AXP vs MS: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, American Express (AXP) and Morgan Stanley (MS) carry a correlation of 0.73, a strong link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are AXP and MS?
On 3 years of weekly data the AXP/MS correlation comes out at 0.73, strong. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.55) runs below the 3-year figure (0.73). The 5-year figure is 0.68, and annualized covariance runs at 548.2 %².
Among the 35 assets we track against AXP, MS ranks #6 by 3-year correlation. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months MS outperformed by 42.4 percentage points (+4.7% for AXP against +47.1% for MS). On a rolling one-year basis the correlation drifted between 0.54 and 0.86, a moderate band.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
AXP vs MS: side by side
| AXP (American Express) | MS (Morgan Stanley) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +4.7% | +47.1% |
| 5-year return | +116.2% | +142.0% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 26.6% | 28.3% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.20 | 1.43 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -28.8% | -29.2% |
| Market cap | $225.7B | $337.5B |
| P/E (trailing) | 20.4 | 17.4 |
| Dividend yield | 1.05% | 1.94% |
| Sector / category | Financials | Financials |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | AXP | MS |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -8.5% | -10.3% |
| 2023 | +28.7% | +13.9% |
| 2024 | +60.3% | +39.7% |
| 2025 | +26.0% | +45.2% |
| 2026 | -8.9% | +23.0% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are AXP and MS good diversifiers for each other?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.73 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
FAQ
What is the correlation between AXP and MS?
The AXP/MS correlation stands at 0.73 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.55, 5 years: 0.68), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is MS a good diversifier for AXP?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.73 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
What does a correlation of 0.73 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.73 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/axp-vs-ms.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/axp-vs-ms/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: AXP correlations · MS correlations
