MS
Morgan Stanley Financial Services - Investment Banking Investor Relations →
Morgan Stanley (MS) closed at $179.96 as of 2026-02-02, trading 77.0% above its 200-week moving average of $101.65. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 79.8% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 66, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1671 weeks of data, MS has crossed below its 200-week moving average 18 times. On average, these episodes lasted 27 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MS at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +15.2%.
With a market cap of $286.0 billion, MS is a large-cap stock. Return on equity stands at 15.7%, a solid level. The stock trades at 2.9x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 9.3% over the past three years.
Over the past 32.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MS would have grown to $4326, compared to $2532 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 12.4% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming MS as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -100% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: MS vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MS Crosses Below the Line?
Across 18 historical episodes, buying MS when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +12.8% after 12 months (median +25.0%), compared to +6.5% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 67% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +50.6% vs +28.1% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MS crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MS has crossed below its 200-week MA 18 times with an average 1-year return of +15.2% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1994 | Apr 1994 | 11 | 11.6% | +11.9% | +4226.3% |
| Jun 1994 | Jun 1994 | 1 | 3.7% | +35.9% | +4378.4% |
| Oct 1994 | Jan 1995 | 16 | 12.5% | +60.3% | +4460.4% |
| Apr 2001 | Apr 2001 | 1 | 0.6% | +11.7% | +620.9% |
| Aug 2001 | Dec 2001 | 19 | 27.2% | -11.8% | +610.7% |
| Jan 2002 | Dec 2003 | 99 | 46.7% | -24.2% | +537.0% |
| Apr 2004 | Aug 2004 | 18 | 8.5% | -3.3% | +550.4% |
| Sep 2004 | Oct 2004 | 5 | 3.6% | +5.9% | +586.0% |
| Nov 2007 | Nov 2007 | 1 | 1.8% | -79.2% | +439.9% |
| Dec 2007 | Dec 2007 | 1 | 1.2% | -71.6% | +435.5% |
| Dec 2007 | Jan 2013 | 265 | 80.7% | -64.4% | +446.4% |
| Feb 2013 | Mar 2013 | 1 | 1.4% | +38.4% | +1005.9% |
| Mar 2013 | Apr 2013 | 6 | 8.7% | +48.1% | +1018.4% |
| Jan 2016 | Aug 2016 | 29 | 16.5% | +72.8% | +824.9% |
| Dec 2018 | Dec 2018 | 1 | 3.7% | +38.4% | +497.1% |
| Aug 2019 | Aug 2019 | 1 | 1.6% | +33.8% | +460.1% |
| Mar 2020 | May 2020 | 12 | 30.4% | +98.8% | +419.2% |
| Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 | 2 | 4.9% | +72.3% | +166.9% |
| Average | 27 | — | +15.2% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02