MC
Financial ServicesMoelis & Company · Financial - Capital Markets · $5B
What is Moelis & Company?
Moelis & Company is an independent investment banking advisory firm serving corporations, governments, and financial sponsors worldwide. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in New York City, it has built a global advisory practice across multiple continents.
Moelis generates revenue exclusively through advisory fees — it does not underwrite securities or take balance-sheet risk. The firm advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, recapitalizations, and capital markets transactions. Its client base spans public multinationals, middle-market private companies, financial sponsors, entrepreneurs, and sovereign wealth funds. Strategic alliances in Mexico and Australia extend its geographic reach beyond its core offices in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Moelis & Company was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in New York City, United States.
- Mergers and acquisitions advisory
- Restructuring and recapitalization advisory
- Capital markets transaction advisory
- Corporate finance and strategic advisory
- Coverage of financial sponsors and sovereign wealth funds
Is MC a Good Stock to Buy?
UQS Score rates MC as Good overall, reflecting a balanced profile with notable strengths and one area of concern.
The Growth pillar stands out as the firmest part of the investment case, suggesting Moelis is expanding its advisory revenue base at a pace that compares favorably within the sector. Quality and Risk both register as Good, indicating the business generates reasonable returns and carries a manageable risk profile relative to peers.
The Moat pillar is rated Weak — a meaningful consideration for an advisory firm where client relationships are portable and competition for mandates is intense.
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Past performance does not guarantee future results. UQS Score is based on fundamental data and is not a buy/sell recommendation.
Does MC pay dividends?
Yes — Moelis & Company pays a dividend.
Moelis & Company pays a regular dividend, which is relatively uncommon among pure-play advisory boutiques. The dividend reflects the firm's asset-light model and its ability to return capital when advisory fee revenue is strong. Investors should note that advisory revenues can be lumpy, so dividend sustainability is worth monitoring across market cycles.
When does MC report earnings?
Moelis & Company reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, consistent with standard practice for US-listed equities.
Advisory fee revenue at Moelis tends to move with deal-making activity across M&A and restructuring markets. Periods of elevated corporate transactions or distressed-debt cycles typically benefit the firm's top line, while quieter markets can compress results. The Growth pillar rating suggests the recent trajectory has been constructive.
For the most recent quarter's results and guidance commentary, visit Moelis & Company's investor relations page directly.
MC Price History
+65.1% over 5Y
Monthly close, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment.
What if I invested in Moelis & Company?
Based on Moelis & Company's historical closing prices, adjusted for stock splits and dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
MC Long-term Outlook
The UQS Growth pillar rating of Strong points to a business that has been expanding its advisory mandate count and fee wallet in recent periods. The Good Risk rating suggests the firm is not taking on outsized balance-sheet or operational exposure to achieve that growth. However, the Weak Moat rating is a structural caution — independent advisory is a relationship-driven business where talent retention and client loyalty are the primary competitive barriers, both of which are difficult to sustain at scale.
Growth drivers
- Rising global M&A and restructuring activity benefiting independent advisors
- Expansion into new geographies through strategic alliances
- Growing demand from financial sponsors and sovereign wealth funds for conflict-free advice
Key risks
- Revenue concentration in advisory fees makes results sensitive to deal-market cycles
- Weak competitive moat — senior banker departures can shift client relationships to rivals
- Valuation rated Good but not deeply discounted, limiting margin of safety if growth slows
MC vs Peers
Moelis competes in the independent advisory and broader financial services space alongside firms with varying business models and scale.
Lazard is a larger independent advisory franchise with a well-established asset management division alongside its financial advisory business, giving it more revenue diversification than Moelis.
BGC operates primarily as a financial brokerage and markets infrastructure firm, making its revenue model more transaction-volume-driven than Moelis's mandate-based advisory fees.
Marathon Digital is a digital asset mining company — its inclusion reflects broader financial services classification but its business model is entirely unrelated to investment banking advisory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Moelis & Company do?
Moelis & Company is an independent investment banking advisory firm. It advises corporations, governments, financial sponsors, and sovereign wealth funds on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, recapitalizations, and capital markets transactions. Unlike bulge-bracket banks, Moelis does not underwrite securities or deploy its own balance sheet, keeping the business model purely advisory.
Does MC pay dividends?
Yes, Moelis & Company pays a regular dividend. The firm's asset-light advisory model allows it to return capital to shareholders when fee revenues are strong. Because advisory revenues can vary with deal-market conditions, investors typically monitor the dividend alongside the firm's quarterly results.
When does MC report earnings?
Moelis & Company reports earnings on a quarterly cadence, in line with standard US-listed company practice. For the exact schedule and most recent results, check the investor relations section of the company's official website.
Is MC a good stock to buy?
UQS Score rates MC as Good overall. The Growth pillar is Strong, and both Quality and Risk are rated Good. The main concern is a Weak Moat rating, which reflects the competitive nature of advisory mandates. Whether MC fits your portfolio depends on your view of deal-market cycles and your tolerance for low-moat financial services businesses.
Is MC overvalued?
The UQS Valuation pillar for MC is rated Good, suggesting the current price is not at an extreme relative to the firm's fundamentals. That said, advisory boutiques can see rapid earnings swings tied to deal volumes, so valuation assessments can shift quickly. The full valuation metrics are available to UQS Pro members.
How does MC compare to its competitors?
Among the firms tracked alongside MC, Lazard is the closest direct peer — also an independent advisory franchise, but larger and with an asset management arm. BGC Group operates more as a brokerage and markets infrastructure business. Marathon Digital is a digital asset miner and shares little operational overlap with Moelis's advisory model.
What is MC's market cap bracket?
Moelis & Company is classified as a mid-cap company. This places it in a range that typically attracts both institutional and individual investors, though it is considerably smaller than bulge-bracket banks and some larger independent advisory peers.
Who founded Moelis & Company?
Moelis & Company was founded by Ken Moelis, a veteran investment banker who previously held senior roles at major Wall Street firms. He launched the independent advisory firm in 2007 with the goal of providing conflict-free advice to corporations and other large clients.
Is MC a long-term quality investment?
As a long-term quality indicator, MC's UQS profile is mixed. The Strong Growth and Good Quality ratings are encouraging over a multi-year horizon. However, the Weak Moat rating is a structural consideration — advisory firms depend heavily on senior talent retention, and that dynamic can affect long-term earnings consistency.
What is the main competitive advantage of Moelis & Company?
Moelis's primary advantage is its independence — without a trading desk or underwriting business, it can advise clients without the conflicts of interest common at larger banks. Senior banker relationships and a global network of strategic alliances also support deal sourcing, though the UQS Moat pillar rates this advantage as Weak relative to more durable competitive positions.
What sector does MC belong to?
MC is classified in the Financial Services sector, specifically within investment banking and advisory. It operates as a pure-play advisory boutique, which distinguishes it from diversified financial institutions that combine lending, trading, and asset management alongside advisory services.
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Pro Analysis
MC — Score History
| Date | UQS | Quality | Moat | Growth | Risk | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2026 | 66.5 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 88.5 | 69.1 | 76.7 | +0.1 |
| May 3, 2026 | 66.4 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 88.5 | 69.1 | 76.3 | +0.2 |
| May 1, 2026 | 66.2 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 88.4 | 69.1 | 75.3 | 0.0 |
| Apr 26, 2026 | 66.2 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 88.2 | 69.1 | 75.2 | -0.1 |
| Apr 19, 2026 | 66.3 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 88.2 | 69.1 | 75.6 | -0.5 |
| Apr 18, 2026 | 66.8 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 89.1 | 69.1 | 78.3 | -1.2 |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 68.0 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 89.1 | 69.1 | 85.8 | -0.1 |
| Apr 12, 2026 | 68.1 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 89.1 | 69.1 | 86.8 | -0.5 |
| Apr 10, 2026 | 68.6 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 89.1 | 69.1 | 89.7 | -0.1 |
| Apr 5, 2026 | 68.7 | 76.6 | 31.0 | 89.1 | 69.1 | 90.4 | +0.1 |
MC — Pillar Breakdown
Quality
— 75.8/100 (25%)Moelis & Company demonstrates outstanding capital efficiency and profitability, placing it among the highest-quality businesses in the market.
Profitability relative to shareholders' equity.
Ability to convert revenue into operating profit.
Bottom-line profit as a share of revenue.
Free cash flow relative to market value.
Growth
— 88.8/100 (20%)Moelis & Company is growing rapidly with strong revenue and earnings expansion.
Revenue trajectory over the last twelve months.
Compound annual revenue growth rate over 3 years.
Year-over-year earnings per share growth.
Analyst consensus for future revenue growth.
Analyst consensus for future earnings growth.
Risk
— 33.9/100 (15%)Moelis & Company presents elevated risk with concerns around leverage or financial stability.
Total debt relative to shareholder equity.
Short-term liquidity — ability to pay near-term obligations.
Earnings capacity relative to interest payments.
Valuation
— 74.4/100 (15%)Moelis & Company trades at a reasonable valuation with decent earnings yield and FCF multiples.
Inverse of forward P/E — higher yield means cheaper stock.
How many years of FCF the market cap represents.
P/E relative to earnings growth — lower is more attractive.
Enterprise value multiple relative to sector median.
Moat
— 31/100 (25%)Moelis & Company operates in a highly competitive environment with limited sustainable advantages. The Moat pillar evaluates competitive advantages across five dimensions: Switching Costs, Network Effects, Cost Advantage, Intangible Assets, and Scale & Ecosystem. Sign in to customize moat ratings for MC.
Score Composition
Financial Data
More Stock Analysis
How is the MC UQS Score Calculated?
The UQS (Unified Quality Score) for Moelis & Company is calculated using a proprietary 6-pillar framework with 29 financial metrics. Each pillar evaluates a different dimension on a 0–100 scale, then combines into a single weighted score. Scoring thresholds are calibrated per sector. Momentum is an optional Pro toggle — without it, you get the 5-pillar / 25-metric core shown below.
Quality (25%) measures profitability and capital efficiency — ROIC, ROE, margins, GP/Assets, and FCF Yield.
Moat (25%) assesses Moelis & Company's competitive advantages across switching costs, network effects, cost advantages, intangible assets, and ecosystem scale.
Growth (20%) tracks revenue trajectory and earnings momentum, combining historical results with analyst forward estimates.
Risk (15%) is inversely scored — lower leverage and strong balance sheet health result in higher scores.
Valuation (15%) measures whether Moelis & Company is fairly priced using earnings yield, price-to-FCF, PEG ratio, and EV/EBITDA relative to sector peers.
Six investor-inspired presets are available, each with different pillar weights: Balanced, Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Cathie Wood, and Graham. The public score shown here uses the Balanced preset. Learn more in our FAQ.