Bank of America Corporation (BAC) vs Morgan Stanley (MS)

BAC leads on 11 of 16 compared metrics.

A side-by-side comparison of Bank of America Corporation and Morgan Stanley across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).

Total return — BAC vs MS

growth of $100 · last 30y
BAC +167.1%MS +1582.7%MS compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $100200120062011201620212026$267$1,683
BAC MS

BAC vs MS: by the numbers

  • BAC is the larger company ($397.55B vs $337.60B market cap).
  • BAC trades at the lower earnings multiple (13.90 vs 19.46 P/E).
  • BAC converts more revenue to profit (18.13% vs 15.13% net margin).
  • MS grew revenue faster over the past five years (17.47% vs 13.95% CAGR).
  • BAC pays the higher dividend yield (2.00% vs 1.87%).

Which is better, BAC or MS?

Metric tally: BAC 11 · MS 5

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValueBAC(lower P/E)
GrowthMS(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeBAC(higher dividend yield)
QualityBAC(higher ROIC)

Valuation

MetricBACMS
P/E ratio13.9019.46
Forward P/E12.5618.00
P/S ratio2.382.84
P/B ratio1.382.98
PEG ratio0.680.58
EV / EBITDA13.3422.11
FCF yield13.61%

Profitability

MetricBACMS
Gross margin63.18%57.99%
Operating margin22.87%19.48%
Net margin18.13%15.13%
ROE10.54%15.91%
ROIC3.39%1.69%

Dividends

MetricBACMS
Dividend yield2.00%1.87%
Payout ratio28.87%38.68%

Growth (annualized)

MetricBACMS
Revenue CAGR (5Y)13.95%17.47%
EPS CAGR (5Y)15.60%9.56%
FCF CAGR (5Y)7.88%28.69%
Total return CAGR (5Y)8.63%22.22%

Frequently asked

Which is better, BAC or MS?
It depends on your goal. value: BAC (lower P/E); growth: MS (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: BAC (higher dividend yield); quality: BAC (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, BAC leads 11 to 5.
Is BAC or MS cheaper?
On trailing earnings, BAC is cheaper: BAC trades at a 13.90 P/E and MS at 19.46.
Which has grown faster, BAC or MS?
Over the past five years, MS grew revenue faster — BAC at a 13.95% CAGR versus MS at 17.47%.
Does BAC or MS pay a bigger dividend?
BAC yields 2.00% and MS yields 1.87% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is BAC or MS more profitable?
BAC runs the higher net margin — BAC at 18.13% versus MS at 15.13%.
Which has been the better investment, BAC or MS?
Over the past 10-year, MS delivered the higher annualized total return — BAC at 17.60% versus MS at 27.20%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 13, 2026.