Flputnam Investment Management Co. Increases Holdings in Morgan Stanley $MS

Flputnam Investment Management Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) by 3.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 248,624 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 7,577 shares during the quarter. Morgan Stanley accounts for about 0.6% of Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th biggest holding. Flputnam Investment Management Co.’s holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $51,972,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Purpose Unlimited Inc. purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Motiv8 Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC raised its holdings 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 worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares during the period. Atlatl Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. 84.19% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Morgan Stanley News

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MS has been the subject of several research reports. Freedom Capital raised Morgan Stanley from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 17th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Morgan Stanley from $220.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised Morgan Stanley from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 7th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Morgan Stanley from $240.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, July 17th. Finally, Barclays lifted 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 assigned a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $224.75.

Morgan Stanley Price Performance

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

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 15th. The financial services provider reported $3.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.89 by $0.57. Morgan Stanley had a return on equity of 19.31% and a net margin of 15.65%.The business had revenue of $21.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $19.67 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.13 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 27.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Morgan Stanley will post 12.79 earnings per share for the current year.

Morgan Stanley Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 31st were given a dividend of $1.15 per share. This is a boost from Morgan Stanley’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. This represents a $4.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 31st. Morgan Stanley’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 37.19%.

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

Morgan Stanley Company 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.