14 years of its operating earnings (EBITDA), up from 3.2 years a year ago. Net leverage isn't a meaningful measure for financial services companies like PNNT.
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).
PNNT Weekly Momentum
| Metric | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSI | 39.3 | Neutral |
| Stochastic | 37.8 | Neutral |
PNNT's weekly RSI is 39 (neutral) and its Stochastic is 38 (neutral).
MS PE vs Financial Services Sector
| Metric | MS | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 15x | 13x | 15% above |
| PE % | 59 | 63 | 4 pts below |
MS has the edge over PNNT on valuation relative to its sector.
PNNT PE vs Financial Services Sector
| Metric | PNNT | Sector median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE | 21x | 13x | 61% above |
| PE % | 84 | 63 | 21 pts above |
PNNT is trading at 21x earnings, a 61% premium to the Financial Services sector's median of 13x.
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 PNNT on trend strength, trading above more of its moving averages.
PNNT Weekly Moving Averages
| Moving average | MA price | Relative |
|---|---|---|
| 8 week MA | $3.16 | 2.8% above |
| 20 week MA | $3.38 | 3.8% below |
| 50 week MA | $4.28 | 24% below |
| 100 week MA | $5.56 | 42% below |
| 200 week MA | $6.05 | 46% below |
PNNT has bounced recently, but its long-term trend is still down: it's above its 8-week average, but 46% 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 PNNT on returns for 2026, with the stronger performance.
PNNT Yearly ROI
| Year | Start price | End price | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $6.60 | $4.52 | -32% |
| 2021 | $4.52 | $6.88 | +52% |
| 2022 | $6.88 | $5.65 | -18% |
| 2023 | $5.65 | $6.91 | +22% |
| 2024 | $6.91 | $6.99 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | $6.99 | $5.93 | -15% |
| 2026 YTD | $5.93 | $3.25 | -45% |
PNNT has finished lower in three of the last six years. It's down 45% so far in 2026.