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 is a financial advisory firm that has its headquarters in Purchase, New York. It controls $729.2 billion in assets under management over 1.8 million accounts, making it one of the largest investment advisory firms in the United States by assets under management (AUM). The firm has a very large team of 26,000 employees, fifteen thousand of whom are financial advisors. Morgan Stanley does not act as a registered broker-dealer, signifying that the advisor is not able to buy and sell securities for its accounts and those of its clients and instead has to go through a broker-dealer company to do so. Securities are defined as tradable financial investments like options, equities and bonds.

    Morgan Stanley manages the majority of the company's client assets in a discretionary manner. Discretionary management is a structure in which transaction decisions are made by an investment advisor without requiring client permission. The firm also manages 626,877 non-discretionary accounts with a total of $252.0 billion in AUM. The firm oversees an average of $401,522 for every customer account. An average financial advisor at Morgan Stanley oversees about 121 client accounts.

    The firm's headquarters is at 2000 Westchester Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577-2530. Morgan Stanley is allowed to serve clients across 51 U.S. states and territories.

    Assets Under Management

    $729.2 billion

    Number of Advisors

    15,000

    Fee Structure

    Asset-based, Fixed, Commission-based, Other

    Disclosures

    Yes

    Office Location

    2000 Westchester Avenue
    Purchase, NY 10577-2530

    Morgan Stanley by the Numbers

    Total Assets Under Management

    $729.2 billion

    National Average: $3.3 billion
    Total Number of Employees

    26,000

    National Average: 4,943
    Total Number of Accounts

    1,815,592

    National Average: 2,522
    Average Account Size

    $401.7 thousand

    National Average: $1.3 million

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    Products and Services

    Morgan Stanley offers a variety of 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 last fiscal year, the company provided 115,500 of its customers with financial planning services. Morgan Stanley does sell products or offer services different than investment advice to its clients. It also has a number of financial industry affiliations, including with a broker-dealer or securities dealer, banking or thrift institution, trust company, insurance company or agency, real estate broker or dealer and commodity pool advisor.

    Core Advisor Services

    • Offered by 45% 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 63% 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 23% 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 10% 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

    Financial management fees largely vary depending on which service is offered. However, fee types billed by Morgan Stanley 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 firm offers a bundle of services for a single fee.

    Available

    • Offered by 75% 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 3% 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 40% 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 12% 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 37% 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 17% 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 1% 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

    Morgan Stanley does business with a number of different customers. The company works with retail investors, high net worth investors, banking institutions, investment companies, pension plans, charitable organizations, state or municipal government entities, insurance companies, corporations and other types of clients. Out of its 1,815,592 customers, Morgan Stanley's largest client group by number of accounts is retail investors, but it also serves 5,643 high-net-worth individuals. The SEC defines a high-net-worth individual as someone who has at least $750,000 under management or a net worth of more than $1.50 million or who is considered a "qualified purchaser" (a standard met by having at least $5 million in investments). Just 1% of the company's clients are non-U.S. persons.

    • High-Net-Worth Individuals* - 0.31%
    • Other Individuals - 97.77%
    • Corporations - 1.9%
    • Charitable Organizations - 0.01%

    * 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 has disclosures.

    Please visit its Form ADV for more details.

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    Financial Advisors at Morgan Stanley

    Michael Triolo
    Latham, NY
    Blake Waldron
    Venice, FL
    David Hooks
    Lakeland, FL
    Timothy Seabolt
    Sewickley, PA
    Tyler Waddell
    Torrance, CA
    Teri Miller
    Huntsville, AL
    Nicholas Moran
    New Orleans, LA
    Charlie-Marie Stamm
    Bangor, ME
    Michele Michaels
    Chico, CA

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    This content was compiled from the SEC and FINRA