Moody’s (NYSE:MCO – Get Free Report) is projected to post its Q3 2026 results before the market opens on Wednesday, October 21st. Analysts expect the company to post earnings of $4.26 per share and revenue of $2.08 billion for the quarter. Moody’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 16.500-17.000 EPS. Individuals can check the company’s upcoming Q3 2026 earnings summary page for the latest details on the call scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET.
Moody’s (NYSE:MCO – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 22nd. The business services provider reported $4.68 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.26 by $0.42. The business had revenue of $2.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.09 billion. Moody’s had a return on equity of 80.35% and a net margin of 34.25%. The company’s revenue was up 15.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.56 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect Moody’s to post $16.92 EPS for the current fiscal year and $18.79 EPS for the next fiscal year.
Moody’s Trading Down 0.1%
Shares of Moody’s stock opened at $484.71 on Monday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $477.91 and a 200-day simple moving average of $466.89. Moody’s has a fifty-two week low of $402.28 and a fifty-two week high of $546.88. The firm has a market cap of $83.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.01.
Moody’s Announces Dividend
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 4th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th were issued a dividend of $1.03 per share. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. Moody’s’s payout ratio is presently 26.13%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Moody’s news, CEO Robert Fauber sold 923 shares of Moody’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $455.00, for a total transaction of $419,965.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 51,364 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,370,620. The trade was a 1.77% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities research analysts have commented on MCO shares. Daiwa Securities Group boosted their price target on shares of Moody’s from $500.00 to $535.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and set a $600.00 target price (up from $565.00) on shares of Moody’s in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of Moody’s from $570.00 to $555.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 14th. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Moody’s from $550.00 to $575.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on shares of Moody’s from $515.00 to $490.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $551.26.
View Our Latest Stock Report on Moody’s
Moody’s News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Moody’s this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada lowered its price target to $575 from $610 but maintained an “outperform” rating. The revised target still implies substantial upside from Moody’s recent trading level, signaling that RBC views the pullback in expectations as a valuation adjustment rather than a change in the company’s long-term outlook. Benzinga analyst ratings report
- Positive Sentiment: Wall Street is preparing for Moody’s third-quarter earnings report on October 21, with consensus calling for approximately $4.25 in earnings per share. Investors are focused on whether continued demand for credit ratings, research and risk-management products can sustain the company’s recent double-digit revenue growth and strong profitability. Moody’s Q3 2026 earnings preview
- Neutral Sentiment: Pre-earnings coverage is highlighting estimates for revenue, operating margins and other key metrics beyond headline EPS. These previews could increase volatility around the October 21 report, particularly if Moody’s delivers strong earnings but offers cautious guidance. Zacks Moody’s Q3 estimates
- Negative Sentiment: Jefferies reduced its Moody’s price target to $560 from $610. The cut may weigh on sentiment because it reflects more limited upside following the stock’s recent advance, although the new target remains above the current share price. Jefferies Moody’s price-target update
- Negative Sentiment: Additional commentary from BMO Capital Markets and other analysts has emphasized a more cautious valuation outlook, reinforcing concerns that expectations and the stock’s premium valuation leave less room for an earnings disappointment. BMO Moody’s forecast
About Moody’s
Moody’s Corporation (NYSE:MCO) is a global provider of credit ratings, research, data, analytics and risk-management solutions. Through Moody’s Investors Service, the company assigns credit ratings and publishes research on corporate, government and structured-finance debt issuers, helping investors and other market participants evaluate credit risk.
Through Moody’s Analytics, the company provides financial intelligence, economic research, data, software and advisory services. Its offerings support credit analysis, lending, portfolio management, enterprise risk management, compliance and related functions across financial institutions, corporations, governments and other organizations.
Moody’s traces its origins to 1909, when John Moody established the company that introduced published credit ratings for bonds.
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