Morgan Stanley $MS Stock Sold by International Assets Investment Management LLC

International Assets Investment Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) by 96.8% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 7,703 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 231,037 shares during the quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $1,448,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Marquette Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Morgan Stanley by 143.4% in the 2nd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 129 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the period. Atlatl Advisers LLC bought a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Hughes Financial Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 55.7% during the 2nd quarter. Hughes Financial Services LLC now owns 137 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the period. Security National Bank of SO Dak bought a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Community Financial Services Group LLC boosted its stake in Morgan Stanley by 297.4% in the 2nd quarter. Community Financial Services Group LLC now owns 151 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. 84.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Morgan Stanley Stock Performance

NYSE MS opened at $181.65 on Monday. Morgan Stanley has a 1-year low of $152.80 and a 1-year high of $232.25. The company has a 50 day moving average of $195.21 and a 200-day moving average of $194.31. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.58. The firm has a market cap of $286.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.42, a PEG ratio of 1.21 and a beta of 1.23.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 14th. The financial services provider reported $3.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.93 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $20.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.93 billion. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 19.26% and a net margin of 15.63%. Morgan Stanley’s revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.80 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Morgan Stanley will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Investors of record on Friday, October 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.15 per share. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Morgan Stanley’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.51%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MS has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. TD Cowen lowered their price target on Morgan Stanley from $210.00 to $205.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Morgan Stanley from $236.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Wednesday, October 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $195.00 to $198.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, October 16th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $243.00 to $195.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, thirteen have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Morgan Stanley presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $214.81.

Key Stories Impacting Morgan Stanley

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

• Positive Sentiment: CNBC traders named Morgan Stanley among their “final trades,” citing strong earnings and outlooks. Morgan Stanley, Chubb and CF Industries: CNBC’s ‘Final Trades’
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley has begun using the DTCC’s tokenization service for U.S. equities and Treasuries. The move positions the bank in emerging blockchain market infrastructure, though reports provide no detail on expected revenue or near-term financial impact. What Could Morgan Stanley (MS) Tokenization Mean For Its Role In Markets?
• Negative Sentiment: Recent weakness in Morgan Stanley shares was described as part of a broad market selloff that dragged down major banks, with no company-specific news identified. The bank’s exposure to trading and dealmaking could make it sensitive if market activity cools. Morgan Stanley Sinks 6%, Goldman Down 6%, Citi Down 5% as Market Selloff Drags Wall Street Banks

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a global financial services company that provides investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals.

Its Institutional Securities business offers services such as financial advisory, capital raising, sales and trading, and research. The company also provides financial planning, brokerage and banking services through its Wealth Management business, while its Investment Management business offers investment strategies and portfolio management to a range of clients.

Founded in 1935, Morgan Stanley serves clients in the United States and across international markets, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.