Compare StocksAFL vs MS

Aflac Incorporated (AFL) vs Morgan Stanley (MS)

AFL
Aflac Incorporated
$107.17
VS
MS
Morgan Stanley
$158.55

Rewards

AFL
  • Share count has been reduced by 16% over the past 4 years through buybacks, increasing each share's claim on earnings.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $1.23 of market value — management is creating shareholder value.
  • FCF yield of 9.4% is historically attractive — the business generates significant cash relative to its price.
MS
  • Gross margin of 87.1% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $6.65 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
  • PEG ratio of 0.75 suggests the stock is undervalued relative to its growth rate — paying less than 1x for each unit of earnings growth.

Risks

AFL
  • Aflac Incorporated scores only 13/100 on the Economic Moat Score, suggesting limited durable competitive advantages.
  • Trailing P/E of 15.7x is 32% above the historical average of 11.9x — the stock trades at a premium to its own history.
  • Altman Z-Score of 1.20 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
MS
  • High leverage (4.56x debt/equity) combined with thin interest coverage (-1.0x) poses financial risk.
  • Altman Z-Score of 0.29 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
  • 7 insider sales totaling $25.2M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.

Key Valuation Metrics

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AFL
MS
Valuation
$5.18B
Free Cash Flow
N/A
9.35%
FCF Yield
N/A
15.71
Trailing P/E
15.53
13.79
Forward P/E
12.89
Quality & Moat
10.81%
ROIC
3.43%
12.36%
ROE
14.42%
46.64%
Gross Margin
87.06%
N/A
PEG Ratio
0.75
Balance Sheet Safety
0.43
Debt / Equity
4.56
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
1.03
Net Debt / EBITDA
N/A
2.28%
Dividend Yield
2.52%
AFL: 2Ties: 2MS: 4
AFLMS

Historical Fundamentals

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AFL

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

MS

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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AFL
$1.23
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Value Creator
Σ Retained
$10.50B
Δ Market Cap
+$12.93B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
MS
$6.65
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$20.84B
Δ Market Cap
+$138.59B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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AFL
40.5% Margin of Safety
Price is 40.5% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $107.17
Fair Value: $180.13
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
MS
45.5% Margin of Safety
Price is 45.5% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $158.55
Fair Value: $290.92
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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AFL

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $107?

+0.3%
Market-Implied FCF Growth Rate

Market above historical growth — verify catalysts.

MS

Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.

Economic Moat Score

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AFL
13/100
No Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

No durable moat detected, though revenue predictability shows some competitive positioning. The business lacks consistent evidence of sustainable advantages.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
MS
32/100
No Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

No durable moat detected, though revenue predictability shows some competitive positioning. The business lacks consistent evidence of sustainable advantages.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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AFL
-2.40
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
MS
-2.09
Possible Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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AFL
Insiders 10.9%Institutions 59.6%Retail & Other 29.5%
No. of Institutional Holders2,112
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
MS
Insiders 24.0%Institutions 62.7%Retail & Other 13.3%
No. of Institutional Holders3,182
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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AFL
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
MS
0
Buys (3M)
1
Buys (12M)
Total value (12M): $5,630
PETERSON DOUGLAS L
Director
$5,630
@ $156.39 · 2025-10-17
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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AFL
5
Sells (3M)
17
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $14.56M
KOIDE MASATOSHI
Officer
$1.70M
@ $109.93 · 2026-03-11
LAKE CHARLES D II
Officer
$1.71M
@ $109.93 · 2026-03-11
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$66,054
@ $110.09 · 2026-03-09
BEAVER STEVEN KENT
Officer
$839,015
@ $113.58 · 2026-02-20
BRODEN MAX
Chief Financial Officer
$1.53M
@ $117.67 · 2026-02-06
BEAVER STEVEN KENT
Officer
$601,520
@ $109.53 · 2025-12-12
BEAVER STEVEN KENT
Officer
$377,166
@ $109.26 · 2025-12-05
TILLMAN AUDREY BOONE
Officer
$1.78M
@ $112.00 · 2025-11-18
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$89,404
@ $113.75 · 2025-11-17
TILLMAN AUDREY BOONE
Officer
$397,325
@ $115.10 · 2025-11-14
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$114,000
@ $114.00 · 2025-11-07
SIMARD FREDERIC JEAN GUY
Officer
$193,725
@ $112.50 · 2025-11-06
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$102,570
@ $102.57 · 2025-08-08
KOIDE MASATOSHI
Officer
$3.91M
@ $105.59 · 2025-05-20
COLLINS ARTHUR REGINALD
Director
$290,689
@ $105.71 · 2025-05-15
KENNY THOMAS J
Director
$762,238
@ $106.34 · 2025-05-09
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$106,790
@ $106.79 · 2025-05-08
LAKE CHARLES D II
Officer
$5.69M
@ $107.44 · 2025-03-10
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$107,630
@ $107.63 · 2025-03-07
KOIDE MASATOSHI
Officer
$2.36M
@ $107.63 · 2025-03-07
TILLMAN AUDREY BOONE
Officer
$2.56M
@ $103.40 · 2024-12-27
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$64,998
@ $108.33 · 2024-11-08
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$59,730
@ $99.55 · 2024-08-08
KENNY THOMAS J
Director
$197,890
@ $98.94 · 2024-08-07
LAKE CHARLES D II
Officer
$1.96M
@ $87.47 · 2024-05-21
MOSKOWITZ JOSEPH L
Director
$50,904
@ $84.84 · 2024-05-08
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
MS
7
Sells (3M)
16
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $62.45M
SIMKOWITZ DANIEL A
President
$6.02M
@ $182.61 · 2026-01-30
GROSSMAN ERIC F
Officer
$3.97M
@ $184.00 · 2026-01-20
CRAWLEY MANDELL L.
Officer
$1.44M
@ $183.45 · 2026-01-20
YESHAYA SHARON
Chief Financial Officer
$2.94M
@ $185.77 · 2026-01-20
SMITH CHARLES AUBREY III
Officer
$1.55M
@ $182.08 · 2026-01-20
PIZZI MICHAEL A
Officer
$3.69M
@ $184.55 · 2026-01-20
SAPERSTEIN ANDREW MICHAEL
President
$5.57M
@ $183.62 · 2026-01-20
PICK EDWARD N.
Chief Executive Officer
$16.43M
@ $164.34 · 2025-10-31
GROSSMAN ERIC F
Officer
$1.69M
@ $141.12 · 2025-07-17
SIMKOWITZ DANIEL A
President
$4.09M
@ $141.13 · 2025-07-17
SMITH CHARLES AUBREY III
Officer
$2.81M
@ $140.30 · 2025-07-17
PIZZI MICHAEL A
Officer
$2.53M
@ $140.62 · 2025-07-17
SIMKOWITZ DANIEL A
President
$3.70M
@ $127.37 · 2025-05-12
HERZ ROBERT H
Director
$95,459
@ $119.32 · 2025-05-02
SAPERSTEIN ANDREW MICHAEL
President
$4.80M
@ $120.00 · 2025-05-02
GROSSMAN ERIC F
Officer
$1.12M
@ $111.65 · 2025-04-15
CRAWLEY MANDELL L.
Officer
$1.15M
@ $138.06 · 2025-01-22
GROSSMAN ERIC F
Officer
$1.78M
@ $136.20 · 2025-01-21
SIMKOWITZ DANIEL A
President
$5.00M
@ $136.61 · 2025-01-21
AKRAM RAJA
Chief Financial Officer
$2.38M
@ $136.01 · 2025-01-21
PIZZI MICHAEL A
Officer
$2.52M
@ $136.92 · 2025-01-21
SAPERSTEIN ANDREW MICHAEL
President
$4.20M
@ $136.43 · 2025-01-21
CRAWLEY MANDELL L.
Officer
$368,375
@ $105.25 · 2024-07-26
AKRAM RAJA
Officer
$797,764
@ $106.37 · 2024-07-18
SIMKOWITZ DANIEL A
President
$4.26M
@ $106.54 · 2024-07-17
HERZ ROBERT H
Director
$106,621
@ $106.62 · 2024-07-17
CRAWLEY MANDELL L.
Officer
$692,663
@ $99.61 · 2024-05-14
GORMAN JAMES P
Officer and Director
$9.02M
@ $90.21 · 2024-04-18
SMITH CHARLES AUBREY III
Officer
$1.01M
@ $90.09 · 2024-04-17
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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AFL
FearGreed
😐Neutral(48/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
MS
FearGreed
😐Neutral(48/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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AFL
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (48)
MS
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (48)
View AFL Full AnalysisView MS Full Analysis
Aflac Incorporated (AFL) vs Morgan Stanley (MS) Stock Comparison | SafetyMargin.io