{"id":61875,"date":"2023-09-16T17:49:44","date_gmt":"2023-09-16T21:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/news\/ratings-firm-moodys-gets-hold-rating-after-overheated-valuation-nysemco\/"},"modified":"2023-09-16T17:49:57","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T21:49:57","slug":"ratings-firm-moodys-gets-hold-rating-after-overheated-valuation-nysemco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/?p=61875","title":{"rendered":"Ratings Firm Moody&#8217;s Gets Hold Rating After Overheated Valuation. (NYSE:MCO)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-test-id=\"content-container\">\n<p><figure class=\"getty-figure\" data-type=\"getty-image\"><picture>  <\/picture><figcaption> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<h2>Research Summary<\/h2>\n<p>Have you ever wanted to rate the ratings agencies themselves? I sure did.. so today I will be covering one of the major ones right here on Seeking Alpha!<\/p>\n<p>This is my first coverage of <strong>Moody&#8217;s (<span class=\"ticker-hover-wrapper paywall-full-content invisible\">NYSE:MCO<\/span><span class=\"paywall-full-content invisible\">)<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"paywall-full-content invisible\">, a stock in the<\/span><em class=\"paywall-full-content invisible\"> financials<\/em><span class=\"paywall-full-content invisible\"> sector, subsector of financial exchanges &amp; data. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible\">Some of the data used will come from their most recent FY2023 Q2 earnings release on July 24th, and some will come from Seeking Alpha or other sources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible\">Besides being the well-known ratings agency, here are a few other relevant points from their website that I think could be interesting to readers: roots go back to 1900, stock listed on the NYSE. Two key business segments are <em>Moody&#8217;s Analytics<\/em> which provides financial intelligence and analytical tools, and <em>Moody&#8217;s Investor Service<\/em> which rates the credit risk<span class=\"paywall-full-content no-summary-bullets invisible\"> of companies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Two key peers of this company in the ratings game are <em>Fitch Ratings <\/em>and<em> Standard &amp; Poors, <\/em>traded as<em> S&amp;P Global (SPGI). <\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Rating Methodology<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Using a streamlined, structured process, I break down my overall holistic rating of this stock into 5 categories I rank individually and of equal weight: dividends, valuation, share price, earnings growth, company financial health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">If I recommend this stock on at least 3 of 5 categories, it gets a hold rating. 4 of 5 gets a buy, and less than 3 gets a sell rating. Then I compare my rating to the consensus from analysts, Wall Street, and the SA quant system.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Then, I explain any upside or downside risks to my outlook. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Dividends<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In this category, I will analyze the dividends of this stock and whether I think they present an opportunity for dividend-income investors. The data comes from official Seeking Alpha dividend info. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">As of the writing of this analysis, the <strong>forward dividend yield is 0.88%<\/strong>, with a payout of<strong> $0.77 per share<\/strong> on a quarterly basis, with a most recent ex-date of Aug. 17th. The yield, in my opinion, is by itself not so impressive being less than 1%, as lately in this financial sector I have seen some past 4%. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">However, let&#8217;s see how it compares to its overall industry.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947902217589412.jpg\" alt=\"Moody's - dividend yield\" width=\"640\" height=\"327\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"327\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moody&#8217;s &#8211; dividend yield <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">When comparing to its sector average, this dividend yield is an astounding <strong>77% below its sector average<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">I believe this is a <em>negative<\/em> point to consider for dividend investors who are comparing multiple stocks in which to invest. In my opinion, my target range is 2.5% &#8211; 5.5%, to stay within a few points of the sector average. In this case, the yield seems extremely low, and even got an &#8220;F&#8221; grade from Seeking Alpha which does not add confidence to my sentiment. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947905200208256.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - div yield vs sector\" width=\"535\" height=\"180\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"535\" data-height=\"180\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; div yield vs sector <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">On a brighter note, though, I will mention that in looking at the 5-year dividend growth for this stock, it has shown a<em> positive<\/em> growth trend. This is, in my opinion, a <em>positive<\/em> for dividend investors and a sign of this firm&#8217;s capacity to return capital back to shareholders over a longer-term period. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947907226455865.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - dividend 5 year growth\" width=\"640\" height=\"287\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"287\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; dividend 5 year growth <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Additionally, I am looking for stability with dividend payouts, and this stock has shown regular dividend payment history lately without interruption, according to the table below which shows the payouts and the ex-dates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">You will notice the payout amount went up twice in this period.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947908742796693.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - div history\" width=\"640\" height=\"333\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"333\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; div history <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In my analyst opinion, although the dividend yield is not competitive with the overall sector, what makes up for it is the 5 year dividend growth and the stable history of payouts, plus the dividend increase earlier in 2023. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">I would therefore <strong>recommend<\/strong> this company on the category of dividends.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Valuation<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In this category, I will analyze the valuation of this stock. The data comes from official valuation info on Seeking Alpha, specifically the forward P\/E ratio and forward P\/B ratio, the key metrics I look at as I want to see how much the market is willing to pay for this stock in relation to its earnings and book value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">This stock has a <strong>forward P\/E ratio of 38.44<\/strong>, which is a massive <strong>293% above its sector average.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">I think that a reasonable price to earnings for this stock would be between 8x earnings and 11x earnings, to stay within a reasonable 2-point range of the average. In this case, on this metric the stock appears <strong>extremely overvalued<\/strong> vs its overall sector, and I am not confident about its &#8220;F&#8221; grade from Seeking Alpha. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947916786021743.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - P\/E ratio\" width=\"514\" height=\"229\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"514\" data-height=\"229\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; P\/E ratio <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Now, let&#8217;s see if the price to book value is more reasonable. This stock has a <strong>forward P\/B ratio of 18.07<\/strong>, which is <strong>1,682% above its sector average.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">I think that a reasonable price-to-book value for this stock would be between 0.50x book value and 1.5x book value, to stay within a 1\/2 point range of the average. In this situation, this stock appears <em>extremely overvalued<\/em> vs its overall sector, again earning an &#8220;F&#8221; grade from Seeking Alpha.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947919100120687.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - P\/B ratio\" width=\"523\" height=\"100\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"523\" data-height=\"100\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; P\/B ratio <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Because both key metrics show overvaluation right now and based on the examples I gave, I would <strong>not recommend<\/strong> this stock on the basis of valuation, but would hope that the valuation comes down somewhat.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Share Price<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Next, I determine if the current share price is a potential buying opportunity based on my portfolio goal of buying at current price, holding for 1 year until Aug. 2024, and achieving an unrealized gain of +10%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">The price chart (as of the writing of this article) shows a <strong>share price of $343.73, <\/strong>compared to its 200-day simple moving average<strong> &#8220;SMA&#8221; of $315.62<\/strong>, over the last 1-year period. I like using the 200-day SMA as it is a long-term trend indicator that smooths out the trend nicely. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"sa-widget sa-ycharts paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/saupload_71d29591094aaf6f7b062063fd41367e.png\" alt=\"Chart\" width=\"635\" height=\"366\" class=\"sa-ycharts-img\" data-width=\"635\" data-height=\"366\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Data by YCharts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Next, I plug in the current SMA and share price into the following simulator I created, which simulates unrealized gains &amp; losses if the share price as of Aug. 2024 reaches +10% above the current SMA but also if it drops -10% below the current SMA:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-1694792747053979.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - investing idea simulation\" width=\"640\" height=\"80\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"80\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; investing idea simulation <span>(author analysis)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In the above simulation, my goal is to meet or exceed a +10% unrealized gain in 1 year, and I have a maximum loss tolerance of -10% unrealized loss.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Based on the simulation results testing the current buy price, I miss my goal for capital gains by 9%. In addition, I exceed my limit for capital loss by 7.36%. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">To better explain my simulation, I highlighted my &#8220;trading range&#8221; for this stock in the chart below (blue arrows) that is +\/- 10% from the moving average. As you can see, the current share price is near the top of this range.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947929979482806.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - investing idea - trading range\" width=\"640\" height=\"377\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"377\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; investing idea &#8211; trading range <span>(author analysis)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In this case, I would <strong>not recommend<\/strong> the current buying price.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Since every investor has different profit goals and risk profiles, consider this simulator just a general framework to help think about this stock in a longer-term sense, and of course the actual gains or losses could move beyond just a 10% range. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Earnings Growth<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In this category, I examine the earnings trends over the last year, looking at both top-line and bottom-line results but also any relevant company commentary from the last earnings results.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">First, I like the YoY positive revenue growth this firm has achieved. In fact, since Sept 2022 it has grown for three straight quarters, so it appears the firm is on a longer revenue uptrend.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-1694793404124131.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - revenue YoY growth\" width=\"640\" height=\"71\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"71\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; revenue YoY growth <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">The bottom line looked just as good, showing YoY growth in net income.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947936749948254.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - net income YoY\" width=\"640\" height=\"83\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"83\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; net income YoY <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">To help me understand how it performed across its different business segments, I turned to the following graphic from their Q2 earnings release, which shows growth in both the analytics and investor service segment. In addition, I am impressed by the positive earnings-per-share outlook for FY2023.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16947939357604823.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - segment performance\" contenteditable=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; segment performance <span>(company Q2 earnings release)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">I also want to turn your attention to the following which shows the <em>Moody&#8217;s Analytics<\/em> business segment, which is not the ratings agency but the data\/intelligence segment, achieving annual recurring revenue &#8220;ARR&#8221; across the banking &amp; insurance industry. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">This is a positive sign, in my opinion, that this industry is spending on recurring solutions from this firm but also that there is a demand for data analytics &amp; intelligence, which could point to continued forward demand in this segment as well.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-1694794823557678.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys Analysis - ARR\" width=\"640\" height=\"394\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"394\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys Analysis &#8211; ARR <span>(company q2 presentation)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Based on this evidence as whole, I would <strong>recommend<\/strong> in this category and expect continued strong results in the next quarter that meet or exceed the prior results, since the firm seems to have the momentum already.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Financial Health<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In this category, I will discuss whether the overall company shows strong financial fundamentals beyond just things like dividends, valuation, earnings and share price, with a focus on the capital strength.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">One positive item to call out is, according to their Q2 presentation, their full year 2023 outlook is: free cash flow $1.6 &#8211; $1.8B, and share repurchases approximately $500MM. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">These are both great data points, in my opinion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Further, this graphic below shows growth in free cash flow in the six months ended June 30th, vs the same period a year prior. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-1694798706831725.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - free cashflow\" width=\"640\" height=\"78\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"78\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; free cashflow <span>(company q2 presentation)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Further, it is worth looking briefly at their balance sheet, which in the following graphic compares Q2 with Q42022 and shows positive equity, as their $14.6B of assets is well in excess of $11.4B in total liabilities. I bring this up because in my opinion it is a sign of financial health, along with free cashflow I already mentioned. Also, I would point out that their long-term debt has gone down it seems, since the end of 2022.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-1694798851482319.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - balance sheet\" width=\"640\" height=\"265\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"265\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; balance sheet <span>(company q2 earnings release)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Based on the data, I <strong>recommend<\/strong> in this category, and consider it a firm with solid fundamentals.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Rating Score<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Today, this stock was recommended in 3 of my 5 rating categories, earning a <strong>hold rating<\/strong> from me today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">This is in line with the consensus rating from both SA analysts and the SA quant system, but less bullish than the Wall Street consensus.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-169479940740921.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - rating consensus\" width=\"335\" height=\"155\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"335\" data-height=\"155\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; rating consensus <span>(Seeking Alpha)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">My Rating vs Downside &amp; Upside Risk<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">My neutral rating can face a downside risk as follows:<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">The inflated valuation levels I mentioned could cause increased bearish sentiment going forward among other analysts and investors. For instance, SA analyst Felix Fung in his July 26th article already was highlighting this issue:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">\n<p>I do not think the overextended valuation is sustainable and a reversion to levels near the historical average could translate to meaningful downside potential.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">While I agree that the valuation is overextended, I don&#8217;t think any &#8220;pullback&#8221; will be that severe very soon, but perhaps modest at first, so my hold rating stands as it is.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">My neutral rating can also face an upside risk as follows:<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">This firm has potential, as it has shown in the following graphic, to further penetrate the $6B+ &#8220;current addressable market&#8221; in the insurance sector, with its various solutions. This could spur some nice revenue growth figures in the next few quarters, which could make analysts &amp; investors continually bullish on this stock, making my rating overly cautious.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"regular-img-figure paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\" contenteditable=\"false\"><picture> <span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ifintechworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/58572054-16948004458905754.jpg\" alt=\"Moodys - insurance sector potential\" width=\"640\" height=\"296\" contenteditable=\"false\" data-width=\"640\" data-height=\"296\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span> <\/picture><figcaption>\n<p class=\"item-caption\">Moodys &#8211; insurance sector potential <span>(company Q2 presentation)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">However, while that sector does present potential growth for this company, and may fuel the tailwind for more revenue growth going forward, at the same time I believe it will not justify paying the current share price this stock is in and a &#8220;modest&#8221; pullback will occur. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">With that said, I still believe it is not a great &#8220;buy&#8221; right now but more of a hold.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Analysis Wrapup<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">To wrap up today&#8217;s discussion, here are the key points we went over:<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">This stock got a <em>hold<\/em> rating today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Its positive points are: earnings YoY growth, company financial health, dividends.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">The headwinds it faces are: share price, valuation vs sector.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">Both upside &amp; downside risks have been addressed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">In closing, what I think sets this firm apart, and why it is not quite a &#8220;sell&#8221; rating is the huge potential it has with all the &#8220;data&#8221; in its possession, and the growth potential that presents but also the value proposal. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">As I will be attending an &#8220;AI&#8221; related event this week in southern Europe, which I will likely mention in a subsequent article, I should point out something about that space here too. In its Q2 presentation, one of the company&#8217;s key takeaways for the last quarter was:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">\n<p>Embracing the power of Generative AI across the firm; powered by Microsoft and anchored by Moody\u2019s proprietary data, analytics and research.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"paywall-full-content invisible no-summary-bullets\">It will be interesting to see what Moody&#8217;s does going forward in that regard, and how this will influence investors&#8217; &amp; analysts&#8217; sentiments as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Read the full article <a href=\"https:\/\/seekingalpha.com\/article\/4635590-ratings-firm-moodys-gets-hold-rating-after-overheated-valuation?source=feed_all_articles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research Summary Have you ever wanted to rate the ratings agencies themselves? I sure did.. so today I will be covering one of the major ones right here on Seeking Alpha! This is my first coverage of Moody&#8217;s (NYSE:MCO), a stock in the financials sector, subsector of financial exchanges &amp; data. Some of the data [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":61876,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[236],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-61875","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-featured","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ratings Firm Moody&#039;s Gets Hold Rating After Overheated Valuation. (NYSE:MCO) | iFintechWorld<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Research Summary Have you ever wanted to rate the ratings agencies themselves? 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