Goldman has recently reduced Morgan Stanley (MS) stock to Neutral rating, as announced on September 11, 2024, according to Finviz. Earlier, on August 2, 2024, Wells Fargo had reduced the stock from a Equal Weight to Underweight, setting a price target of $95. for MS stock. Oppenheimer also reduced Perform rating. Additionally, Keefe Bruyette reduced Mkt Perform rating on January 17, 2024, with a target price of $91. JP Morgan analysts, in their report published on January 17, 2024, also reduced Neutral rating and set a price target of $94 for Morgan Stanley’s stock. Analyst ratings are significant because they provide insights into stock performance expectations, influencing investor decisions and market sentiment.
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Morgan Stanley (MS) Stock Trading Recap
On Monday, Morgan Stanley (MS) stock saw a modest uptick, ending the day at $100.09 which represents a slight increase of $1.84 or 1.87% from the prior close of $98.25. The stock opened at $99.15 and touched a low of $98.76 during the day, reaching a high of $100.19. The volume of shares traded was 4.45 million falling short of the average volume of 6.31 million.
MS Stock Performance and Moving Averages
In recent trading, Morgan Stanley (MS) stock price has shown some volatility, fluctuating 1.95% over the last five trades and -0.55% over the past 30 trades. This represents a notable shift from earlier in the year. Over the last six months, the stock has risen by 13.25%, and it has gained 4.81% in the previous three months. Currently, MS is trading at -0.02%, -0.38%, and 7.18% relative to its 20-Day, 50-Day, and 200-Day Simple Moving Averages, respectively.
As of the latest trading close, MS, a Financial sector stock, is trading -8.27% below its 52-week high but remains 44.18% above its 52-week low. The Average True Range (ATR) (14 days) of 2.35 highlights the stock’s average volatility, providing insight into how much the price typically fluctuates. This measure is crucial for understanding potential price swings and assessing overall market risk.
Morgan Stanley’s Profitability and Valuation Ratios
Morgan Stanley’s profitability metrics reveal strong financial health. The company currently boasts an operating margin of 13.24% and a profit margin of 9.59%, with a gross margin of 13.25%. The profit margin, also known as the revenue ratio or gross profit ratio, measures how efficiently a company converts sales into net income; higher margins indicate greater profitability.
In terms of valuation, Morgan Stanley’s market capitalization stands at $161.93 billion. Market cap represents the total value of all outstanding shares and is a key indicator of a company’s market value. The stock’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 16.48, assessing the company’s valuation relative to its earnings. The forward P/E ratio, which uses projected earnings for the next financial year, is 13.14. Additionally, the Price-to-Sales Ratio is 1.58, reflecting the market’s valuation of the company’s sales, while the Price-to-Book Ratio is 1.76, comparing the market value to the company’s book value.
Understanding Insider Trading
Investors often prefer to invest in shares held by company insiders, as management is typically more aligned with the company’s success and shareholder interests. Currently, insiders own just 23.55% of Morgan Stanley (MS)’s shares, while financial institutions hold 62.10%.
Notable insider trades include CRAWLEY MANDELL, Chief Human Resources Officer at Morgan Stanley (MS), who sold 3500 shares on Jul 26 ’24, at $105.25 each, totaling $0.37 million. On Jul 18 ’24, AKRAM RAJA, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, sold 7500 shares for $106.37 each, amounting to $0.80 million. Additionally, on Jul 19 ’24, YESHAYA SHARON sold 15547 shares at $104 each, generating $1.62 million.
