Morgan Stanley Shares Dip 2.61 as $0.73 Billion Volume Ranks 129th Amid Dividend Distributions

On August 15, 2025, Morgan Stanley (MS) closed at a 2.61% decline, with a trading volume of $0.73 billion, ranking 129th in the market. The firm announced regular dividends across 12 preferred stock series, with payments scheduled for September and October 2025. Key series include Series M and N, paying $29.38 and $1,956.52 per share, respectively, due on September 15, while Series A, C, E, F, I, K, L, O, P, and Q will distribute dividends on October 15. These distributions reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to shareholder returns, with varying rates from 4.25% to 10% for non-cumulative perpetual shares.

The dividend declarations align with Morgan Stanley’s 33-year consecutive dividend record, including 11 years of increases. While the move underscores financial stability, the stock’s performance remains sensitive to broader market dynamics and sector-specific pressures. The firm’s recent earnings beat and strategic hires, such as Ashish Kumbhat to co-lead its bank advisory group, highlight operational confidence, though broker ratings have shifted between hold and market perform, indicating mixed sentiment among analysts.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for 1 day from 2022 to 2025 delivered moderate returns. The 1-day return was 0.98%, and the total return was 37.61%. While the strategy showed stability, the returns were relatively modest, indicating a conservative performance compared to potential high-risk, high-reward strategies.