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Morgan Stanley (MS) is a leading global financial services firm headquartered in New York. Its market cap is around $268.1 billion. Morgan Stanley operates broadly across Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management, offering services ranging from capital-raising, M&A advisory, sales & trading, to asset and wealth management for governments, institutions and individuals worldwide.
Companies valued at $200 billion or more are typically considered “mega-cap stocks,” and Morgan Stanley clearly falls into that category, reflecting its significant scale, stability, and influence within the financial sector. Morgan Stanley’s strong competitive position, diversified revenue base, and global presence all contribute to its ability to attract clients and sustain long-term growth.
Shares of the leading financial services company are currently trading just 2.2% below its 52-week high of $171.77, which it hit on Nov. 12. MS stock is up 12.7% over the past three months, outperforming the broader SPDR S&P Capital Markets ETF’s (KCE) 7.5% decline over the same time frame.
Over the longer term, MS rose 27.9% over the past year, and 33.6% on a YTD basis. By contrast, KCE has declined 2.3% over the past 52 weeks and gained 5.2% YTD.
To confirm the bullish price trend, MS has been trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages since early May.
Morgan Stanley’s shares are rising in 2025 largely because the firm has strengthened and diversified its business model, shifting more toward wealth and asset management and reducing reliance on volatile capital-market revenues. Also, its consistently stronger-than-expected earnings results, driven by robust investment banking and growing client assets, have boosted investor confidence.
Its rival, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS), has outperformed MS with 34.8% gains over the past 52 weeks and 42.5% YTD.
The stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from 26 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $170 represents 1.2% upside potential from current price levels.
