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Moody

To provide trusted insights that help decision-makers act with confidence by being the world's indispensable source for integrated risk intelligence.

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Moody SWOT Analysis

Updated: October 5, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

This Moody's SWOT Analysis reveals a company at a pivotal strategic juncture. Its primary strength lies in the highly successful diversification into Moody's Analytics, which now provides a stable, recurring revenue majority, insulating it from the cyclicality of the ratings business. However, the key weakness is the lingering complexity from integrating numerous acquisitions, which hinders the delivery of a truly unified customer platform. The greatest opportunity is to leverage its unparalleled proprietary data to become the indispensable Generative AI partner for risk professionals. The most significant threat is not just macroeconomic headwinds but the strategic challenge from a newly scaled S&P Global. The path forward requires a relentless focus on platform integration and AI innovation to solidify its market leadership and fulfill its vision of becoming the essential source for integrated risk intelligence.

To provide trusted insights that help decision-makers act with confidence by being the world's indispensable source for integrated risk intelligence.

Strengths

  • ANALYTICS: MA recurring revenue at $3.2B, 52% of total, ensures stability
  • BRAND: Unmatched global reputation for integrity in capital markets
  • DATA: Decades of proprietary credit and economic data is a deep moat
  • SCALE: Global footprint and relationships with all major institutions
  • DIVERSIFICATION: Balanced portfolio between cyclical MIS and growing MA

Weaknesses

  • CYCLICALITY: MIS segment remains highly sensitive to debt issuance volume
  • INTEGRATION: Portfolio complexity from M&A slows cross-sell & synergy
  • COSTS: High fixed costs in ratings business impacts operating leverage
  • LEGACY: Pockets of aging tech infrastructure hinder full cloud/AI adoption
  • PRICING: Intense pressure from competitors and procurement departments

Opportunities

  • KYC/AML: Market growing >15% annually, ripe for tech-led disruption
  • GEN AI: Embed AI co-pilots in workflows to deepen client entrenchment
  • ESG: Growing mandate for climate & social risk data creates new TAM
  • INSURANCE: Expanding risk solutions for underwriting and reserving
  • PRIVATE MARKETS: Massive data gap in private credit we are poised to fill

Threats

  • COMPETITION: S&P Global's scale post-IHS Markit creates a formidable rival
  • MACRO: Sustained high interest rates continue to suppress debt issuance
  • REGULATION: Potential for increased oversight on ratings and data usage
  • DISINTERMEDIATION: Fintechs using AI to offer alternative risk scoring
  • TALENT: Intense war for top data science and AI talent with big tech

Key Priorities

  • ACCELERATE: Drive Moody's Analytics growth, focusing on KYC and ESG
  • INTEGRATE: Unify platforms to deliver a seamless integrated risk view
  • INNOVATE: Win the Generative AI race for risk management applications
  • DIVERSIFY: Reduce reliance on MIS by capturing private market data

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Moody Market

  • Founded: FOUNDED: 1909 by John Moody
  • Market Share: Approx. 40% of the global credit rating market.
  • Customer Base: Banks, insurers, asset managers, corporations, governments.
  • Category:
  • SIC Code: 8748 Business Consulting Services, Not Elsewhere Classified
  • NAICS Code: 523999 Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities
  • Location: New York, NY
  • Zip Code: 10007 New York, New York
    Congressional District: NY-10 NEW YORK
  • Employees: 15000
Competitors
S&P Global logo
S&P Global Request Analysis
Fitch Group logo
Fitch Group Request Analysis
Bloomberg logo
Bloomberg Request Analysis
Refinitiv (LSEG) logo
Refinitiv (LSEG) Request Analysis
Dun & Bradstreet logo
Dun & Bradstreet Request Analysis
Products & Services
No products or services data available
Distribution Channels

Moody Product Market Fit Analysis

Updated: October 5, 2025

Moody's provides the world's leading financial institutions and corporations with an integrated view of risk. By combining unparalleled data, advanced analytics, and deep domain expertise onto a single platform, it empowers decision-makers to navigate complexity, automate compliance, and act with confidence to unlock growth. This transforms risk from a liability into a strategic advantage for clients.

1

CONFIDENCE: Make high-stakes decisions with trusted, predictive insights.

2

INTEGRATION: Gain a 360-degree view of risk from a single, unified platform.

3

EFFICIENCY: Automate workflows and reduce compliance costs with our solutions.



Before State

  • Siloed, incomplete risk data
  • Manual, slow decision-making
  • Reactive, historical risk views

After State

  • Integrated, holistic view of risk
  • Automated, confident decisions
  • Predictive, forward-looking insights

Negative Impacts

  • Missed opportunities and unforeseen losses
  • High compliance costs and penalties
  • Inability to price risk accurately

Positive Outcomes

  • Smarter capital allocation
  • Streamlined regulatory compliance
  • Enhanced strategic planning & growth

Key Metrics

Customer Retention Rates - 95%+ in Moody's Analytics
Net Promoter Score (NPS) - Estimated 40-50 range
User Growth Rate - 8-10% annually in MA
Customer Feedback/Reviews - 4.4 stars on G2 (150+ reviews)
Repeat Purchase Rates - Very high due to subscription model

Requirements

  • Unified data platform access
  • Adoption of new analytical tools
  • Shift to a proactive risk culture

Why Moody

  • Leverage our integrated risk platform
  • Utilize AI-powered predictive models
  • Consult with our domain experts

Moody Competitive Advantage

  • Unmatched breadth of proprietary data
  • Superior analytical model accuracy
  • Global scale and regulatory trust

Proof Points

  • Trusted by 95% of Fortune 500
  • Ratings influence trillions in capital
  • Award-winning analytics solutions
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Moody Market Positioning

Strategic pillars derived from our vision-focused SWOT analysis

1

INTEGRATED RISK

Unify data, analytics, ratings across one platform

2

GENERATIVE AI

Embed AI co-pilots into all customer workflows

3

EXPONENTIAL RISK

Lead in assessing climate, cyber, and geopolitical risk

4

PRIVATE MARKETS

Dominate data & analytics for private credit

What You Do

  • Provides credit ratings, risk analytics, and financial intelligence.

Target Market

  • For global capital market participants and risk management professionals.

Differentiation

  • Trusted brand and century-long reputation in credit ratings.
  • Vast proprietary datasets and advanced analytical models.

Revenue Streams

  • Transaction-based rating fees.
  • Subscription-based data and analytics (SaaS).
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Moody Operations and Technology

Company Operations
  • Organizational Structure: Two main segments: Moody's Investors Service (MIS) and Moody's Analytics (MA).
  • Supply Chain: Primarily digital; data acquisition from public and private sources.
  • Tech Patents: Holds patents related to financial modeling and risk analysis.
  • Website: https://www.moodys.com
Moody logo

Moody Competitive Forces

Threat of New Entry

Low. The ratings business has immense regulatory barriers and reputational hurdles. The analytics space is more open but requires massive data and capital.

Supplier Power

Low. Key suppliers are data providers and talent. While talent is competitive, no single supplier has significant pricing power over Moody's.

Buyer Power

Medium. Large banks and institutional investors have significant negotiating power, but high switching costs for embedded solutions mitigate this.

Threat of Substitution

Medium. Fintechs offer niche analytics, and blockchain could offer alternative trust mechanisms, but no substitute matches the breadth and trust.

Competitive Rivalry

High. An oligopoly with S&P Global and Fitch. Competition is intense on analytics, data, and price, especially from S&P Global.

AI Disclosure

This report was created using the Alignment Method—our proprietary process for guiding AI to reveal how it interprets your business and industry. These insights are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.

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