"Too big to fail" is how we would describe the megacap stocks in this article today. While they will likely stand the test of time, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows as their scale can limit their ability to find new sources of growth.
Sound complicated? With StockStory, it doesn’t have to be. Our job is to find you high-quality companies that can win regardless of the conditions. Keeping that in mind, here are two industry titans whose competitive advantages create flywheel effects and one whose existing offerings may be tapped out.
One Mega-Cap Stock to Sell:
Morgan Stanley (MS)
Market Cap: $285.1 billion
Founded in 1924 during the post-WWI economic boom by former JP Morgan partners, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) is a global financial services firm that provides investment banking, wealth management, and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals.
Why Do We Think Twice About MS?
- Earnings growth underperformed the sector average over the last five years as its EPS grew by just 9.3% annually
- Annual tangible book value per share growth of 3% over the last five years lagged behind its financials peers as its large balance sheet made it difficult to generate incremental capital growth
At $180.60 per share, Morgan Stanley trades at 16x forward P/E. If you’re considering MS for your portfolio, see our FREE research report to learn more.
Two Mega-Cap Stocks to Buy:
Microsoft (MSFT)
Market Cap: $3.08 trillion
Originally named "Micro-soft" for microcomputer software when founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a global technology company that develops software, cloud services, devices, and AI solutions for consumers, businesses, and organizations worldwide.
Why Is MSFT a Good Business?
- Microsoft is one of the great brands not just in tech but all of business. It produces mission-critical software and bundles it together, resulting in cream-of-the-crop gross margins.
- The company's elite unit economics lead to robust profit margins that improve over time. This speaks to the scale advantages and operating efficiency across its diverse portfolio, which spans everything from Office and Azure to Minecraft.
- Microsoft has a virtuous cycle of returns. Its dominant market position enables it to generate strong free cash flow, and it reinvests these funds into promising ventures that further strengthen its competitive moat.
Microsoft’s stock price of $411.25 implies a valuation ratio of 23.4x forward price-to-earnings. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it’s free for active or trialling Edge members.
Visa (V)
Market Cap: $628.9 billion
Processing over 829 million transactions daily and connecting billions of cards to 150 million merchant locations worldwide, Visa (NYSE:V) operates one of the world's largest electronic payments networks, facilitating secure money movement across more than 200 countries through its VisaNet processing platform.
Why Are We Backing V?
- Solid 14% annual revenue growth over the last five years indicates its offering’s solve complex business issues
- Performance over the past five years was boosted by share buybacks, which enabled its earnings per share to grow faster than its revenue
- Stellar return on equity showcases management’s ability to surface highly profitable business ventures
Visa is trading at $329.87 per share, or 24.9x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.