MKC vs MNST Stock Comparison

MNST currently leads MKC in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 60 vs 49. The clearest difference is momentum, while MKC has the stronger value profile.

Market data as of Oct 31, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 11 points
MKC
Consumer Defensive
vs
MNST
Consumer Defensive
MKC
McCormick & Company, Incorporated
Price
$47.29
Day move
+1.05%
AIQ Score
49/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Consumer Defensive
MNST
Monster Beverage Corporation
Leads
Price
$47.34
Day move
+2.14%
AIQ Score
60/100
Best edge
Momentum
Sector
Consumer Defensive

What is the main difference between MKC and MNST?

MNST leads the current stock comparison as Monster Beverage Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

McCormick & Company, Incorporated vs Monster Beverage Corporation

Data as of Oct 31, 2026· market close· Consumer Defensive· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictStableAIQ Comparison Conviction 8/10

MNST leads

MNST leads by 11 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, and the lead has widened from 7 points over 30 sessions.

Stable: 5 of 6 evidence groups support MNST, its lead is widening, and its signal state is cleanly positive.

Evidence agreement: 5 of 6Comparison trend: Strengthening
MKC

McCormick & Company, Incorporated

AIQ Score
49/100
AIQ Edge Score
5/10
MNST

Monster Beverage Corporation

Leads
AIQ Score
60/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MNST over MKC, 60 versus 49 as of Oct 31, 2026. MNST's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience, while MKC holds the stronger value profile. MNST also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MNST today, and the comparison is rated Stable on stability. MNST lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 7 to 11 points over 30 sessions.

Compare McCormick & Company, Incorporated and Monster Beverage Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.

MKC
-35.6%
MNST
+113.7%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested

MKC $6,440 · MNST $21,371

Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

MKC advantage
0
MNST advantage
  • Momentum43 vs 73
    MNST +30
  • Risk Resilience45 vs 73
    MNST +28
  • Value43 vs 24
    MKC +19
  • Quality62 vs 80
    MNST +18

5 of 6 evidence groups favor MNST. MNST’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience; MKC keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-10-28, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-27.

MKC-2 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -8

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 4 active signals are unchanged.

MNST-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -2

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 5 active signals are unchanged.

MNST's lead widened by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — MKC and MNST both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

MNST (Monster Beverage Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.

MKC (McCormick & Company, Incorporated): the counter-case, on value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 38.3% against 22.7%.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

MNST

MNST on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

MNST

MNST on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

MKC

MKC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 19 points.

Momentum

MNST

MNST on the Momentum factor, by 30 points.

Lower downside

MNST

MNST on Risk Resilience, by 28 points.

Analyst upside

MNST

MNST on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureMKCMNSTNote
Implied upside to target+16.7%+92.5%MNST has more room
Target dispersion+38.1%+59.8%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusBuyBuyContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering611Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MNST. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreMNST49 vs 60
FundamentalsMNSTon balancerevenue growth 3.3% vs 7.8%; EPS growth -85.2% vs 3.4%; TTM ROE 25.6% vs 25%; gross margin 38.6% vs 55.5%; operating margin 15.3% vs 29.2% — MNST takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them
ValuationMKCValue 43 vs 24
TechnicalsMNSTPrice vs 50-day -4.3% vs 5.7%; vs 200-day -14% vs 6.2%
Risk ResilienceMNSTRisk Resilience 45 vs 73
Analyst expectationsMNSTTarget upside 16.7% vs 92.5%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of MKC and MNST and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Stable

The conclusion rests on a wide gap and broad agreement. It is unlikely to turn on a single session.

  • The AIQ gap is moderate at 11 points.
  • 5 of 6 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
  • The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
  • The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
  • The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MNST.

How the comparison changed

120 daily snapshots · Jun 29 – Oct 28

MNST lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 7 to 11 points over 30 sessions.

Jun 29MKC leads above the line · MNST leads belowOct 28
Today
MNST +11
49 vs 60
7 sessions ago
MNST +9
52 vs 61
30 sessions ago
MNST +7
45 vs 52
90 sessions ago
MNST +2
56 vs 58

The lead changed hands 5 times in this window, most recently on Sep 3 when MNST moved ahead of MKC.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

MKCConflicted

1 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

Only MKC

  • Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (8.35%)
  • Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
MNST

4 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral

Only MNST

  • Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (4.13%)
  • EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
  • Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon

Both carry 2 more signals that do not separate them: Bollinger Band Squeeze, MACD Bullish Crossover.

MKC is conflicted, so the timing case there is weaker than the score alone suggests.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

MKCDivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 2 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +1.05%, AIQ -2 points).

MNSTDivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +2.14%, AIQ -1 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1MKC closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to MNST's edge.
  2. 2MKC's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
  3. 3MNST's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

MNST leads on balance
MetricMKCMNST
Revenue growth (YoY)3.3%7.8%
EPS growth (YoY)-85.2%3.4%
Gross margin38.6%55.5%
Operating margin15.3%29.2%
Return on equity (TTM)25.6%25%
Debt to equity0.710

Performance

MNST leads 5 of 6 windows
MetricMKCMNST
1 week (5 sessions)-0.6%-2.1%
1 month (20 sessions)-0.7%9.7%
3 months (63 sessions)-9.6%-6.5%
6 months (126 sessions)-8.9%18.8%
Year to date-32.4%19.1%
1 year (252 sessions)-31.1%31%

Technicals

MNST has the stronger structure
MetricMKCMNST
RSI (14)50.562.6
ADX (14)23.223.7
Price vs 50-day-4.3%5.7%
Price vs 200-day-14%6.2%
Volatility (1M, annualized)38.3%22.7%

Risk

MNST is the more resilient
MetricMKCMNST
Beta-0.340.29
Sharpe ratio-1.131.02
Sortino ratio-1.661.69
Max drawdown-38.4%-17.7%
Current drawdown-35.7%-8.6%
Annualized volatility31.2%26.8%
Value at risk (95%)-3.2%-2.4%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, MKC or MNST?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, MNST is the stronger of the two as of Oct 31, 2026, scoring 60 against MKC's 49. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. MKC is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is MKC or MNST the better buy right now?

MNST carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 31, 2026, and the comparison is rated Stable — 5 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Stable rating means the gap is wide and the evidence is broad, so the conclusion is unlikely to turn on a single session.

Why does the AIQ Score favor MNST over MKC?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. MNST leads Momentum by 30 points; MNST leads Risk Resilience by 28 points; MKC leads Value by 19 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, MKC or MNST?

Analyst price targets imply +16.7% upside for MKC and +92.5% for MNST, so the Street currently favors MNST. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, MKC or MNST?

MKC is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. MKC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 19 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, MKC or MNST?

MNST on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, MKC or MNST?

MNST on the Momentum factor, by 30 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, MKC or MNST?

MNST is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. MNST on Risk Resilience, by 28 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is MKC more profitable than MNST?

The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 38.6% vs 55.5%; operating margin 15.3% vs 29.2%; ttm roe 25.6% vs 25%. MKC leads on one measure and MNST on two measures, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.

Is MNST's lead over MKC getting stronger or weaker?

MNST lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 7 to 11 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-29 and 2026-10-28. The lead has changed hands 5 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-03, when MNST moved ahead of MKC.

What would change the MKC vs MNST verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: MKC closes the Momentum gap — currently 30 points behind, the largest single contributor to MNST's edge; MKC's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; MNST's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about MKC and MNST?

MKC: 1 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. MNST: 4 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on MKC is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On MNST it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Compare MKC and MNST with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.