Moody's Q3 Revenue Up 1% to $2.0B, EPS Up 18%, FY26 Guidance Reaffirmed
MCO sits 16% above its 52-week low of $402.28 on elevated volume (2.3× avg).
Summary
Moody's reported Q3 2026 revenue of $2.0 billion, up 1% (3% organic constant currency), with adjusted EPS of $4.14 up 6%, and reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance of $16.50-$17.00 adjusted EPS.
Key Events · Earnings and Guidance · MCO
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Q3 Revenue Growth Slows to 1%
Revenue was $2.023 billion, up 1% reported and 3% organic constant currency, as MIS transactional revenue fell 5% on lower leveraged finance and high-yield issuance.
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EPS Up 18% on Divestiture Gain
Diluted EPS rose to $4.24 from $3.60, including a $115 million gain on the MA Regulatory Solutions divestiture; adjusted diluted EPS was $4.14, up 6%.
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Analytics ARR Grows 8%
Moody's Analytics revenue rose 3% reported and 8% organic constant currency, with ARR up 8% to $3.688 billion and recurring revenue at 99% of segment revenue.
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FY2026 Guidance Reaffirmed
Full-year 2026 diluted EPS guidance held at $16.00-$16.50 and adjusted diluted EPS at $16.50-$17.00, with revenue growth in the high-single-digit range.
Analysis · MCO · Trade & Services
Top-line growth stalled at 1% reported (3% organic constant currency) as MIS transactional revenue fell 5% on weaker leveraged finance and high-yield issuance, offset by 8% organic growth in Moody's Analytics recurring revenue. Profitability held up: adjusted operating margin of 52.6% and adjusted diluted EPS of $4.14, up 6%, with GAAP EPS up 18% partly on a $115M divestiture gain. Management reaffirmed the full-year EPS range of $16.00-$16.50 and adjusted EPS of $16.50-$17.00, so the quarter is a modest top-line miss against a high prior-year comparison rather than a change in the earnings outlook. The key swing factor remains debt issuance volumes, which drive the transactional MIS business.
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In the 30 days to Oct 21, 2026, 29.2% of the 1544 measured filings Wiseek scored 7 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.49%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
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At the time of this filing, MCO was trading at $466.51 on NYSE in the Trade & Services sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $82.3B. The 52-week trading range was $402.28 to $546.88. This filing was assessed with neutral market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.