What Are Wall Street Analysts' Target Price for Morgan Stanley Stock?

Core Insights - Morgan Stanley has a market capitalization of $261.8 billion and is a prominent global financial services firm, providing advisory services in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, investment strategies, and asset management [1] Performance Overview - Over the past year, Morgan Stanley's stock has increased by 40.1%, outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which rose by 19.6%. Year-to-date, the stock has risen by 30.2%, while the broader index has increased by 16.5% [2] - The financial sector has shown strong performance, with Morgan Stanley's returns exceeding the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's 11.8% return over the past year and 7.9% gain this year [3] Recent Financial Results - On October 15, Morgan Stanley's shares rose by 5% following third-quarter results that surpassed analyst expectations. Revenue grew by 18% year-over-year to $18.2 billion, and earnings per share (EPS) increased to $2.80, driven by a 44% surge in deal-making fees and strong equities trading performance. The wealth and asset management segment also showed solid growth, with total client assets nearing $8.9 trillion [4] Future Projections - For the fiscal year 2025, analysts project an EPS growth of 18.5%, reaching $9.42 on a diluted basis. Morgan Stanley has consistently exceeded consensus estimates over the past four quarters [5] - Current analyst sentiment is slightly more positive than a month ago, with the consensus rating being a "Moderate Buy," which includes eight "Strong Buy" ratings, three "Moderate Buys," and 16 "Holds" [5] - On October 21, JPMorgan analyst Kian Abouhossein maintained a "Neutral" rating on Morgan Stanley but raised the price target from $122 to $157, indicating a more optimistic outlook on the firm's valuation [6]