Bank of America Corporation (BAC) vs Morgan Stanley (MS)
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 July 28, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
BAC
Bank of America Corporation
$62.62Financial ServicesDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
MS
Morgan Stanley
$211.59Financial ServicesDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT
Total return — BAC vs MS
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yBAC +541.5%MS +3534.4%MS compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
BAC MS
BAC vs MS: by the numbers
- •BAC is the larger company ($444.39B vs $333.74B market cap).
- •BAC trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (14.32 vs 17.47 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •BAC converts more revenue to profit (18.95% vs 15.99% net margin).
- •MS grew revenue faster over the past five years (18.41% vs 14.65% CAGR).
- •MS pays the higher dividend yield (1.86% vs 1.80%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | BAC | MS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 14.32 | 17.47 |
| Forward P/E | 13.44 | 16.68 |
| P/S ratio | 2.55 | 2.70 |
| P/B ratio | 1.51 | 2.99 |
| PEG ratio | 0.73 | 0.60 |
Profitability
| Metric | BAC | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 56.08% | 59.72% |
| Operating margin | 24.70% | 20.70% |
| Net margin | 18.95% | 15.99% |
| ROE | 11.18% | 17.70% |
| ROIC | 3.39% | 1.69% |
Dividends
| Metric | BAC | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.80% | 1.86% |
| Payout ratio | 28.87% | 38.68% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | BAC | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 14.65% | 18.41% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 15.60% | 9.56% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 13.03% | 20.87% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, BAC or MS?
- BAC has the lower trailing P/E: BAC trades at 14.32 and MS at 17.47. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, BAC or MS?
- Over the past five years, MS grew revenue faster — BAC at a 14.65% CAGR versus MS at 18.41%.
- Does BAC or MS pay a bigger dividend?
- BAC yields 1.80% and MS yields 1.86% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is BAC or MS more profitable?
- BAC runs the higher net margin — BAC at 18.95% versus MS at 15.99%.
- How have BAC and MS total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, BAC delivered 18.14% and MS delivered 25.41% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Bank of America P/E ratioMorgan Stanley P/E ratioBank of America dividend yieldMorgan Stanley dividend yieldBank of America ROEMorgan Stanley ROEBank of America operating marginMorgan Stanley operating marginBank of America revenue growthMorgan Stanley revenue growthBank of America free cash flowMorgan Stanley free cash flow
Bank of America & Morgan Stanley appear in these rankings
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 July 28, 2026.