Moody's Corporation
Financials · Capital Markets
Structural: regulated ratings duopoly ($MCO + $SPGI) on global debt issuance - every investment-grade bond effectively requires two ratings, creating a near-utility-like toll on credit markets. MA segment compounds on top: ~$3B+ ARR-style subscription analytics business growing low-double-digits, now embedding generative AI (Research Assistant on $MSFT Azure $OPENAI stack) into credit research, ESG scoring, and KYC.
(1) ratings volume rebounds with refi wall through 2028 as low-coupon COVID debt rolls; (2) MA subs grow as banks/insurers buy ESG + cyber + climate risk modules under new EU/SEC rules; (3) AI tooling raises pricing power without raising headcount, expanding MA margins; (4) duopoly pricing means MIS revenue tracks issuance with stable mid-50s% op margins; (5) FX-neutral organic growth has run double-digits across cycles.
(1) issuance is cyclical - high-rate environments compress MIS revenue and the stock derates fast; (2) private credit ($BX $APO $ARES direct lending) bypasses public ratings, slowly eroding the MIS moat at the edges; (3) ratings carry tail liability (2008 MBS lawsuits cost >$1B in settlements); (4) MA faces real competition from $SPGI Market Intelligence, $MSCI, $FDS, Bloomberg; (5) AI-native fintechs could disintermediate the lower-end credit research workflow over time.
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