MCO
Moody's Corporation Financial Services - Ratings Investor Relations →
Moody's Corporation (MCO) closed at $452.49 as of 2026-02-02, trading 16.6% above its 200-week moving average of $387.90. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 33.1% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 44, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1583 weeks of data, MCO has crossed below its 200-week moving average 16 times. On average, these episodes lasted 14 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MCO at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +25.8%.
With a market cap of $81.2 billion, MCO is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.5%. Return on equity stands at 54.9%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 20.4x book value.
Over the past 30.4 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MCO would have grown to $6646, compared to $2006 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 14.8% vs 10.4% for the index — confirming MCO as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been growing at a 10.5% compound annual rate, with 4 consecutive years of positive cash generation.
Growth of $100: MCO vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MCO Crosses Below the Line?
Across 16 historical episodes, buying MCO when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +25.2% after 12 months (median +30.0%), compared to +9.8% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 88% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +59.2% vs +12.8% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MCO crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MCO has crossed below its 200-week MA 16 times with an average 1-year return of +25.8% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1996 | Aug 1996 | 1 | 0.5% | +24.6% | +7057.0% |
| Aug 1996 | Sep 1996 | 1 | 0.6% | +29.2% | +7057.0% |
| Aug 1998 | Sep 1998 | 2 | 9.3% | +17.6% | +6741.3% |
| Aug 1999 | Sep 1999 | 3 | 11.5% | +26.1% | +5981.1% |
| Oct 1999 | Oct 1999 | 2 | 4.4% | +26.4% | +5679.0% |
| Nov 1999 | Dec 1999 | 4 | 8.4% | +24.4% | +5504.9% |
| Jan 2000 | Mar 2000 | 10 | 11.5% | +30.4% | +5405.4% |
| Apr 2000 | Apr 2000 | 2 | 5.1% | +28.7% | +5438.2% |
| Jun 2000 | Jul 2000 | 2 | 1.5% | +56.6% | +5309.4% |
| Jul 2000 | Jul 2000 | 1 | 1.3% | +49.6% | +5278.1% |
| Aug 2007 | Sep 2007 | 5 | 11.4% | -15.2% | +1113.6% |
| Oct 2007 | Feb 2011 | 176 | 66.8% | -52.5% | +1041.1% |
| Aug 2011 | Aug 2011 | 1 | 5.0% | +49.4% | +1871.4% |
| Jun 2022 | Jun 2022 | 1 | 2.1% | +34.9% | +82.2% |
| Sep 2022 | Nov 2022 | 7 | 13.4% | +28.6% | +82.6% |
| Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 | 1 | 0.0% | +54.5% | +52.5% |
| Average | 14 | — | +25.8% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02