Why Morgan Stanley Stock Rocked the Market Today

Key Points Happily, it beat on both the top and bottom lines. It did this by improving key fundamentals at double-digit percentage rates. 10 stocks we like better than Morgan Stanley › Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) commemorated this year's Tax Day by releasing its latest set of quarterly results on Wednesday. As it comfortably beat the consensus analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines, investors were eager to get their hands on the bank's stock, and it closed the day nearly 5% higher. That compared very favorably to the S&P 500 index's 0.8% increase. Banking on growth Morgan Stanley's first quarter of this year saw the sprawling company book net revenue of just under $20.6 billion, for a healthy year-over-year gain of 16%. Net income under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) also increased robustly, rising 29% to almost $5.6 billion ($3.43 per share). Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Image source: Getty Images. On average, analysts tracking Morgan Stanley were modeling $19.7 billion for net revenue, and $3.02 per share for GAAP net income. Hardly for the first time in its history, Morgan Stanley's overall performance was boosted by its always-considerable presence on the capital markets and its wealth management operations. With the former, its institutional securities division posted record net revenue of $10.7 billion, thanks in no small part to significant increases in its take equity and fixed-income trading. The latter also notched a new all-time high, at $8.5 billion. Taking advantage of fine opportunities If any white-shoe bank of long standing is going to do well in frothy times for capital markets, it's grand old Morgan Stanley. Its two leading business units (out of three) are thriving, and barring a global economic slowdown from the Iran war, they should continue to do so. I'd feel safe putting my money in this stock. Should you buy stock in Morgan Stanley right now? Before you buy stock in Morgan Stanley, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Morgan Stanley wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $573,160 !* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,204,712 !* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,002 % — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor , and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 15, 2026. Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

It did this by improving key fundamentals at double-digit percentage rates.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) commemorated this year's Tax Day by releasing its latest set of quarterly results on Wednesday. As it comfortably beat the consensus analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines, investors were eager to get their hands on the bank's stock, and it closed the day nearly 5% higher. That compared very favorably to the S&P 500 index's 0.8% increase.

Morgan Stanley's first quarter of this year saw the sprawling company book net revenue of just under $20.6 billion, for a healthy year-over-year gain of 16%. Net income under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) also increased robustly, rising 29% to almost $5.6 billion ($3.43 per share).

Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »

On average, analysts tracking Morgan Stanley were modeling $19.7 billion for net revenue, and $3.02 per share for GAAP net income.

Hardly for the first time in its history, Morgan Stanley's overall performance was boosted by its always-considerable presence on the capital markets and its wealth management operations.

With the former, its institutional securities division posted record net revenue of $10.7 billion, thanks in no small part to significant increases in its take equity and fixed-income trading. The latter also notched a new all-time high, at $8.5 billion.