Tue Sep 17 07:14:55 UTC 2024: ## Moody’s Stock Rating Lowered, But Analysts Remain Mostly Positive

**New York, NY** – Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO) saw its stock rating downgraded from “buy” to “hold” by StockNews.com on Friday. Despite this, the overall sentiment among analysts remains positive, with many maintaining their buy or overweight ratings.

This comes after a strong second quarter for Moody’s, where the company exceeded analysts’ expectations for both earnings and revenue. The company reported earnings per share of $3.28, surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.06, and revenue of $1.82 billion, outperforming the expected $1.72 billion.

Several analysts have adjusted their price targets for Moody’s stock upwards. Morgan Stanley increased their target to $451.00, Barclays raised theirs to $570.00, and Royal Bank of Canada set their target at $475.00. Bank of America was particularly bullish, raising their price objective to $510.00 and maintaining a “buy” rating.

Despite the downgrade from StockNews.com, a majority of analysts remain positive about Moody’s future. MarketBeat data indicates that the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $477.08.

Moody’s Corporation is an integrated risk assessment firm operating globally, specializing in financial market risk management solutions. The company has seen recent insider selling activity, with SVP Richard G. Steele and Stephen T. Tulenko selling shares over the past few months. However, institutional investors continue to hold a significant stake in the company, owning 92.11% of the stock.

While the downgrade from StockNews.com might raise concerns, the overall positive sentiment among analysts, strong Q2 earnings, and continued institutional interest suggest that Moody’s stock remains a viable investment opportunity.

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