Morgan Stanley surpassed analysts’ expectations with its second-quarter earnings and revenue announcement. The company reported earnings of $1.24 per share, exceeding the estimated $1.15 per share by Refinitiv. Additionally, revenue reached $13.46 billion, surpassing the expected $13.08 billion. Despite a 13% decline in profit to $2.18 billion, attributed to lower trading results compared to the previous year and severance costs due to layoffs, the company’s focus on wealth management has contributed to its consistent earnings and enhanced valuation relative to its peers.
CEO James Gorman, who has led the firm since 2010, stated that he plans to step down within a year, initiating a succession race within the Wall Street powerhouse. Gorman expressed satisfaction with the company’s solid performance, acknowledging the challenging market environment at the start of the quarter but noting a more positive tone towards the end.
Morgan Stanley’s wealth management division showcased impressive performance in the second quarter, with revenue increasing by 16% to $6.66 billion. Despite lower market levels impacting some fees compared to the previous year, higher interest income contributed to the division’s success, surpassing analysts’ estimated revenue of $6.5 billion according to FactSet. Notably, the division attracted $90 billion in net new client assets.
In contrast, the bank’s Wall Street division faced challenges, experiencing an 8% decline in revenue to $5.65 billion. This decrease was primarily driven by declines in trading. However, there were some positive aspects as equities trading generated $2.55 billion in revenue, surpassing FactSet’s estimate of $2.37 billion. On the other hand, fixed income revenue of $1.72 billion fell short of the estimated $1.99 billion.
Morgan Stanley’s investment banking revenue remained relatively stable at $1.08 billion, similar to the previous year and in line with analysts’ expectations.
While Morgan Stanley’s shares have shown a slight increase this year, the KBW Bank Index has experienced a decline of approximately 20%.
In recent news, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo also reported earnings that exceeded analysts’ expectations, benefiting from higher interest rates. The earnings season for major banks concludes with Goldman Sachs’ upcoming announcement.