Diversified Trust Co lifted its holding in Morgan Stanley by 63.9% during the third quarter, boosting its position to 48,243 shares after acquiring an additional 18,800 shares. As of the latest SEC filing, the firm’s stake was valued at $7.67 million. This uptick underscores growing confidence from a key institutional investor in Morgan Stanley’s wealth management and trading divisions.

In the quarter ended September 30, Morgan Stanley reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.80, exceeding consensus estimates by $0.73. Revenue rose 18.5% year-over-year to $17.98 billion, driven by robust trading revenues and net interest income growth. Return on equity reached 16.4%, while net margin held at 13.85%, reflecting disciplined expense management and favorable market conditions.

Morgan Stanley declared a quarterly dividend of $1.00 per share, payable mid-November to holders of record on October 31. The annualized payout of $4.00 represents a dividend yield of approximately 2.2% and a payout ratio of 41.0%. The firm continues to target a capital return ratio above 50%, with repurchases resuming after regulatory approval for higher buyback activity.

Research firms have recently raised their outlook on Morgan Stanley, with three analysts assigning a Strong Buy rating and eight issuing a Buy rating. Price targets have been lifted across the board, including a move from $184 to $202 by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and a shift to Outperform by Wolfe Research with a $198 target. Based on MarketBeat data, the consensus rating stands at Moderate Buy, reflecting optimism about further earnings leverage and increased capital return capability.