Morgan Stanley beats Q1 earnings forecasts on trading and dealmaking strength

Morgan Stanley reported higher first-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by stronger dealmaking and a surge in trading revenue. The results came in above Wall Street expectations and lifted the company’s shares.
The bank posted earnings per share of $3.43, compared with analyst forecasts of $3.02. Its stock traders generated $5.15 billion in revenue during the quarter, up 25% from the same period last year and part of a total trading revenue figure of $10.7 billion.
Morgan Stanley also saw a strong rebound in investment banking activity and double-digit growth in its Wealth Management business. The company’s results were described as record-breaking and better than expected by analysts.

Morgan Stanley reported earnings per share of $3.43, above the $3.02 forecast.

The company benefited from stronger dealmaking, higher trading revenue, and double-digit growth in Wealth Management.

Morgan Stanley’s stock traders brought in $5.15 billion, and total trading revenue reached $10.7 billion.

Yes. Morgan Stanley’s first-quarter results came in above Wall Street estimates.

CNBC

Morgan Stanley on Wednesday posted first-quarter results that topped analyst estimates as the firm's trading operations generated almost $1 billion more in revenue than expected.

Business Wire

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced its first quarter 2026 financial results. The results are now available on the Firm's Investor Relations website at www.morganstanley.com/about-us-ir/earnings-releases. The results will be filed on a Form 8-K with the Securities an...

Reuters

Morgan Stanley reported a rise in first-quarter profit on Wednesday, buoyed by a dealmaking boost and a surge in revenue from its trading business.

Invezz

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is inching higher on Wednesday after the Wall Street giant reported record-breaking first-quarter results that blew past analyst expectations. The financial services stock is rallying today as investors cheer a massive resurgence in investment banking and double-digit growt...

Market Watch

The banking giant posted earnings per share of $3.43, compared to forecasts of $3.02.

Bloomberg Markets and Finance

Morgan Stanley's stock traders took in $5.15 billion in the first three months of the year, a 25% jump that came in ahead of expectations and boosted total trading revenue to $10.7 billion. Dani Burger reports on Bloomberg Television.

Schaeffers Research

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) is among the latest bank giants to report earnings this morning, with adjusted first-quarter earnings of $3.43 per share on $20.58 billion in revenue surpassing expectations.

Zacks Investment Research

Morgan Stanley (MS) came out with quarterly earnings of $3.43 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.06 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.6 per share a year ago.

Proactive Investors

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) shares climbed nearly 5% in early trading Wednesday after the bank reported first quarter results that exceeded analyst expectations, supported by stronger-than-anticipated trading revenue. The New York-based lender posted earnings of $3.43 per share for the quarter, ahead o...

Seeking Alpha

Morgan Stanley (MS) delivered a strong Q1, with EPS of $3.43 and revenue up 16% to $20.6 billion, driven by wealth management and Wall Street operations. MS's wealth management segment posted robust organic growth, steady fee-based revenues, and resilient margins, with fee-based AUM up 19% to $2.8 t...

Zacks Investment Research

Expectations of rising NII, loan growth and fee income set the stage for solid earnings and revenue gains for STT in Q1.

Zacks Investment Research

The headline numbers for Morgan Stanley (MS) give insight into how the company performed in the quarter ended March 2026, but it may be worthwhile to compare some of its key metrics to Wall Street estimates and the year-ago actuals.

CNBC Television

Morgan Stanley on Wednesday posted first-quarter results that topped analyst estimates as the firm's trading operations generated almost $1 billion more in revenue than expected.

Zacks Investment Research

Morgan Stanley's Q1 2026 EPS jumps 32% and beats estimates as advisory revenues surge 74% and equity trading hits a record, lifting shares premarket.

New York Post

Morgan Stanley's haul helped lift total trading revenue across the industry toward a projected $40 billion-plus quarter for the five biggest US lenders, according to estimates.

Bloomberg Markets and Finance

Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick discusses his perspectives on current market conditions and financial sector developments, including his concerns about "imported" inflation from the war in Iran and the recent concerns about the private credit market.

Seeking Alpha

Morgan Stanley (MS) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

Investors Business Daily

Both revenue and earnings were above all analysts' estimates.

MarketBeat

Despite the financials sector's struggles this year, investment banking giant Goldman Sachs NYSE: GS has been a very strong performer over the past year. Shares of GS have provided a total return exceeding 80% during the past 52 weeks as the company's advisory and equity trading businesses boom.

Benzinga

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) posted better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter.

Seeking Alpha

Morgan Stanley delivered robust Q1 results, with strong growth in Institutional Securities and Wealth Management and notable improvements in profitability ratios. The firm's expense efficiency ratio improved to 65%, diluted EPS jumped 32% YoY, and ROE/ROTCE expanded significantly, signaling operatio...

The Motley Fool

Happily, it beat on both the top and bottom lines. It did this by improving key fundamentals at double-digit percentage rates.

Zacks Investment Research

We are off to a solid start to the Q1 earnings season, with companies not only comfortably beating consensus estimates but also providing a reassuring read on the economy despite elevated energy costs and other risks.

Benzinga

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) on Wednesday posted better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter.

Zacks Investment Research

Besides Wall Street's top-and-bottom-line estimates for MSCI (MSCI), review projections for some of its key metrics to gain a deeper understanding of how the company might have fared during the quarter ended March 2026.

24/7 Wall Street

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS | MS Price Prediction) just posted one of its strongest quarters on record, and Wall Street is taking notice.

Zacks Investment Research

SCHW tops Q1 earnings and revenue estimates on stronger trading and net interest revenue, yet shares fall more than 2.5% premarket.

Zacks Investment Research

MSCI heads into Q1 results with strong ETF-linked inflows, rising subscriptions and AI-driven efficiency gains, though macro pressures are likely to have weighed on growth.