Compare Stocks › MS vs WDC
Morgan Stanley (MS) vs Western Digital Corporation (WDC)
MS
Morgan Stanley
$158.55
VS
WDC
Western Digital Corporation
$316.93
Rewards
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.
WDC
- ★Free cash flow has grown at a 19.1% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
- ★Altman Z-Score of 5.53 indicates very low bankruptcy risk — the company is firmly in the safe zone.
Risks
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.
WDC
- ⚠Despite buyback spending, shares outstanding increased in 2 out of 2 years — stock-based compensation is offsetting repurchases.
- ⚠10 insider sales totaling $19.1M with no purchases in the past 3 months — insiders are reducing their exposure.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →MS
WDC
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$3.90B
N/A
FCF Yield
3.60%
15.53
Trailing P/E
29.93
12.89
Forward P/E
23.57
Quality & Moat
3.43%
ROIC
N/A
14.42%
ROE
N/A
87.06%
Gross Margin
42.72%
0.75
PEG Ratio
N/A
Balance Sheet Safety
4.56
Debt / Equity
N/A
N/A
Interest Coverage
No debt
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
0.00
2.52%
Dividend Yield
0.16%
MS: 4WDC: 0
MSWDC
Historical Fundamentals
Learn more →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.
WDC
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
Learn more →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
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
WDC
N/A
Net losses over 3 years — test not applicable
Company had negative cumulative retained earnings
Σ Retained
$-665.0M
Δ Market Cap
+$52.27B
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
> $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
Learn more →MS
45.5% Margin of Safety
Price is 45.5% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $158.55
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $290.92
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
WDC
19.9% Margin of Safety
Price is 19.9% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $316.93
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $395.74
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →MS
Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.
WDC
What growth rate is the market pricing in at $317?
+22.3%
Market-Implied Owner Earnings Growth
Standard FCF implies +12.2%
The market implies +22.3% Owner Earnings growth, roughly in line with history — reasonably priced.
Standard FCF implies +12.2%, reflecting ongoing growth investment.
Economic Moat Score
Learn more →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.
WDC
30/100
No Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
No durable moat detected, though reinvestment efficiency 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 5 years of fundamental data.
Forensic Accounting
Learn more →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.
WDC
-2.33
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.
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
Learn more →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.
WDC
Insiders 0.5%Institutions 103.5%
No. of Institutional Holders1,636
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
Learn more →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
WDC
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
No open market insider purchases found.
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.
Insider Selling Activity
Learn more →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
WDC
10
Sells (3M)
28
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $34.30M
GUBBI VIDYADHARA K
Officer
$2.17M
@ $255.32 · 2026-03-06
GUBBI VIDYADHARA K
Officer
$2.74M
@ $270.31 · 2026-03-04
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$2.50M
@ $268.27 · 2026-03-04
COLE MARTIN I
Director
$1.63M
@ $271.67 · 2026-03-02
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$61,228
@ $286.11 · 2026-02-26
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$123,662
@ $282.33 · 2026-02-24
DAVIS BRIAN SCOTT
Officer
$2.79M
@ $279.16 · 2026-02-17
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$1.83M
@ $270.49 · 2026-02-06
TAN IRVING
Chief Executive Officer
$5.11M
@ $255.44 · 2026-02-02
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$102,363
@ $229.00 · 2026-01-21
GUBBI VIDYADHARA K
Officer
$3.72M
@ $163.16 · 2025-12-05
ALEXY KIMBERLY E.
Director
$320,165
@ $160.08 · 2025-12-04
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$449,752
@ $160.57 · 2025-12-02
COLE MARTIN I
Director
$975,696
@ $162.62 · 2025-12-01
OULMAN ROXANNE M
Director
$277,956
@ $154.42 · 2025-11-25
ALEXY KIMBERLY E.
Director
$272,272
@ $154.00 · 2025-11-25
COLE MARTIN I
Director
$1.61M
@ $161.32 · 2025-11-05
TAN IRVING
Chief Executive Officer
$3.01M
@ $150.69 · 2025-11-03
GUBBI VIDYADHARA K
Officer
$1.02M
@ $90.29 · 2025-09-04
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$28,558
@ $80.90 · 2025-08-28
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$64,387
@ $79.10 · 2025-08-26
TREGILLIS CYNTHIA LOCK
Officer
$1.05M
@ $74.78 · 2025-08-22
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$375,847
@ $75.35 · 2025-08-22
TAN IRVING
Chief Executive Officer
$654,334
@ $75.90 · 2025-08-19
GUBBI VIDYADHARA K
Officer
$722,359
@ $75.69 · 2025-08-13
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$14,212
@ $58.01 · 2025-06-17
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$94,888
@ $54.88 · 2025-06-05
TAN IRVING
Chief Executive Officer
$548,354
@ $48.19 · 2025-05-13
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$19,777
@ $43.37 · 2025-03-12
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$68,616
@ $41.36 · 2025-03-07
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$22,733
@ $72.63 · 2024-11-29
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$46,053
@ $69.99 · 2024-11-26
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$24,241
@ $64.47 · 2024-11-21
SODERBERY ROBERT
Officer
$2.09M
@ $68.01 · 2024-10-29
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$139,390
@ $69.94 · 2024-10-28
GOECKELER DAVID V
Chief Executive Officer
$5.44M
@ $72.58 · 2024-10-25
GOECKELER DAVID V
Chief Executive Officer
$5.27M
@ $70.32 · 2024-09-26
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$134,391
@ $61.96 · 2024-09-04
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$19,946
@ $63.32 · 2024-08-29
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$178,287
@ $61.48 · 2024-08-27
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$27,059
@ $64.89 · 2024-08-21
SODERBERY ROBERT
Officer
$693,860
@ $57.09 · 2024-08-05
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$17,082
@ $78.00 · 2024-06-17
SODERBERY ROBERT
Officer
$1.97M
@ $73.48 · 2024-06-04
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$29,902
@ $71.88 · 2024-05-21
ZAMISKA GENE M
Officer
$33,225
@ $75.00 · 2024-04-08
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
Learn more →MS
😐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.
WDC
😐Neutral(59/100)
"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
Learn more →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)
WDC
⚪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 (59)