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Morgan Stanley (MS)
NYSE:MS
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Morgan Stanley (MS) AI Stock Analysis

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MS

Morgan Stanley

(NYSE:MS)

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Outperform 76 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:76Outperform
Price Target:
$164.00
â–²(1.76% Upside)
Morgan Stanley's strong financial performance, positive technical indicators, and favorable earnings call sentiment contribute to a robust stock score. While cash flow challenges and high leverage present risks, the company's strategic focus and market momentum support a positive outlook.
Positive Factors
Strong Wealth Management Profits
Morgan Stanley's Wealth Management segment shows robust profitability and high margins, indicating a strong competitive position and effective client engagement, which supports long-term revenue stability.
Record Client Assets
The growth in client assets reflects Morgan Stanley's successful asset management strategies and client trust, providing a solid foundation for future revenue and market share expansion.
Positive Investment Management Flows
Sustained positive inflows into investment management indicate strong product offerings and client confidence, which are crucial for continued growth and competitive advantage in asset management.
Negative Factors
High Leverage
Morgan Stanley's high leverage could pose risks by limiting financial flexibility and increasing vulnerability to economic downturns, necessitating careful management to maintain stability.
Cash Flow Challenges
Persistent cash flow challenges highlight difficulties in converting profits into cash, which could impact Morgan Stanley's ability to invest in growth opportunities and manage debt effectively.
Slowdown in Investment Banking
A slowdown in investment banking activities can affect Morgan Stanley's revenue diversification and growth potential, especially if market conditions remain volatile or uncertain.

Morgan Stanley (MS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Morgan Stanley Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionMorgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It operates through Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments. The Institutional Securities segment offers capital raising and financial advisory services, including services related to the underwriting of debt, equity, and other securities, as well as advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, real estate, and project finance. This segment also provides sales and trading services, such as sales, financing, prime brokerage, and market-making services in equity and fixed income products consisting of foreign exchange and commodities; corporate and commercial real estate loans, which provides secured lending facilities and financing for sales and trading customers, and asset-backed and mortgage lending; and wealth management services, investment, and research services. The Wealth Management segment offers financial advisor-led brokerage and investment advisory services; self-directed brokerage services; financial and wealth planning services; workplace services, including stock plan administration; annuity and insurance products; securities-based lending, residential real estate loans, and other lending products; banking; and retirement plan services to individual investors and small to medium-sized businesses and institutions. The Investment Management segment provides equity, fixed income, liquidity, and alternative/other products to benefit/defined contribution plans, foundations, endowments, government entities, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, and third-party fund sponsors and corporations through institutional and intermediary channels. Morgan Stanley was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
How the Company Makes MoneyMorgan Stanley generates revenue through several key streams. The Institutional Securities segment earns income from capital markets activities, such as underwriting and trading of equity and debt securities, as well as advisory fees from mergers and acquisitions. The Wealth Management segment generates revenue primarily through fees for advisory services, commissions from the sale of financial products, and interest income from client loans and deposits. The Investment Management segment derives income from management fees on assets under management and performance fees from specific investment products. Significant partnerships with institutional investors and strategic alliances in various markets also contribute to its earnings, along with a strong focus on diversification across sectors and geographies.

Morgan Stanley Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Total Client Assets
Total Client Assets
Indicates the total value of assets held by clients, reflecting the firm's ability to attract and retain wealth.
Chart InsightsMorgan Stanley's Total Client Assets have shown a robust upward trajectory, recently surpassing $6 trillion. This growth aligns with the firm's strategic focus on Wealth and Investment Management, which achieved record profits and client assets of over $8.2 trillion. The earnings call highlighted strong fee-based flows and a positive outlook, despite challenges in investment banking and fixed income underwriting. The firm's commitment to deploying capital and increasing dividends underscores confidence in sustaining growth, even as regulatory reforms loom.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

Morgan Stanley Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 16, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 15, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlighted Morgan Stanley's strong performance in wealth management and positive long-term inflows in investment management, while acknowledging challenges in investment banking and fixed income underwriting due to market volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record Client Assets
Total client assets across Wealth and Investment Management climbed to over $8.2 trillion, moving toward the target to exceed $10 trillion.
Strong Wealth Management Profits
Wealth Management profits before tax reached a record $2.2 billion with margins exceeding 28%.
Robust Equity Revenues
The equities markets business achieved a top line of $3.7 billion, driven by strong client engagement and market activity.
Positive Investment Management Flows
Investment Management generated positive long-term net inflows of $11 billion in the second quarter.
High Return on Tangible Equity
Morgan Stanley reported an 18.2% return on tangible equity for the quarter.
Negative Updates
Slowdown in Investment Banking
Investment banking activity paused for part of the quarter, leading to a year-over-year decline in debt underwriting and advisory revenues.
Decline in Fixed Income Underwriting Revenues
Fixed income underwriting revenues fell to $532 million due to lower noninvestment grade issuance compared to the previous year.
Macroeconomic Uncertainty
The market faced volatility and uncertainty, particularly in the first half of the quarter, impacting investor sentiment and prompting portfolio repositioning.
Company Guidance
During Morgan Stanley's second quarter 2025 earnings call, the firm reported strong financial performance with $16.8 billion in revenue, $2.13 earnings per share (EPS), and an 18.2% return on tangible common equity (ROTCE). Total client assets across Wealth and Investment Management grew to $8.2 trillion, with a target to exceed $10 trillion. The Wealth Management division posted a record profit before tax of $2.2 billion on margins exceeding 28%, alongside strong net new assets of $59 billion and fee-based flows of $43 billion. Institutional Securities revenues were $7.6 billion, driven by the equities markets business generating $3.7 billion. Investment Banking revenues totaled $1.5 billion, with a notable rebound in equity underwriting. The firm’s CET1 ratio was 15%, providing flexibility for capital deployment, including a $1 per share dividend, stock buybacks, and strategic investments. Looking ahead, Morgan Stanley remains optimistic about market conditions and regulatory reforms, focusing on generating durable returns and leveraging its integrated business model for growth.

Morgan Stanley Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Morgan Stanley demonstrates strong profitability with a solid income statement, though cash flow challenges and high leverage require attention. The company shows efficient operations and steady revenue growth, but improvements in cash conversion are needed for long-term stability.
Income Statement
78
Positive
Morgan Stanley's income statement reveals a healthy financial performance with a Gross Profit Margin of 56.3% and a Net Profit Margin of 13.5% for TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), indicating strong profitability. The EBIT Margin and EBITDA Margin stand at 17.7% and 22.5% respectively, reflecting efficient operations. Revenue growth has been modest, with a TTM revenue increase of 2.5% from the previous year, suggesting steady business expansion. Overall, the company demonstrates solid profitability with room for revenue growth improvement.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
The balance sheet shows a stable financial position with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 3.71, indicating a high leverage typical for the capital markets industry. The Return on Equity (ROE) is 13.4%, reflecting efficient use of shareholder funds. The Equity Ratio is 8.2%, suggesting a moderate level of equity financing. While the high leverage could present risks, the company's ability to generate profit mitigates some concerns.
Cash Flow
65
Positive
Cash flow analysis indicates challenges, with a negative Free Cash Flow of -$30.3 billion in TTM, reflecting substantial cash outflows. The Operating Cash Flow to Net Income Ratio is negative, implying issues in converting profits into cash. Despite negatives, the company has been managing financing activities effectively with positive cash flow from financing. Measures to improve cash generation are crucial for future stability.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue108.38B103.14B88.29B62.48B57.78B45.83B
Gross Profit60.98B57.36B50.13B49.93B56.41B45.83B
EBITDA24.38B22.76B16.07B18.09B23.88B0.00
Net Income14.76B13.39B9.09B11.03B15.03B11.00B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.35T1.22T1.19T1.18T1.19T1.12T
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments216.00B401.59B461.89B467.86B500.35B474.23B
Total Debt436.99B360.49B339.04B308.75B305.36B283.53B
Total Liabilities1.24T1.11T1.09T1.08T1.08T1.01T
Stockholders Equity108.18B104.51B99.04B100.14B105.44B101.78B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-20.94B-2.10B-36.95B-9.47B31.66B-26.68B
Operating Cash Flow-17.67B1.36B-33.54B-6.40B33.97B-25.23B
Investing Cash Flow-39.55B-29.46B-3.08B-11.63B-49.90B-37.90B
Financing Cash Flow73.02B46.76B-2.73B22.71B41.55B83.78B

Morgan Stanley Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price161.16
Price Trends
50DMA
149.12
Positive
100DMA
141.03
Positive
200DMA
131.50
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
3.37
Positive
RSI
62.21
Neutral
STOCH
51.26
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For MS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 161.16 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 156.13, above the 50-day MA of 149.12, and above the 200-day MA of 131.50, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 3.37 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 62.21 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 51.26 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for MS.

Morgan Stanley Risk Analysis

Morgan Stanley disclosed 73 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Morgan Stanley reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Morgan Stanley Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (68)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
78
Outperform
$30.63B36.0817.37%0.73%12.30%20.76%
76
Outperform
$255.59B18.1414.13%2.37%6.36%45.50%
76
Outperform
$242.94B17.6812.54%1.62%3.53%45.85%
75
Outperform
$35.03B17.2417.40%1.11%9.42%14.86%
70
Outperform
$173.28B25.7012.28%1.11%4.64%54.26%
65
Neutral
$27.24B23.2922.03%0.35%29.23%13.45%
68
Neutral
$18.00B11.429.92%3.81%9.73%1.22%
* Financial Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
MS
Morgan Stanley
161.16
59.67
58.79%
IBKR
Interactive Brokers
68.81
33.35
94.05%
LPLA
LPL Financial
332.69
102.44
44.49%
RJF
Raymond James Financial
172.60
50.00
40.78%
SCHW
Charles Schwab
95.47
32.92
52.63%
GS
Goldman Sachs Group
804.12
321.97
66.78%
Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Aug 19, 2025