Ascent Wealth Partners 13F: New $950K Stake in MS

Ascent Wealth Partners opened a new position in Morgan Stanley MS, purchasing 5,050 shares valued at about $949,804. The investment was revealed in a Form 13F filing with the SEC on October 23, 2026.

MS Morgan Stanley

$183.97 ▲ +2.81% year to date

1M 3M YTD

Daily close · Oct 22, 2026

What Changed in Ascent Wealth Partners's Morgan Stanley Position

Ascent Wealth Partners initiated a brand-new stake in the financial holding company during the period, picking up 5,050 shares. The reported value of the holding reached $949,804 based on the filing date valuation.

Other Institutional Activity in Morgan Stanley

Other major funds made notable adjustments to their Morgan Stanley holdings around the same time. Rokos Capital Management cut its holdings by 388,241 shares, ending with 236,721 shares worth about $49.5 million. BSN Capital Partners closed out its position completely, selling all 161,268 shares. Quilter lowered its stake by 4,170 shares, leaving 1,280 shares valued at roughly $240,742. TCV Trust & Wealth Management also exited its position by selling all 1,116 shares, while Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc kept its massive holding steady at 377,085,167 shares worth about $67.7 billion.

Morgan Stanley Stock Down 4.0%

Morgan Stanley shares recently traded around $179.49 on October 24, 2026, matching the closing price of $179.49 on the October 23 filing date.

Recent Earnings

Morgan Stanley pulled in $79.8 billion in trailing-twelve-month revenue and reported $12.61 in earnings per share over the same period. The firm posted a net profit margin of 25.6% and year-over-year revenue growth of 10.8%. Investors look ahead to the company's next earnings report, which is scheduled for January 14, 2027.

Dividend

Morgan Stanley pays an annual dividend of $4.60 per share, yielding 2.5% with a payout ratio of 32.3%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Morgan Stanley

Company insiders completed several transactions earlier in the year. Officer Eric F Grossman disposed of 11,118 shares valued at about $2.1 million on April 20, 2026. Chief Financial Officer Sharon Yeshaya sold 15,554 shares at $222.51 per share for a total of $3.5 million on July 16, 2026. Officer Michael A Pizzi parted with 24,165 shares worth roughly $5.2 million on July 17, 2026. Finally, Director Mary L Schapiro sold 1,000 shares at $212.06 each for a total of $212,055 on July 28, 2026.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Wall Street firms updated their views on the stock ahead of the filing. On October 15, 2026, Citigroup maintained a Neutral rating while lowering its price target to $190 from $210. RBC Capital kept a Sector Perform rating and cut its target to $195 from $243. TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating and adjusted its target to $205 from $210. On October 16, 2026, JP Morgan maintained a Neutral rating and lifted its target to $198 from $195. BMO Capital maintained an Outperform rating on October 19, 2026, moving its target from $215 to $210. Overall, the stock carries a consensus buy rating with a mean price target of $212.64 across 22 analyst opinions.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley operates as a financial holding company offering wealth management, institutional securities, and investment management services to clients worldwide. The firm connects corporations, governments, and individual investors with global financial markets.

Bottom Line

Ascent Wealth Partners's new investment comes as the bank navigates shifting market conditions and prepares for its next financial update in January. Investors will monitor upcoming earnings and institutional filing trends to gauge momentum.