Do Wall Street Analysts Like Morgan Stanley Stock?
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Valued at a market cap of $221 billion, Morgan Stanley (MS) is a New York-based investment bank and financial services firm offering a range of services, including investment banking, wealth management, and asset management. With a strong reputation in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory and capital raising, it serves a broad client base, including corporations, governments, and individual investors.
The financial titan has outpaced the broader market over the past year. MS shares have climbed 56.7% over the past year and 8.8% in 2025, compared to the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 21.8% gains over the past year and 2.7% rally on a YTD basis.
Narrowing the focus, Morgan Stanley has also outpaced the SPDR S&P Capital Markets ETF’s (KCE) 42% gains over the past year and 4.6% return in 2025.
On Jan. 16, MS shares jumped 4% after releasing its fourth quarter and fiscal 2024 earnings report. It reported a record annual revenue of $61.8 billion and its investment banking revenue surged 35%, driven by robust M&A activity and stock sales, with the largest pipeline in seven years signaling continued growth in 2025.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December 2025, analysts expect Morgan Stanley’s adjusted EPS to rise 7.2% year-over-year EPS to $8.52. Moreover, the company has a robust earnings surprise history. It has consistently surpassed Wall Street’s earnings estimates in the past four quarters.
MS stock has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of the 23 analysts covering the stock, six recommend “Strong Buy,” one appoints a “Moderate Buy,” and 16 advise “Hold.”
This configuration has been fairly stable over the past months.
On Jan. 20, UBS Group AG (UBS) raised Morgan Stanley's price target to $140 from $130, maintaining a “Neutral” rating. UBS highlighted strength in both the Wealth Management and Investment Banking businesses, with stabilized net interest income and an improving IPO outlook. Although net new assets were slow in Q4, UBS expects them to rebound while loan growth remains strong. The firm also sees positive momentum for Morgan Stanley’s net new assets from its robust stock plan business.
The mean price target of $138.95 suggests a 1.6% upside from current price levels. The Street-high target of $156 represents a premium of 14%.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.