Morgan Stanley's ETF Launch Amid Market Decline
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Aug 14 2024
0mins
Should l Buy MS?
Source: Coinmarketcap
Morgan Stanley's stock fell 3.08% as it hit a 20-day low, reflecting broader market weakness with the Nasdaq-100 down 1.25% and the S&P 500 down 1.32%.
The decline comes despite Morgan Stanley launching the Eaton Vance Preferred Securities and Income ETF, which aims to provide current income and total return. This marks the 19th ETF strategy introduced in 2023, showcasing the firm's commitment to expanding investment options. The ETF features a transparent fee structure and an active management strategy, indicating a positive outlook for the preferred securities asset class amid a challenging market environment.
This launch highlights Morgan Stanley's proactive approach to diversifying its offerings, even as the stock faces pressure from overall market conditions. Investors may view this as a strategic move to enhance income potential and attract new clients.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy MS?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on MS
Wall Street analysts forecast MS stock price to rise
14 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 160.450
Low
132.00
Averages
185.00
High
219.00
Current: 160.450
Low
132.00
Averages
185.00
High
219.00
About MS
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services company. The Company is engaged in providing a range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. Its segments include Institutional Securities, Wealth Management and Investment Management. Its Institutional Securities segment provides a variety of products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions and ultra-high net worth clients. Its Wealth Management segment provides an array of financial services and solutions to individual investors and small to medium-sized businesses and institutions. Its Investment Management segment provides a range of investment strategies and products that span geographies, asset classes, and public and private markets to a diverse group of clients across institutional and intermediary channels. Its investment banking services consist of capital raising and financial advisory services, including the underwriting of debt and other products.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Morgan Stanley Sees Growth Potential in Agibank
- Rating and Price Target: Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of Brazilian digital bank Agibank with an overweight rating and a $21 price target, implying a 100% upside from Friday's close, indicating the market's underappreciation of its growth potential.
- IPO Performance: Since going public last month, AGI shares have slipped 12.5%, priced at $12 per share during the IPO, reflecting investor concerns about long-term profitability, despite analysts highlighting its attractive valuation.
- Loan Portfolio Advantage: Agibank's INSS-backed loans represent 79% of its loan book, with this stable growth sector expected to accelerate as rates ease, which analysts believe will further enhance market share.
- Product Expansion and Distribution Model: Agibank has expanded into public and private payroll loans, deposits, PIX, cards, unsecured personal loans, and insurance, leveraging the low-cost Smart Hubs distribution model to enhance customer stickiness and revenue potential.
See More
Archer Aviation: Potential of eVTOL Technology in Urban Mobility
- Massive Market Opportunity: According to Precedence Research, the global eVTOL market is currently valued at approximately $5 billion, with projections soaring to $216 billion by 2035, reflecting an astounding annual growth rate of 52%, highlighting Archer's significant potential in urban transportation.
- Strategic Partnerships: Archer has formed strategic alliances with AI leaders Palantir and Nvidia, underscoring the immense interest from major companies in next-generation aviation technology, which could provide robust support for its future growth.
- Significant Investment Risks: With a market capitalization of $4.6 billion, Archer would need to capture 20% of the eVTOL market to turn a $10,000 investment into $100,000, facing intense competition both domestically and internationally, particularly in China.
- High Execution Risks: Archer spent nearly $80 million on equipment and $126 million on acquisitions last year without recognizing any sales, indicating uncertainty in its market position, which necessitates cautious consideration from investors.
See More
Market Update: Oil Price Drop and Tech Stock Upgrades
- Oil Price Fluctuations: U.S. benchmark WTI crude prices have fallen below $90 a barrel, despite being up over 50% year-to-date, indicating market optimism regarding improved U.S.-Iran relations, yet geopolitical risks continue to loom over oil prices.
- Tech Stock Rating Changes: Intuit was upgraded to buy from hold by Rothschild & Co Redburn, with its stock rising over 30% since late February, although it remains down 28.5% for the year, reflecting a recovery in market confidence in its software products.
- Cybersecurity Stock Bounce: Morgan Stanley upgraded CrowdStrike from hold to buy, with its stock up over 20% from last month's low, highlighting the positive impact of AI technology on the cybersecurity sector and indicating optimistic market expectations for future growth.
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Positive Outlook: Despite memory cost pressures, the company raised its full-year earnings outlook, with reported quarterly revenues slightly below expectations but gross margins and adjusted EPS exceeding forecasts, demonstrating strong demand in the data center buildout.
See More
Latest Wall Street Rating Updates
- BofA Downgrades Qualcomm: Bank of America has downgraded Qualcomm from neutral to underperform with a price target of $145, citing lukewarm projected sales and EPS growth of only 2% and 1% CAGR from 2025 to 2028, significantly lagging the semiconductor sector's expected 17% growth.
- Deutsche Bank Upgrades Teladoc: Deutsche Bank upgraded Teladoc from hold to buy, highlighting an attractive risk/reward profile due to compelling valuation and a deliverable strategy for its BetterHelp business, indicating a strong potential for future growth.
- TD Cowen Upgrades Rivian: TD Cowen upgraded Rivian from hold to buy, projecting full-scale demand for its R2 model to reach between 212,000 and 335,000 units, suggesting significant upside potential against 2027 consensus estimates.
- Morgan Stanley Reiterates Microsoft Overweight: Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating on Microsoft, emphasizing the readiness of its Office product suite for the upcoming Agentic AI offerings, with general availability expected on May 1, 2026, priced at $99 per user per month.
See More
Morgan Stanley Upgrades CrowdStrike, Sees 17% Upside
- Rating Upgrade: Morgan Stanley upgraded CrowdStrike from equal weight to overweight, naming it a top pick, which reflects strong confidence in its future performance.
- Price Target Increase: Analyst Meta Marshall raised the price target from $487 to $510, indicating a 17% upside, showcasing optimism about the company's growth potential.
- Market Leadership: Despite its high valuation, Marshall believes CrowdStrike is best positioned for outperformance in an AI-driven market, expecting it to continue gaining market share and benefiting from AI tailwinds.
- Strong Demand Trends: CrowdStrike's Falcon Flex subscription model saw a 120% year-over-year growth in FQ4, with Marshall noting that strong demand trends and the company's best-in-class management team make it a standout in the cybersecurity industry.
See More
Software Stocks Decline, Nvidia CEO Rebuts Market Reaction
- Illogical Market Reaction: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argues that the market's reaction to AI is irrational, stating that many software companies are under pressure due to the belief that AI will replace them, which he describes as 'the most illogical thing in the world.'
- Microsoft's Cloud Market Share Growth: Microsoft increased its share of cloud infrastructure and platform services spending from 20% in September to 21% in December, indicating ongoing growth in its cloud computing market share driven by enhanced compute capacity and demand for Foundry AI services.
- Strong Financial Performance for Datadog: Datadog reported a 29% revenue increase to $953 million in Q4, with remaining performance obligations rising 52% to $3.4 billion, suggesting robust future revenue growth potential, although non-GAAP net income grew only 20% due to heavy R&D spending.
- AI Boosting Demand for Observability Software: Datadog was ranked as a leader in AI for IT operations by Forrester Research, and as cloud adoption and AI proliferate, its market share in core observability is expected to continue growing, making it a top priority for many IT departments.
See More
Morgan Stanley Sees Growth Potential in Agibank
- Rating and Price Target: Morgan Stanley initiated coverage of Brazilian digital bank Agibank with an overweight rating and a $21 price target, implying a 100% upside from Friday's close, indicating the market's underappreciation of its growth potential.
- IPO Performance: Since going public last month, AGI shares have slipped 12.5%, priced at $12 per share during the IPO, reflecting investor concerns about long-term profitability, despite analysts highlighting its attractive valuation.
- Loan Portfolio Advantage: Agibank's INSS-backed loans represent 79% of its loan book, with this stable growth sector expected to accelerate as rates ease, which analysts believe will further enhance market share.
- Product Expansion and Distribution Model: Agibank has expanded into public and private payroll loans, deposits, PIX, cards, unsecured personal loans, and insurance, leveraging the low-cost Smart Hubs distribution model to enhance customer stickiness and revenue potential.
See More
Archer Aviation: Potential of eVTOL Technology in Urban Mobility
- Massive Market Opportunity: According to Precedence Research, the global eVTOL market is currently valued at approximately $5 billion, with projections soaring to $216 billion by 2035, reflecting an astounding annual growth rate of 52%, highlighting Archer's significant potential in urban transportation.
- Strategic Partnerships: Archer has formed strategic alliances with AI leaders Palantir and Nvidia, underscoring the immense interest from major companies in next-generation aviation technology, which could provide robust support for its future growth.
- Significant Investment Risks: With a market capitalization of $4.6 billion, Archer would need to capture 20% of the eVTOL market to turn a $10,000 investment into $100,000, facing intense competition both domestically and internationally, particularly in China.
- High Execution Risks: Archer spent nearly $80 million on equipment and $126 million on acquisitions last year without recognizing any sales, indicating uncertainty in its market position, which necessitates cautious consideration from investors.
See More
Market Update: Oil Price Drop and Tech Stock Upgrades
- Oil Price Fluctuations: U.S. benchmark WTI crude prices have fallen below $90 a barrel, despite being up over 50% year-to-date, indicating market optimism regarding improved U.S.-Iran relations, yet geopolitical risks continue to loom over oil prices.
- Tech Stock Rating Changes: Intuit was upgraded to buy from hold by Rothschild & Co Redburn, with its stock rising over 30% since late February, although it remains down 28.5% for the year, reflecting a recovery in market confidence in its software products.
- Cybersecurity Stock Bounce: Morgan Stanley upgraded CrowdStrike from hold to buy, with its stock up over 20% from last month's low, highlighting the positive impact of AI technology on the cybersecurity sector and indicating optimistic market expectations for future growth.
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Positive Outlook: Despite memory cost pressures, the company raised its full-year earnings outlook, with reported quarterly revenues slightly below expectations but gross margins and adjusted EPS exceeding forecasts, demonstrating strong demand in the data center buildout.
See More
Latest Wall Street Rating Updates
- BofA Downgrades Qualcomm: Bank of America has downgraded Qualcomm from neutral to underperform with a price target of $145, citing lukewarm projected sales and EPS growth of only 2% and 1% CAGR from 2025 to 2028, significantly lagging the semiconductor sector's expected 17% growth.
- Deutsche Bank Upgrades Teladoc: Deutsche Bank upgraded Teladoc from hold to buy, highlighting an attractive risk/reward profile due to compelling valuation and a deliverable strategy for its BetterHelp business, indicating a strong potential for future growth.
- TD Cowen Upgrades Rivian: TD Cowen upgraded Rivian from hold to buy, projecting full-scale demand for its R2 model to reach between 212,000 and 335,000 units, suggesting significant upside potential against 2027 consensus estimates.
- Morgan Stanley Reiterates Microsoft Overweight: Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating on Microsoft, emphasizing the readiness of its Office product suite for the upcoming Agentic AI offerings, with general availability expected on May 1, 2026, priced at $99 per user per month.
See More
Morgan Stanley Upgrades CrowdStrike, Sees 17% Upside
- Rating Upgrade: Morgan Stanley upgraded CrowdStrike from equal weight to overweight, naming it a top pick, which reflects strong confidence in its future performance.
- Price Target Increase: Analyst Meta Marshall raised the price target from $487 to $510, indicating a 17% upside, showcasing optimism about the company's growth potential.
- Market Leadership: Despite its high valuation, Marshall believes CrowdStrike is best positioned for outperformance in an AI-driven market, expecting it to continue gaining market share and benefiting from AI tailwinds.
- Strong Demand Trends: CrowdStrike's Falcon Flex subscription model saw a 120% year-over-year growth in FQ4, with Marshall noting that strong demand trends and the company's best-in-class management team make it a standout in the cybersecurity industry.
See More
Software Stocks Decline, Nvidia CEO Rebuts Market Reaction
- Illogical Market Reaction: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang argues that the market's reaction to AI is irrational, stating that many software companies are under pressure due to the belief that AI will replace them, which he describes as 'the most illogical thing in the world.'
- Microsoft's Cloud Market Share Growth: Microsoft increased its share of cloud infrastructure and platform services spending from 20% in September to 21% in December, indicating ongoing growth in its cloud computing market share driven by enhanced compute capacity and demand for Foundry AI services.
- Strong Financial Performance for Datadog: Datadog reported a 29% revenue increase to $953 million in Q4, with remaining performance obligations rising 52% to $3.4 billion, suggesting robust future revenue growth potential, although non-GAAP net income grew only 20% due to heavy R&D spending.
- AI Boosting Demand for Observability Software: Datadog was ranked as a leader in AI for IT operations by Forrester Research, and as cloud adoption and AI proliferate, its market share in core observability is expected to continue growing, making it a top priority for many IT departments.
See More
