HSBC Holdings plc vs Morgan Stanley — how do they compare? HSBC Holdings plc trades at $103.32 (market cap $353.82B), while Morgan Stanley trades at $216.3 (market cap $338.50B). The key difference: HSBC Holdings plc and Morgan Stanley are close in size by market cap, and HSBC Holdings plc pays the higher dividend (3.63%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HSBC | MS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $353.82B | $338.50B |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $107.86 | $228.42 |
52-Week Low | $63.84 | $144.04 |
Dividend Yield | 3.63% | 2.14% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HSBC trades at $103.73, up 1.14% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and support at $102. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 14.76, net income margin of 34.54%, and ROE of 12.44%. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations, driven by 7% revenue growth and a $1 billion buyback announcement, reflecting robust banking and wealth management performance.
Outlook is positive due to earnings momentum and shareholder returns, but risks include China regulatory changes and a recent Citi downgrade. Analyst consensus is mixed with 38.1% buy ratings, suggesting cautious optimism amid a 40% year-to-date run, requiring monitoring of Asia exposure and interest rate trends.
Morgan Stanley (MS) trades at $215.1, down 0.54% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and key support at $214. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $3.46 surpassing expectations of $2.89. Revenue growth accelerated to $66.0B in 2025, and net income margin improved to 25.56%. Recent news highlights Morgan Stanley's role in leading Anthropic's IPO and expanding AI integration in wealth management.
The outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $239.58, implying 11% upside. Strengths include robust profitability and strategic initiatives, but risks involve volatile cash flows from operations and high leverage. Analyst sentiment is bullish with 56% buy ratings, though investors should monitor debt levels and market volatility.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations. It serves customers worldwide through four global businesses: Retail, Commercial, Global Banking, and Private Banking.
Read more on HSBC →Morgan Stanley is a global investment bank whose history, through its legacy firms, can be traced back to 1924. The company has institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management segments. The company had about $5 trillion of client assets as well as over 70,000 employees at the end of 2021. Approximately 50% of the company's net revenue is from its institutional securities business, with the remainder coming from wealth and investment management. The company derives about 30% of its total revenue outside the Americas.
Read more on MS →