Morgan Stanley

MS · NYSE

Low target$186.00
Average target$234.46
High target$262.00

Analyst ratings

buy · 13 ratings

DateFirmActionRatingPrice target
July 17, 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform$250.00
July 17, 2026Freedom BrokerUpgradesBuy$245.00
July 17, 2026Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform$240.00
July 17, 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$235.00
July 16, 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$195.00
July 16, 2026Wells FargoMaintainsEqual-Weight$240.00
July 16, 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight$262.00
July 16, 2026Keefe, Bruyette & WoodsMaintainsOutperform$250.00
July 7, 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy$250.00
July 7, 2026UBSMaintainsBuy$255.00
July 6, 2026Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform$233.00
July 6, 2026Goldman SachsMaintainsNeutral$233.00
June 24, 2026Wells FargoMaintainsEqual-Weight$225.00
June 23, 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$220.00
June 12, 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$187.00
May 8, 2026CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$194.00
April 16, 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight$230.00
April 16, 2026RBC CapitalReiteratesSector Perform$207.00
April 16, 2026Wells FargoMaintainsEqual-Weight$200.00
April 16, 2026Keefe, Bruyette & WoodsMaintainsOutperform$218.00
April 16, 2026Goldman SachsMaintainsNeutral$205.00
April 16, 2026B of A SecuritiesMaintainsBuy$225.00
April 7, 2026UBSUpgradesBuy$196.00
April 6, 2026Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform$190.00
March 10, 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$179.00
January 27, 2026Freedom BrokerMaintainsHold$185.00
January 16, 2026RBC CapitalMaintainsSector Perform$207.00
January 16, 2026Keefe, Bruyette & WoodsMaintainsOutperform$210.00
January 8, 2026JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$162.00
January 5, 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight$219.00
December 17, 2025Keefe, Bruyette & WoodsMaintainsOutperform$202.00
October 22, 2025Freedom BrokerMaintainsHold$161.00
October 21, 2025JP MorganMaintainsNeutral$157.00
October 16, 2025Keefe, Bruyette & WoodsMaintainsOutperform$184.00
October 16, 2025Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform$175.00
October 16, 2025Wells FargoMaintainsEqual-Weight$177.00
October 16, 2025CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$170.00
October 16, 2025BarclaysMaintainsOverweight$183.00
October 16, 2025JefferiesMaintainsBuy$186.00
October 7, 2025UBSMaintainsNeutral$165.00
October 3, 2025Goldman SachsMaintainsNeutral$164.00
September 30, 2025Evercore ISI GroupMaintainsOutperform$165.00
September 26, 2025CitigroupMaintainsNeutral$155.00
September 16, 2025Wells FargoMaintainsEqual-Weight$165.00

Stock valuation: Overvalued or still room to run?

Bull case

Analysts at BMO Capital, Evercore ISI, CICC, and Autonomous Research have all raised price targets in July 2026, with targets ranging from $240 to $270, implying meaningful upside from current levels. The consensus 'Outperform' rating from 25 analysts reflects confidence in Morgan Stanley's earnings trajectory and growth potential.

Bear case

GF Value™ metrics indicate Morgan Stanley is significantly overvalued, with a fair value estimate of $151.11 versus a current trading price of $213.93 — a 41.6% premium. Despite the positive analyst ratings, the stock's current price exceeds even some of the more optimistic analyst target ranges, raising concerns about stretched valuation.

AI spending sustainability and semiconductor exposure risk

Bull case

Morgan Stanley's broad exposure to capital markets means it stands to benefit from continued AI-driven investment banking activity and wealth management growth. Strong prior-quarter earnings beats and raised guidance reinforce optimism that AI-related deal flow and asset appreciation will sustain revenue momentum into the next year.

Bear case

Morgan Stanley's own research flags AI spending as an 'ongoing market concern,' signaling potential headwinds from a cooling AI investment cycle. Analysts have also noted contradictions in forecasts around semiconductor profitability slowdowns, raising doubts about whether AI-driven revenue tailwinds for financial firms like Morgan Stanley are durable.

Technical momentum versus weakening institutional money flow

Bull case

Technical analysis shows Morgan Stanley in a clear uptrend of higher highs and higher lows, with bullish signals from the GoNoGo composite indicator and the parabolic SAR. The stock's strong recovery near all-time highs after a brief dip reinforces positive price momentum heading into the next earnings cycle.

Bear case

Despite the positive price chart, institutional money flow indicators are distinctly negative, with large capital not actively flowing into the stock. A bearish MACD crossover preceded the most recent dip, and slowing volume trends suggest waning conviction among institutional investors, potentially capping near-term upside.