Morgan Stanley's Price Target Reduced by Oppenheimer

In a recent research note on Tuesday, Oppenheimer has adjusted their price target for Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) from the previous $109.00 to $97.00, while maintaining an outperform rating on the financial services provider's stock. This revision was reported by Benzinga among other adjustments from various analysts concerning Morgan Stanley's stock projections.

Analysts' Ratings and Price Targets

Morgan Stanley has seen mixed reviews from research analysts. While TheStreet upgraded Morgan Stanley's rating from c+ to b, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed their neutral stance but lowered their price objective to $87.00 from $94.00. Societe Generale downgraded the company from a buy to a hold rating and set a target price of $80.00. HSBC also switched from a buy to hold rating, establishing a price target of $96.00. Meanwhile, BNP Paribas moved Morgan Stanley to a neutral from an outperform rating, with a price target of $85.00. In total, the stock has received one strong buy rating, six buys, and thirteen holds, leading to an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $93.90, as computed by MarketBeat.com.

Financial Highlights and Performance

Morgan Stanley opened at $88.42 on the report's release day, noting a 52-week range between $69.42 to $95.57. The company holds a market capitalization of roughly $144.59 billion, accompanied by a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.10 and a PEG ratio of 1.79. Its current stock performance shows a beta of 1.43, with a 50-day moving average of $86.89 and a 200-day moving average of $83.84. Their most recent quarterly earnings surpassed expectations by $0.06, with a $1.13 EPS compared to the forecasted $1.07.

Dividend Announcements

A quarterly dividend was paid out to Morgan Stanley shareholders on record as of January 31st in the amount of $0.85 per share, indicating a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.85%. The company has maintained a dividend payout ratio (DPR) at 65.76%.

Inside Trades and Ownership

Executives and insiders of Morgan Stanley were involved in the trading of company shares. CFO Raja Akram sold 7,000 shares, while insider Andrew M. Saperstein disposed off 10,000 shares. In the past 90 days, insiders have sold over 208,155 shares valued around $18,149,314. Insiders hold approximately 0.24% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investments

In recent financial moves, several hedge funds have modified their holdings in Morgan Stanley. BlackRock Inc., Wellington Management Group LLP, Capital Research Global Investors, and Capital International Investors are among the notable firms adjusting their positions, with Geode Capital Management LLC also increasing its investment.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, offers a wide range of services to various clients including corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. With operations spanning across regions such as the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, it continues to work through its three primary segments: Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management.

MorganStanley, PriceTarget, Oppenheimer