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Valued at a market cap of $162.9 billion, S&P Global Inc. (SPGI) provides credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity, and automotive markets. The New York-based company maintains indexes that track the performance of securities and markets. The best-known of these is the S&P 500 Index, which tracks the performance of the 500 largest U.S. companies.
Companies valued at $10 billion or more are typically classified as “large-cap stocks,” and SPGI fits the label perfectly, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the financial data and stock exchanges industry. With strong brand recognition, high barriers to entry, and a recurring revenue model, S&P Global maintains a competitive edge. Its strategic acquisitions, global reach, and focus on innovation, including AI and ESG analytics, further strengthen its market position.
This capital market giant is currently trading nearly 2.9% below its 52-week high of $545.39, reached recently on Feb. 14. Shares of SPGI have gained almost 2.2% over the past three months, outpacing the iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers & Securities Exchanges ETF’s (IAI) 1.5% decline during the same time frame.
In the longer term, S&P Global has gained 23.4% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming IAI’s nearly 35.8% return. Nonetheless, on a YTD basis, shares of SPGI are up 6.3%, outpacing IAI’s 4.1% uptick over the same time frame.
To confirm its bullish trend, SPGI has been trading above its 200-day moving average since the past year, and is trading above its 50-day moving average since mid-January.
On Feb. 11, shares of SPGI closed up 4.9% after its better-than-expected Q4 earnings release. The company posted an adjusted EPS of $3.77, marking a 20.4% year-over-year increase and surpassing the consensus estimate of $3.47. Moreover, its revenue rose 14% from the prior-year quarter to $3.6 billion, beating forecasts by 2.7%. SPGI’s robust growth was fueled by strong performance across all segments, with ratings and indices segment’s revenue growth leading the gains.
Looking ahead, for 2025, S&P Global expects 5% to 7% revenue growth, and projects an adjusted EPS between $17 and $17.25.
SPGI has underperformed its rival, Moody's Corporation’s (MCO) 31.4% gain over the past 52 weeks but has slightly outpaced MCO’s nearly 6.1% return on a YTD basis.
Given SPGI’s recent outperformance relative to its industry peers, analysts remain highly optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of “Strong Buy” from the 21 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $612.50 suggests a 15.7% premium to its current levels.
