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Key Takeaways
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Morgan Stanley easily beat fourth-quarter profit and revenue estimates on strong equity trading and IPO activity.
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Equity net revenue was up 51% year-over-year, and equity underwriting revenue soared about 100%.
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The news sent shares up to close to their record high set in late November.
Morgan Stanley (MS) shares advanced Thursday after the bank posted better-than-anticipated results as revenue from its equities trading unit soared and investors poured more money into initial public offerings (IPOs).
Morgan Stanley reported fourth-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $2.22, nearly triple what it was a year ago. Revenue jumped 26% year-over-year to $16.22 billion. Both easily exceeded consensus forecasts of analysts polled by Visible Alpha.
Equity Net Revenue Soars on Increased Client Activity
Equity net revenue rose 51% to $3.33 billion on gains across all the company's business lines and regions, with Morgan Stanley pointing to increased client activity, especially in its Prime Brokerage and Asia market. Equity underwriting revenue doubled to $455 million, which it said was driven by "higher follow-ons and IPOs as clients strategically raised capital in a more constructive environment." Strong stock market gains lifted asset management and related fees 11% to $1.56 billion.
CEO Ted Pick called it "an excellent fourth quarter," with a 20% return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) that "followed three quarters of consistent execution."
Shares of Morgan Stanley rose 2.5% Thursday morning to trade near their all-time high set in late November.
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