Morgan Stanley Stock Price, News & Analysis

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) has successfully completed its acquisition of Eaton Vance Corp., involving a mix of stock and cash. Shareholders of Eaton Vance received 0.5833 shares of Morgan Stanley and $28.25 in cash for each share, plus a special dividend of $4.25 paid on December 18, 2020. This strategic move aims to enhance Morgan Stanley's fee-based revenue, bringing total client assets under management to $5.4 trillion. The merger is expected to combine investment capabilities and distribution strengths, enhancing value for clients.

A new study by the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing reveals that sustainable investing funds outperformed traditional funds in 2020, offering stronger returns and reduced risk during market volatility. Key findings include:

• A median total return of 4.3% higher for sustainable equity funds and 0.9% for sustainable taxable bond funds compared to traditional counterparts.
• Sustainable funds demonstrated lower median downside deviation, indicating reduced risk.

This underscores the reliability of sustainable investments, debunking myths of performance sacrifice.

On February 19, 2021, shareholders of Calvert Funds approved new investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements as part of the ongoing acquisition of Eaton Vance Corp. (NYSE: EV) by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), originally announced on October 8, 2020. The Calvert Funds include various investment vehicles such as the High Yield Bond Fund and Global Energy Solutions Fund. These approvals are critical steps in the acquisition process, with the vote results to be published in future shareholder reports, as certified by Computershare Fund Services.

Morgan Stanley has announced an agreement with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati to facilitate the migration of privately-held companies using Wilson Sonsini's capitalization management software to Morgan Stanley's Shareworks platform. Shareworks offers a range of equity plan management solutions aiding companies in managing stock plans and compliance. Through this partnership, Morgan Stanley aims to enhance its leadership in capitalization management for startups and provide comprehensive financial solutions. The firm currently serves over 4.9 million stock plan participants globally.

On February 18, 2021, shareholders of Eaton Vance mutual funds participated in a joint special meeting to approve new investment advisory agreements related to the acquisition of Eaton Vance Corp. (NYSE: EV) by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), initially announced on October 8, 2020. Shareholders of various funds voted in favor of the agreements, while the meeting for additional funds was adjourned to February 26, 2021, to allow more shareholder participation. The record date for these funds' votes remains unchanged at December 11, 2020.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is set to acquire Eaton Vance Corp. (NYSE: EV) on March 1, 2021, according to the merger agreement from October 7, 2020. Eaton Vance shareholders must submit their merger consideration elections by 5:00 p.m. ET on February 24, 2021. If no election is made, shareholders will receive a mixed consideration of $28.25 in cash and 0.5833 shares of Morgan Stanley stock. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and share elections may be prorated to maintain the total cash and stock balance.

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management has launched a new initiative to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by sponsoring the Barron’s in Education program. This sponsorship provides students at 14 HBCUs with access to Barron’s digital subscriptions and various experiential learning opportunities. The aim is to enhance students’ financial education and career readiness, offering resources from industry leaders. This initiative complements Morgan Stanley's HBCU Scholars Program, which supports 60 students from select institutions with scholarships.

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) will release its first quarter 2021 financial results on April 16, 2021, at approximately 7:30 a.m. (ET). A conference call to discuss the results is scheduled for the same day at 8:30 a.m. (ET). The call can be accessed via www.morganstanley.com or by dialing 1-877-895-9527 for domestic calls and 1-706-679-2291 for international calls, using passcode 3395222. Playback options will also be available.