Flputnam Investment Management Co. Buys 7,577 Shares of Morgan Stanley $MS

Flputnam Investment Management Co. boosted its position in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) by 3.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 248,624 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 7,577 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley makes up approximately 0.6% of Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest position. Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $51,972,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co raised its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 4.8% during the second quarter. Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co now owns 8,343 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,744,000 after purchasing an additional 380 shares during the period. Okabena Investment Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Morgan Stanley in the 2nd quarter valued at $218,000. Spinnaker Trust bought a new stake in Morgan Stanley during the 2nd quarter valued at $250,000. Greenleaf Trust raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 3.6% during the second quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 29,247 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $6,114,000 after buying an additional 1,004 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marvin & Palmer Associates Inc. acquired a new position in Morgan Stanley during the second quarter worth $9,978,000. 84.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their price objective on shares of Morgan Stanley from $225.00 to $250.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $225.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Erste Group Bank raised shares of Morgan Stanley from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Daiwa Securities Group lifted their price target on Morgan Stanley from $175.00 to $198.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 5th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $230.00 to $262.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Morgan Stanley presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $224.75.

Morgan Stanley Stock Performance

NYSE MS opened at $207.58 on Friday. Morgan Stanley has a 1 year low of $142.90 and a 1 year high of $232.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.65, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market cap of $327.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.78, a PEG ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 1.22. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $217.16 and a 200-day moving average price of $193.98.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 15th. The financial services provider reported $3.46 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.89 by $0.57. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 15.65% and a return on equity of 19.31%. The company had revenue of $21.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.67 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.13 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 27.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post 12.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Morgan Stanley Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 31st were paid a $1.15 dividend. This is a positive change from Morgan Stanley’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. Morgan Stanley’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.19%.

Morgan Stanley declared that its board has initiated a stock repurchase plan on Wednesday, June 24th that allows the company to repurchase $20.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the financial services provider to repurchase up to 5.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually an indication that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Morgan Stanley News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Morgan Stanley this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley selected Dallas for a major expansion outside New York, signaling long-term investment in Texas, potential operating-cost advantages, and broader access to talent. The move could support growth and geographic diversification, although it may also attract political scrutiny. Morgan Stanley picks Dallas for expansion outside NYC
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley’s research highlighted a potential 38-gigawatt power shortfall for AI data centers, identifying industrial and infrastructure companies that could benefit. This reinforces the firm’s advisory and research relevance in the fast-growing AI infrastructure market. Morgan Stanley Says AI Data Centers Face a 38-Gigawatt Power Gap
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley reportedly disclosed a 5.6% stake in IonQ, potentially providing upside if the quantum-computing investment appreciates. The position also demonstrates continued access to emerging-technology opportunities, though it is unlikely to materially affect Morgan Stanley’s earnings near term. Morgan Stanley Discloses 5.6% Stake in IonQ
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its gold outlook to above $5,000 per ounce by 2027, which may benefit commodities research, trading, and client activity. However, the forecast itself has limited direct impact on the company’s fundamentals. Morgan Stanley Forecasts Gold to Surpass $5,000 by 2027
• Negative Sentiment: A former advisor has accused Morgan Stanley of gender and disability discrimination, inappropriate pressure, confidentiality breaches, and denial of medical leave. The allegations are not adjudicated, but they create potential legal, compliance, and reputational risks. What Is Morgan Stanley Being Accused Of?
• Negative Sentiment: Scotiabank hired Richard Tory, described as Morgan Stanley’s leading Canadian banker. The departure could raise concerns about talent retention and competitive pressure in Morgan Stanley’s Canadian investment-banking operations. Scotiabank hires Morgan Stanley’s top Canada banker

Morgan Stanley Profile

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1935 by Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley, the company provides a broad range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions and individual investors. Leadership has been guided by a senior executive team and board of directors; James P. Gorman has served as the company’s chief executive and chairman in recent years.

The firm’s primary business activities are organized around three principal businesses: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management.