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Interactive Brokers Group vs Morgan Stanley: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Interactive Brokers carrying a narrow edge on profitability. Morgan Stanley still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-08-16

The lead runs through profitability, while valuation still acts as a real counterweight on the other side.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Capital Markets

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. IBKR and MS share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Interactive Brokers and Morgan Stanley each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
IBKR
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
MS
Morgan Stanley
64
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: IBKR vs MS Profitability 95 63 Stability 46 36 Valuation 45 72 Growth 76 81 IBKR MS
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +32
#2 Valuation +27
#3 Stability +10
#4 Growth +5
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for IBKR and MS Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer IBKRMS Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup splits cleanly: structure favours Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., while the price setup favours Morgan Stanley.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where IBKR and MS each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY IBKR Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 0 pct gap MS Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 99th
IBKR (99th percentile) and MS (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
Both profiles are strong on profitability, but Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. leads clearly.
Valuation
On valuation, the edge is clear — both rank well, but Morgan Stanley sits noticeably higher.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
IBKR
95
MS
63
Gap+32in favour of IBKR

The profitability lead is mainly driven by a 35-point operating margin advantage.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Morgan Stanley, with a forward P/E that is 13 turns lower there.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver of the lead, with valuation adding further support — though valuation still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the IBKR vs MS comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how IBKR and MS each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.