Compare StocksLDOS vs MS

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) vs Morgan Stanley (MS)

LDOS
Leidos Holdings, Inc.
$165.95
VS
MS
Morgan Stanley
$158.55

Rewards

LDOS
  • Leidos Holdings, Inc. scores 82/100 on the Economic Moat Score (Wide Moat), with revenue predictability as the strongest competitive dimension.
  • Free cash flow has grown at a 23.5% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $3.68 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
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

LDOS
  • Gross margin of 18.0% is low, suggesting a competitive or commodity-like market with limited pricing power.
  • FCF yield of 7.7% suggests reasonable valuation assuming continued moderate growth.
  • 9 insider sales with no purchases over the past 12 months — a persistent pattern of insider selling.
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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LDOS
MS
Valuation
$1.63B
Free Cash Flow
N/A
7.66%
FCF Yield
N/A
14.90
Trailing P/E
15.53
12.90
Forward P/E
12.89
Quality & Moat
14.80%
ROIC
3.43%
29.18%
ROE
14.42%
18.05%
Gross Margin
87.06%
0.76
PEG Ratio
0.75
Balance Sheet Safety
1.08
Debt / Equity
4.56
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
1.77
Net Debt / EBITDA
N/A
1.00%
Dividend Yield
2.52%
LDOS: 3Ties: 4MS: 2
LDOSMS

Historical Fundamentals

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LDOS

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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LDOS
$3.68
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$2.28B
Δ Market Cap
+$8.39B
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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LDOS
11.0% Margin of Safety
Price is 11.0% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $165.95
Fair Value: $186.39
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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LDOS

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $166?

+6.0%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +4.4%

The market implies +6.0% Owner Earnings growth, below historical trends — potential opportunity.

Standard FCF implies a more demanding +4.4%, reflecting heavy growth investment expected to generate future returns.

MS

Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.

Economic Moat Score

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LDOS
82/100
Wide Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Wide moat driven primarily by revenue predictability. Margin Stability is the area most vulnerable to competitive pressure.

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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LDOS
-2.61
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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LDOS
Insiders 0.7%Institutions 81.0%Retail & Other 18.3%
No. of Institutional Holders1,274
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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LDOS
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
GEER NOEL BROWN
Director
$322,261
@ $161.13 · 2024-11-20
BELL THOMAS ARTHUR
Chief Executive Officer
$248,305
@ $145.04 · 2024-08-01
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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LDOS
1
Sells (3M)
9
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $8.18M
PORTER ELIZABETH A
Officer
$576,635
@ $192.21 · 2026-01-20
PORTER ELIZABETH A
Officer
$543,130
@ $181.04 · 2025-12-19
HULL STEPHEN EDWARD
Officer
$2.23M
@ $178.14 · 2025-09-04
STEVENS ROY E
Officer
$493,398
@ $181.66 · 2025-08-25
HULL STEPHEN EDWARD
Officer
$2.30M
@ $178.27 · 2025-08-20
DAHLBERG GREGORY R.
Director
$168,911
@ $177.43 · 2025-08-11
MAY GARY STEPHEN
Director
$356,104
@ $178.05 · 2025-08-11
HULL STEPHEN EDWARD
Officer
$1.33M
@ $176.39 · 2025-08-08
DAHLBERG GREGORY R.
Director
$193,190
@ $154.55 · 2025-05-09
MAY GARY STEPHEN
Director
$279,279
@ $131.24 · 2025-02-18
KOVARIK ROBERT C JR
Director
$203,322
@ $134.56 · 2025-02-13
STEVENS ROY E
Officer
$229,219
@ $201.60 · 2024-11-12
MOHAPATRA SURYA N
Director
$535,784
@ $194.97 · 2024-11-07
KOVARIK ROBERT C JR
Director
$193,632
@ $184.94 · 2024-10-31
MAY GARY STEPHEN
Director
$144,017
@ $144.02 · 2024-08-13
KOVARIK ROBERT C JR
Director
$153,799
@ $145.23 · 2024-08-01
STEVENS ROY E
Officer
$131,836
@ $150.67 · 2024-05-24
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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LDOS
FearGreed
😐Neutral(43/100)

"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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LDOS
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 (43)
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 LDOS Full AnalysisView MS Full Analysis