Kintegral Advisory LLC Reduces Stake in Morgan Stanley

Kintegral Advisory LLC has decreased its stake in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) by 4.5% during the fourth quarter, as disclosed in its latest Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Following the sale of 4,314 shares in the quarter, the fund now holds 92,611 shares of the financial services company. This investment represents about 1.1% of Kintegral Advisory LLC's overall portfolio, making Morgan Stanley its 13th largest holding. The reported value of Kintegral's Morgan Stanley holdings is $11,643,000 based on the latest SEC filing.

Multiple other hedge funds have also recently adjusted their positions in Morgan Stanley. For instance, Bell Bank raised its stake by 8.3% in the fourth quarter and now owns 5,327 shares worth approximately $670,000 after adding 409 shares. Similarly, Eubel Brady & Suttman Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake valued at around $201,000. Additionally, Bradley Foster & Sargent Inc. CT increased its holdings by 0.8%, owning 17,173 shares now valued at $2,159,000 following the purchase of 131 additional shares. WP Advisors LLC and Waterfront Wealth Inc. also reported new stakes valued at around $212,000 and $1,948,000, respectively. Collectively, institutional investors hold approximately 84.19% of Morgan Stanley's stock.

Morgan Stanley's Current Financial Metrics

On Friday, the stock opened at $131.60. Morgan Stanley's financial ratios include a current ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.80, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.14. The company boasts a market capitalization of $212.02 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.57, and a P/E-to-growth (P/E/G) ratio of 1.24, with a beta of 1.37. The company's stock has seen fluctuations, ranging from a 12-month low of $84.43 to a high of $142.03. Its 50-day moving average stands at $132.37, while the 200-day moving average is at $119.77.

Morgan Stanley reported its latest quarterly earnings on January 16th, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $2.22, outperforming analyst expectations of $1.54. The company's return on equity was 14.39%, with a net profit margin of 12.48%. Revenue for the quarter amounted to $16.23 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $15.03 billion and reflecting a year-over-year increase compared to $1.13 EPS during the same timeframe last year. Analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post an EPS of 8.56 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Declaration by Morgan Stanley

Recently, Morgan Stanley announced a quarterly dividend, paid out on February 14th. Shareholders as of January 31st received a dividend of $0.925 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $3.70, equating to a yield of 2.81%. The company's dividend payout ratio currently stands at 46.60%.

Insider Transactions at Morgan Stanley

In related developments, insider Eric F. Grossman sold 13,097 shares on January 21st at an average price of $136.20, totaling about $1,783,811. Following this sale, Grossman possesses 197,444 shares valued at around $26.89 million, reflecting a 6.22% decline in ownership. CFO Raja Akram also sold 17,500 shares the same day at an average price of $136.01, totaling $2,380,175. Following this sale, Akram's holdings decreased by 17.69% to 81,440 shares, worth about $11.08 million. Company insiders currently own 0.24% of Morgan Stanley's stock.

Analysts' Adjustments to Price Targets

Various analysts have recently provided updated ratings for Morgan Stanley. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded its rating from "underweight" to "equal weight" and raised the price target from $107.00 to $142.00. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods adjusted their price target from $138.00 to $145.00, maintaining a "market perform" rating. However, HSBC lowered their rating from "buy" to "hold" while increasing the price target from $128.00 to $131.00. JPMorgan raised their price target from $104.00 to $108.00, assigning a "neutral" rating, while Barclays lifted its price objective from $155.00 to $156.00 at an "overweight" rating. Currently, 11 analysts have a hold rating, and 6 analysts suggest buying, leading to an average rating of "Hold" with a consensus price target around $131.27.

Overview of Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a well-known financial holding company that provides a diverse range of financial services and products to corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals worldwide. The company operates through various segments, including institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management.

Kintegral, Morgan, Stanley