Morgan Stanley (MS) Stock Forecast & Price Target

$188.82 +1.38 (+0.74%)

As of 12:13 PM Eastern

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Morgan Stanley - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Moderate Buy

Based on 27 Analyst Ratings

Sell
1

Hold
13

Buy
13

Based on 27 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Morgan Stanley in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 27 analysts, 1 has given a sell rating, 13 have given a hold rating, 11 have given a buy rating, and 2 have given a strong buy rating for MS.

Consensus Price Target

$219.43
16.21% Upside

According to the 27 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Morgan Stanley, the average price target is $219.43. The highest price target for MS is $262.00, while the lowest price target for MS is $195.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 16.21% from the current price of $188.82.

MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.

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MS Analyst Ratings Over Time

Type	Current Forecast 10/9/25 to 10/9/26	1 Month Ago 9/9/25 to 9/9/26	3 Months Ago 7/11/25 to 7/11/26	1 Year Ago 10/9/24 to 10/9/25
Strong Buy	2 Strong Buy rating(s)	3 Strong Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	2 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy	11 Buy rating(s)	12 Buy rating(s)	12 Buy rating(s)	6 Buy rating(s)
Hold	13 Hold rating(s)	10 Hold rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	8 Hold rating(s)
Sell	1 Sell rating(s)	1 Sell rating(s)	1 Sell rating(s)	0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target	$219.43	$224.75	$215.20	$154.85
Forecasted Upside	16.21% Upside	4.32% Upside	-3.15% Downside	-0.87% Downside
Consensus Rating	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy

MS Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.

MS Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.

Morgan Stanley Stock vs. The Competition

Type	Morgan Stanley	Finance Companies	Broader Market
Consensus Rating Score	2.52	2.27	2.52
Consensus Rating	Moderate Buy	Hold	Moderate Buy
Predicted Upside	17.02% Upside	38.34% Upside	19.64% Upside
News Sentiment Rating	Positive News See Recent MS News	Positive News	Neutral News

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

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Rating

Upside/Downside

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Date	Brokerage	Analyst	Action	Rating	Price Target	Report Date Upside/Downside
10/8/2026	TD Cowen 3 of 5 stars	R. Scott Siefers Not Rated	Initiated Coverage	Hold	$210.00	+10.72%
10/8/2026	Erste Group Bank 5 of 5 stars		Downgrade	Buy ➝ Hold
10/6/2026	BMO Capital Markets 3 of 5 stars	Brennan Hawken 2 of 5 stars	Lower Target	Outperform	$250.00 ➝ $215.00	+13.04%
10/5/2026	UBS Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Erika Najarian Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Buy	$260.00 ➝ $236.00	+24.08%
9/30/2026	Citigroup Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Keith Horowitz Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Neutral	$235.00 ➝ $210.00	+8.91%
9/30/2026	Zacks Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Downgrade	Strong-Buy ➝ Hold
9/28/2026	HSBC Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Dominic Ball Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Hold	$215.00 ➝ $219.00	+11.55%
9/25/2026	Wells Fargo & Company Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Mike Mayo Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Lower Target	Equal Weight	$240.00 ➝ $223.00	+13.69%
8/5/2026	Weiss Ratings Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Buy (B-) ➝ Buy (B)
7/20/2026	Royal Bank Of Canada Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Gerard Cassidy Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Sector Perform	$243.00	+12.88%
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7/17/2026	Freedom Capital Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Hold ➝ Strong-Buy
7/16/2026	Barclays Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Jason Goldberg Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Overweight	$230.00 ➝ $262.00	+14.65%
7/16/2026	JPMorgan Chase & Co. Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Kian Abouhossein Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Neutral	$187.00 ➝ $195.00	-10.02%
7/16/2026	Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Christopher McGratty Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Outperform	$225.00 ➝ $250.00	+9.40%
7/7/2026	Jefferies Financial Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Hold ➝ Strong-Buy
7/7/2026	Bank of America Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Ebrahim Poonawala Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$225.00 ➝ $250.00	+13.20%
7/6/2026	Evercore Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Outperform
7/6/2026	The Goldman Sachs Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Richard Ramsden Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Neutral	$211.00 ➝ $233.00	+8.74%
6/30/2026	Oppenheimer Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Chris Kotowski Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Downgrade	Market Perform ➝ Underperform
6/25/2026	Rothschild & Co Redburn Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Neutral	$183.00 ➝ $195.00	-12.50%
5/19/2026	CICC Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Outperform	$175.00 ➝ $200.00	+4.31%
5/7/2026	Dbs Bank Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target		$185.00 ➝ $220.00	+14.62%
5/5/2026	Daiwa Securities Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Neutral	$175.00 ➝ $198.00	+4.67%
4/24/2026	BNP Paribas Exane Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Neutral	$195.00 ➝ $205.00	+9.26%
4/16/2026	Argus Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Buy	$210.00 ➝ $225.00	+17.60%
4/16/2026	Citizens Jmp Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Devin Ryan Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Reiterated Rating	Market Perform
4/1/2026	Wolfe Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Lower Target	Outperform	$221.00 ➝ $197.00	+18.55%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Friday at 12:13 PM ET.

Should I Buy Morgan Stanley Stock? MS Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Morgan Stanley pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Morgan Stanley
Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Morgan Stanley:

Morgan Stanley recently demonstrated strong financial performance by beating earnings expectations, reporting $3.46 in earnings per share for the quarter ended July 15, 2026, which exceeded the consensus estimate of $2.89 by $0.57. This beat was accompanied by revenue of $21.35 billion, surpassing the expected $19.67 billion, indicating robust demand for the firm's services and a 27.1% year-over-year revenue growth rate.
The company has authorized a significant share buyback plan of $20.00 billion, which allows it to repurchase up to 5.6% of its outstanding shares. This move is generally viewed as a positive signal that management believes the stock is undervalued and is committed to returning capital to shareholders, potentially supporting the current stock price of $189.67.
Morgan Stanley has increased its quarterly dividend to $1.15 per share, representing an annualized yield of approximately 2.42%. This increase from the previous $1.00 quarterly dividend provides a growing income stream for investors, supported by a payout ratio of 37.19%, which suggests the company has ample earnings to sustain and potentially grow this distribution.
The firm has secured a strategic role as one of six joint lead managers for the U.K.'s first digitally native government bond, the Digital Gilt Instrument. This position is expected to generate underwriting, distribution, and advisory revenue while strengthening Morgan Stanley's competitive standing in digital-asset and blockchain-related capital markets, positioning it for future growth in fintech.
Wall Street analysts maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating for the stock, with an average 12-month price target of $219.90. This target implies significant upside potential from the current trading level, reflecting confidence in the company's integrated banking, wealth-management, and asset-management model as a driver for long-term earnings growth.

Morgan Stanley
Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in Morgan Stanley for these reasons:

Recent insider activity has been dominated by selling, with multiple executives, including the CEO and CFO, selling significant blocks of shares in early 2026. For instance, the CEO sold 100,000 shares in October 2025, and other insiders like Eric Grossman and Andrew Saperstein sold tens of thousands of shares in January and April 2026, which may signal that company leadership is taking advantage of higher valuations to reduce their personal exposure.
The stock is currently trading at $189.67, which is below its 50-day moving average of $208.67 and 200-day moving average of $202.44. This technical positioning suggests that the stock has experienced a recent pullback and may be facing downward momentum, as it is also down from its 52-week high of $232.25.
Some major financial institutions have recently lowered their price targets or ratings, indicating caution. For example, Citigroup reduced its price objective from $235.00 to $210.00 with a "neutral" rating, and BMO Capital Markets cut its target from $250 to $215. These adjustments suggest that some analysts see more limited near-term upside than previously expected, potentially capping the stock's growth potential in the short term.
Morgan Stanley faces a high debt-to-equity ratio of 3.65, which is typical for financial institutions but still represents a significant leverage level. This high leverage can amplify losses during periods of market stress or economic downturns, making the company more vulnerable to interest rate changes or credit market volatility compared to less leveraged peers.
The company's broader market outlook includes a lower 2026 Saudi Arabia GDP forecast due to prolonged oil-supply disruption, which could negatively impact client trading and advisory conditions in key regions. While this does not directly change Morgan Stanley's earnings outlook, it highlights macroeconomic risks that could weigh on the firm's investment banking and trading revenues in the coming quarters.

MS Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 27 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Morgan Stanley is $219.43, with a high forecast of $262.00 and a low forecast of $195.00.

27 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Morgan Stanley in the last twelve months. There is currently 1 sell rating, 13 hold ratings, 11 buy ratings and 2 strong buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" MS shares.

According to analysts, Morgan Stanley's stock has a predicted upside of 16.21% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Morgan Stanley's stock had 3 upgrades and 3 downgrades by analysts.

Morgan Stanley has been rated by research analysts at Barclays, BMO Capital Markets, Citigroup, Erste Group Bank, Freedom Capital, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Royal Bank Of Canada, TD Cowen, UBS Group, Weiss Ratings, Wells Fargo & Company, and Zacks Research in the past 90 days.

Morgan Stanley also publishes sell-side equities research reports and recommendations about other companies, which can be viewed at its brokerage rating page.

Analysts like Morgan Stanley more than other "finance" companies. The consensus rating for Morgan Stanley is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "finance" companies is Hold. Learn more on how MS compares to other companies.

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MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Morgan Stanley analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 10/8/2026.

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Morgan Stanley (MS) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Morgan Stanley - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Consensus Price Target

MS Analyst Ratings Over Time

MS Analyst Recommendations By Month

MS Price Targets by Month

Morgan Stanley Stock vs. The Competition

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Should I Buy Morgan Stanley Stock? MS Pros and Cons Explained

Morgan Stanley
Bull Case

Morgan Stanley
Bear Case

MS Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Today's Analyst Ratings

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Morgan Stanley (MS) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Morgan Stanley - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Consensus Price Target

MS Analyst Ratings Over Time

MS Analyst Recommendations By Month

MS Price Targets by Month

Morgan Stanley Stock vs. The Competition

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Should I Buy Morgan Stanley Stock? MS Pros and Cons Explained

Morgan Stanley Bull Case

Morgan Stanley Bear Case

MS Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Morgan Stanley's forecast for 2026?

Should I buy or sell Morgan Stanley stock right now?

Does Morgan Stanley's stock price have much upside?

Has Morgan Stanley been upgraded or downgraded by Wall Street analysts recently?

What analysts cover Morgan Stanley?

Does Morgan Stanley rate other companies?

Do Wall Street analysts like Morgan Stanley more than its competitors?

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Today's Analyst Ratings

Top-Rated Stocks

More Ratings Tools

Brokerages With Morgan Stanley Recommendations

MarketBeat All Access Features

Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring

Stock Ideas and Recommendations

Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools

Morgan Stanley
Bull Case

Morgan Stanley
Bear Case