Morgan Stanley

CRD#149777
Investment Advisor Firm

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Learn more about Morgan Stanley

  • Overview
  • By the Numbers
  • Products and Services
  • Fee Structure
  • Types of Clients
  • Disclosures
  • State Registrations
  • Office Locations
  • Firm Advisors

    • Overview

    Morgan Stanley operates as a financial advisory firm headquartered in Purchase, New York. The company handles $1.2 trillion in total assets across 2.2 million client accounts, making it one of the largest investment advisory firms in the United States by assets under management (AUM). It has a very large group, including 15,000 financial advisors. Morgan Stanley does not act as a registered broker-dealer, meaning the firm cannot buy and sell securities for its clients' and own accounts and instead must go through a broker-dealer firm to do so. Securities are defined as tradable financial investments like bonds, stocks and options.

    Morgan Stanley oversees 1,726,809 of the company's accounts on a discretionary basis. Discretionary management is a structure in which transaction judgments for the client's account are made by a portfolio manager without needing the customer's authorization. The company also manages 506,379 non-discretionary accounts with a total of $355.0 billion in AUM. Morgan Stanley administers roughly $532,870 for each client account. An average financial advisor at Morgan Stanley oversees about 149 client accounts.

    The company's main office is located at 2000 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577-2530. Morgan Stanley is allowed to serve clients across 50 U.S. states and territories.

    Assets Under Management

    $1.2 trillion

    Number of Advisors

    15,000

    Disclosures

    No

    Office Location

    2000 Westchester Avenue
    Purchase, NY 10577-2530

    Morgan Stanley by the Numbers

    Total Assets Under Management

    $1.2 trillion

    National Average: $8.6 billion
    Total Number of Employees

    28,000

    National Average: 64
    Total Number of Accounts

    2,233,188

    National Average: 375,227
    Average Account Size

    $530.7 thousand

    National Average: $23.0 thousand
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    Products and Services

    Morgan Stanley offers a variety of financial services, including financial planning services, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, portfolio management for investment companies, portfolio management for institutional clients, pension consulting services, selection of other advisers, educational seminars and other services. In the prior fiscal year, the firm provided financial planning services to 192000 of its accounts. Morgan Stanley is engaged in selling products or offering services apart from investment advisory services to its clients. Morgan Stanley is affiliated with one or more other companies in the financial services industry, including with a broker-dealer or securities dealer, banking or thrift institution, trust company, insurance company or agency and commodity pool advisor.

    Core Advisor Services

    • Offered by 31% of firms

      Financial Planning Services

      This is the process of planning for your financial future, including for events such as retirement, your child's college education or estate succession.

    • Offered by 46% of firms

      Portfolio Management

      This is the selection and management of an investment mix and portfolio strategy for individuals and small businesses.

    • Find a firm that offers this service

      Market Timing Services

      This is the practice of attempting to make short-term profits on investments by buying low and selling high.

    Other Services

    • Offered by 20% of firms

      Selection of Other Advisors

      This is the firm's assistance with choosing other advisors to work with who may have different specialties.

    • Find a firm that offers this service

      Publication of Periodicals

      This is the publication of various financial education materials.

    • Offered by 6% of firms

      Educational Seminars/Workshops

      This is the hosting of seminars or workshops to educate investors on financial concepts.

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    Fee Structure

    Fees for financial advice largely depend on which services the firm provides the client. However, fees billed by the company most likely include the following fee structures: asset-based, fixed, commission-based or other. The company participates in a wrap fee program, in which the company offers a service bundle for a single fee.

    Available

    • Offered by 69% of firms

      Percentage of Assets

      Show Explanation

      This fee, which is the most common fee type charged by advisors for portfolio management, is based on the amount of assets you have under management. Also referred to as an asset-based fee, this fee typically ranges from 0.50%-2.00% of AUM annually. You'll typically pay a lower rate the more assets you have under management.

    • Offered by 1% of firms

      Commissions

      Show Explanation

      Occasionally, advisors earn commissions from selling financial products, such as securities or insurance policies, or making certain referrals or transactions. Advisors who earn commissions may be incentivized to make certain recommendations to clients in order to make a commission. Fee-only advisors do not earn commissions, while fee-based advisors may.

    • Offered by 32% of firms

      Fixed

      Show Explanation

      Fixed fees are a one-time, lump sum charged for a specific service, like the creation of a financial plan without subsequent implementation. This can be useful if you only need advice for one specific purpose, rather than a long-term advisor. Fixed fees usually range from $1,000 to $3,000.

    • Offered by 10% of firms

      Other

      Show Explanation

      Firms can sometimes charge customers using non-traditional fee structures. See this firm's Form ADV for more details.

    Unavailable

    • Find one of the 21% of firms that offer this fee type

      Hourly

      Show Explanation

      Like a lawyer, a financial advisor may charge you by the hour. This can be helpful if you are only looking for short-term or one-time advice. Rates typically range from $100-$300 per hour, depending on the complexity and level of services needed.

    • Find one of the 26% of firms that offer this fee type

      Performance-based

      Show Explanation

      Advisors only earn performance-based fees if a portfolio outperforms a defined benchmark. This fee may be calculated in a number of ways but most commonly is charged as a percentage of investment profits. Performance-based fees may incentivize advisors to make riskier decisions in order to generate higher returns.

    • Find one of the 0% of firms that offer this fee type

      Subscription

      Show Explanation

      Firms generally charge this fee for educational materials provided, such as a monthly magazine. This can be useful if you want to learn about investing or financial management on your own.

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    Types of Clients

    The company works with a broad range of clients. The firm provides services to retail investors, high net worth investors, banking institutions, investment companies, pension plans, charitable organizations, state or municipal government entities, insurance companies, corporations and other. Out of its 2,233,188 customers, Morgan Stanley's biggest client type is retail investors, though it also caters to 21,639 high-net-worth individuals. The SEC defines a high-net-worth individual as a person who has at least $750,000 in AUM or a net worth of more than $1.50 million or who counts as a "qualified purchaser" (a standard met by having at least $5 million in investments). Just 1% of the firm's clients reside abroad.

    • High-Net-Worth Individuals* - 0.97%
    • Other Individuals - 97%
    • Corporations - 0.67%
    • Charitable Organizations - 1.36%

    * The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines a high-net-worth individual as someone who has at least $750,000 under management.

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    Disclosures

    Morgan Stanley does not have any disclosures.

    Please visit its Form ADV for more details.

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    Financial Advisors at Morgan Stanley

    Ellen Spitz
    Garden City, NY
    Seth Hart
    New York, NY
    Russell Huebschle
    Oakland, CA
    William Dilodovico
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
    Charles Doering
    Walnut Creek, CA
    Margret Birch
    Oak Brook, IL
    Calvin Mason
    Pueblo, CO
    Melissa Moyer
    Blue Bell, PA
    Allan House
    Baltimore, MD

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