Compare Stocks › MS vs WMB
Morgan Stanley (MS) vs The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB)
MS
Morgan Stanley
$158.55
VS
WMB
The Williams Companies, Inc.
$74.06
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.
WMB
- ★Gross margin of 62.1% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
- ★Each dollar of retained earnings has created $30.77 of market value — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
- ★PEG ratio of 0.68 suggests the stock is undervalued relative to its growth rate — paying less than 1x for each unit of earnings growth.
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.
WMB
- ⚠Trailing P/E of 34.6x is 53% above the historical average of 22.7x — the stock trades at a premium to its own history.
- ⚠Net debt/EBITDA of 4.4x indicates heavy leverage — it would take over 4 years of EBITDA to pay off net debt.
- ⚠Altman Z-Score of 1.11 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
Key Valuation Metrics
Learn more →MS
WMB
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$-353.50M
N/A
FCF Yield
-0.39%
15.53
Trailing P/E
34.61
12.89
Forward P/E
28.26
Quality & Moat
3.43%
ROIC
8.66%
14.42%
ROE
17.44%
87.06%
Gross Margin
62.12%
0.75
PEG Ratio
0.68
Balance Sheet Safety
4.56
Debt / Equity
1.97
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
4.35
2.52%
Dividend Yield
2.84%
MS: 3Ties: 1WMB: 5
MSWMB
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.
WMB
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
WMB
$30.77
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Exceptional Value Creator
Σ Retained
$1.08B
Δ Market Cap
+$33.38B
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
WMB
50.6% Overvalued
Price is 50.6% above estimated fair value
Current Price: $74.06
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Fair Value: $49.18
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth
Learn more →MS
Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.
WMB
Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.
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.
WMB
38/100
No Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None
No durable moat detected, though margin stability 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
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.
WMB
-2.67
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.
WMB
Insiders 0.5%Institutions 89.0%Retail & Other 10.5%
No. of Institutional Holders2,167
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
WMB
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
WMB
7
Sells (3M)
16
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $5.24M
FAZEL PAYVAND
Officer
$211,989
@ $73.15 · 2026-03-13
RINKE TODD J
Officer
$547,808
@ $74.39 · 2026-03-11
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$150,480
@ $75.24 · 2026-03-02
HAUSMAN MARY A.
Officer
$757,115
@ $74.91 · 2026-02-26
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$1.97M
@ $72.92 · 2026-02-24
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$132,780
@ $66.39 · 2026-02-02
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$120,220
@ $60.11 · 2026-01-02
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$123,800
@ $61.90 · 2025-12-09
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$242,120
@ $60.53 · 2025-11-12
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$115,240
@ $57.62 · 2025-09-04
LARSEN LARRY C
Chief Operating Officer
$263,115
@ $58.47 · 2025-08-11
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$119,360
@ $59.68 · 2025-08-01
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$125,400
@ $62.70 · 2025-07-01
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$122,420
@ $61.21 · 2025-06-02
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$116,420
@ $58.21 · 2025-05-01
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$119,060
@ $59.53 · 2025-04-01
LARSEN LARRY C
Officer
$455,520
@ $56.94 · 2025-03-12
DUNN MICHEAL G
Chief Operating Officer
$5.13M
@ $53.04 · 2025-03-07
HAUSMAN MARY A.
Officer
$511,520
@ $57.50 · 2025-03-04
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$116,980
@ $58.49 · 2025-03-03
TEPLY CHAD A
Officer
$1.47M
@ $56.46 · 2025-02-27
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$109,840
@ $54.92 · 2025-02-03
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$109,000
@ $54.50 · 2025-01-02
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$117,200
@ $58.60 · 2024-12-02
HAUSMAN MARY A.
Officer
$447,650
@ $56.30 · 2024-11-08
LARSEN LARRY C
Officer
$377,512
@ $56.48 · 2024-11-08
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$105,420
@ $52.71 · 2024-11-01
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$90,580
@ $45.29 · 2024-10-01
WILSON TERRANCE LANE
General Counsel
$89,580
@ $44.79 · 2024-09-13
PICKLE DEBBIE L
Officer
$1.51M
@ $39.61 · 2024-05-09
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.
WMB
😏Greed(66/100)
"Market is optimistic — be cautious and ensure you have a margin of safety"
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)
WMB
⚪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: Greed (66)