Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) Shares Purchased by New Vernon Investment Management LLC

New Vernon Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) by 223.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 27,624 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 19,074 shares during the quarter. Morgan Stanley accounts for approximately 2.1% of New Vernon Investment Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest holding. New Vernon Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $3,473,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Peoples Bank KS acquired a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Morgan Stanley during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Curio Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Morgan Stanley in the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Crowley Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Morgan Stanley in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Stonebridge Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. 84.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Morgan Stanley Stock Up 2.9 %

Shares of NYSE:MS opened at $115.61 on Friday. Morgan Stanley has a 52-week low of $90.55 and a 52-week high of $142.03. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.14. The business has a fifty day moving average of $117.37 and a two-hundred day moving average of $124.45. The stock has a market cap of $186.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.56, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.30.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, April 11th. The financial services provider reported $2.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.39. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 12.48% and a return on equity of 14.39%. The firm had revenue of $17.74 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.81 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.02 earnings per share. Morgan Stanley’s quarterly revenue was up 17.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Morgan Stanley will post 8.56 earnings per share for the current year.

Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 30th will be given a dividend of $0.925 per share. This represents a $3.70 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.20%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 30th. Morgan Stanley’s payout ratio is presently 43.43%.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Eric F. Grossman sold 10,068 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.65, for a total transaction of $1,124,092.20. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 199,274 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $22,248,942.10. This trade represents a 4.81 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.19% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MS has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Morgan Stanley from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Morgan Stanley from $155.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Morgan Stanley from $125.00 to $122.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 14th. JMP Securities reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a research note on Monday, April 14th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on Morgan Stanley from $135.00 to $125.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 24th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $130.50.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It operates through Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments.