Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm that, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, provides its products and services to a large and diversified group of clients and customers, including corporations, governments, financial institutions and individuals. Morgan Stanley was originally incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 1981, and its predecessor companies date back to 1924. Morgan Stanley is a financial holding company regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Fed”) under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). Morgan Stanley conducts its business from its headquarters in and around New York City, its regional offices and branches throughout the U.S. and its principal offices in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other world financial centers. At December 31, 2009, Morgan Stanley had 61,388* employees worldwide. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Morgan Stanley,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Morgan Stanley and its consolidated subsidiaries.
On December 16, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a change in the Company’s fiscal year end from November 30 to December 31 of each year, beginning January 1, 2009. As a result of the change, the Company had a one month transition reporting period in December 2008.
Business Segments.
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm that maintains significant market positions in each of its business segments—Institutional Securities, Global Wealth Management Group and Asset Management. A summary of the activities of each of the business segments follows.
Institutional Securities includes capital raising; financial advisory services, including advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, real estate and project finance; corporate lending; sales, trading, financing and market-making activities in equity and fixed income securities and related products, including foreign exchange and commodities; and investment activities.
Global Wealth Management Group, which includes the Company’s 51% interest in Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Holdings LLC (“MSSB”), provides brokerage and investment advisory services to individual investors and small-to-medium sized businesses and institutions covering various investment alternatives; financial and wealth planning services; annuity and other insurance products; credit and other lending products; cash management services; retirement services; and trust and fiduciary services.
Asset Management provides global asset management products and services in equity, fixed income, alternative investments, which includes hedge funds and funds of funds, and merchant banking, which includes real estate, private equity and infrastructure, to institutional and retail clients through proprietary and third-party distribution channels. Asset Management also engages in investment activities.
Institutional Securities.
Morgan Stanley provides financial advisory and capital-raising services to a diverse group of corporate and other institutional clients globally, primarily through wholly owned subsidiaries that include Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (“MS&Co.”), Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc, Morgan Stanley Japan Securities Co., Ltd. and Morgan Stanley Asia Limited. These and other subsidiaries also conduct sales and trading activities worldwide, as principal and agent, and provide related financing services on behalf of institutional investors.
Investment Banking and Corporate Lending Activities.
Financial Advisory Services. Morgan Stanley provides corporate and other institutional clients globally with advisory services on key strategic matters, such as mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, recapitalizations, spin-offs, exchange offers and leveraged buyouts and takeover defenses as well as shareholder relations. Morgan Stanley also provides advice concerning rights offerings, dividend policy, valuations, foreign exchange exposure, financial risk management strategies and financial planning. In addition, Morgan Stanley furnishes advice and services regarding project financings and provides advisory services in connection with the purchase, sale, leasing and financing of real estate.
Capital Raising. Morgan Stanley manages and participates in public offerings and private placements of debt, equity and other securities worldwide. Morgan Stanley is a leading underwriter of common stock, preferred stock and other equity-related securities, including convertible securities and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). Morgan Stanley is a leading underwriter of fixed income securities, including investment grade debt, non-investment grade instruments, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities, tax-exempt securities and commercial paper and other short-term securities.
Corporate Lending. Morgan Stanley provides loans or lending commitments, including bridge financing, to selected corporate clients through subsidiaries, including Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. These loans and commitments have varying terms, may be senior or subordinated and/or secured or unsecured, are generally contingent upon representations, warranties and contractual conditions applicable to the borrower and may be syndicated, hedged or traded by Morgan Stanley*. The borrowers may be rated investment grade or non-investment grade.
Sales and Trading Activities.
Morgan Stanley conducts sales, trading, financing and market-making activities on securities and futures exchanges and in over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets around the world. Morgan Stanley’s Institutional Securities sales and trading activities include Equity Trading; Interest Rates, Credit and Currencies; Commodities; and Clients and Services.
Equity Trading. Morgan Stanley acts as principal (including as a market maker) and agent in executing transactions globally in equity and equity-related products, including common stock, ADRs, global depositary receipts and exchange-traded funds.
Morgan Stanley’s equity derivatives sales, trading and market-making activities cover equity-related products globally, including equity swaps, options, warrants and futures overlying individual securities, indices and baskets of securities and other equity-related products. Morgan Stanley also issues and makes a principal market in equity-linked products to institutional and individual investors.
Interest Rates, Credit and Currencies. Morgan Stanley trades, makes markets and takes long and short proprietary positions in fixed income securities and related products globally, including, among other products, investment and non-investment grade corporate debt, distressed debt, bank loans, U.S. and other sovereign securities, emerging market bonds and loans, convertible bonds, collateralized debt obligations, credit, currency and other fixed income-linked notes, and securities issued by structured investment vehicles, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities and real estate-loan products, municipal securities, preferred stock and commercial paper, money-market and other short-term securities. Morgan Stanley is a primary dealer of U.S. Federal Government securities and a member of the selling groups that distribute various U.S. agency and other debt securities. Morgan Stanley is also a primary dealer or market maker of government securities in numerous European, Asian and emerging market countries.
Morgan Stanley trades, makes markets and takes long and short proprietary positions globally in listed futures and OTC swaps, forwards, options and other derivatives referencing, among other things, interest rates, currencies, investment grade and non-investment grade corporate credits, loans, bonds, U.S. and other sovereign securities, emerging market bonds and loans, credit indexes, asset-backed security indexes, property indexes, mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities and real estate loan products.
Morgan Stanley trades, makes markets and takes long and short proprietary positions in major foreign currencies, such as the Japanese yen, euro, British pound, Swiss franc and Canadian dollar, as well as in emerging markets currencies. Morgan Stanley trades these currencies on a principal basis in the spot, forward, option and futures markets.
Through the use of repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, Morgan Stanley acts as an intermediary between borrowers and lenders of short-term funds and provides funding for various inventory positions. Morgan Stanley also provides financing to customers for commercial and residential real estate loan products and other securitizable asset classes. In addition, Morgan Stanley engages in principal securities lending with clients, institutional lenders and other broker-dealers.
Morgan Stanley advises on investment and liability strategies and assists corporations in their debt repurchases and tax planning. Morgan Stanley structures debt securities, derivatives and other instruments with risk/return factors designed to suit client objectives, including using repackaged asset and other structured vehicles through which clients can restructure asset portfolios to provide liquidity or reconfigure risk profiles.
Commodities. Morgan Stanley trades as principal and maintains long and short proprietary trading positions in the spot, forward and futures markets in several commodities, including metals (base and precious), agricultural products, crude oil, oil products, natural gas, electric power, emission credits, coal, freight, liquefied natural gas and related products and indices. Morgan Stanley is a market-maker in exchange-traded options and futures and OTC options and swaps on commodities, and offers counterparties hedging programs relating to production, consumption, reserve/inventory management and structured transactions, including energy-contract securitizations. Morgan Stanley is an electricity power marketer in the U.S. and owns electricity generating facilities in the U.S. and Europe.
Morgan Stanley owns TransMontaigne Inc. and its subsidiaries, a group of companies operating in the refined petroleum products marketing and distribution business, and owns an interest in Heidmar Holdings LLC, which owns a group of companies that provide international marine transportation and U.S. marine logistics services.
Clients and Services. Morgan Stanley provides financing services, including prime brokerage, which offers, among other services, consolidated clearance, settlement, custody, financing and portfolio reporting services to clients trading multiple asset classes. In addition, Morgan Stanley’s institutional distribution and sales activities are overseen and coordinated through Clients and Services.
Investments. Morgan Stanley from time to time makes investments that represent business facilitation or principal investing activities. Business facilitation investments are strategic investments undertaken by Morgan Stanley to facilitate core business activities. Principal investing activities are investments and capital commitments provided to public and private companies, funds and other entities generally for proprietary purposes to maximize total returns to Morgan Stanley.
Morgan Stanley sponsors and manages investment vehicles and separate accounts for clients seeking exposure to private equity, real estate-related and other alternative investments. Morgan Stanley may also invest in and provide capital to such investment vehicles. See also “Asset Management.”
Operations and Information Technology.
Morgan Stanley’s Operations and Information Technology departments provide the process and technology platform that supports Institutional Securities sales and trading activity, including post-execution trade processing and related internal controls over activity from trade entry through settlement and custody, such as asset servicing. This is done for proprietary and customer transactions in listed and OTC transactions in commodities, equity and fixed income securities, including both primary and secondary trading, as well as listed, OTC and structured derivatives in markets around the world. This activity is undertaken through Morgan Stanley’s own facilities, through membership in various clearing and settlement organizations, and through agreements with unaffiliated third parties.
Global Wealth Management Group.
Morgan Stanley’s Global Wealth Management Group, which includes the Company’s 51% interest in MSSB, provides comprehensive financial services to clients through a network of over 18,000 global representatives in approximately 895 locations at year end. As of December 31, 2009, Morgan Stanley had $1,560 billion in client assets.
Clients.
Global Wealth Management Group professionals serve individual investors and small-to-medium size businesses and institutions with an emphasis on ultra high net worth, high net worth and affluent investors. Financial advisors are located in branches across the U.S., and provide solutions designed to accommodate individual investment objectives, risk tolerance and liquidity needs. Call centers are available to meet the needs of emerging affluent clients. Outside the U.S., Global Wealth Management Group offers financial services to clients in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Latin America.
Products and Services.
Morgan Stanley’s Global Wealth Management Group provides clients with a comprehensive array of financial solutions, including products and services from Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Inc. (“Citi”) and third-party providers, such as insurance companies and mutual fund families. Global Wealth Management Group provides brokerage and investment advisory services covering various types of investments, including equities, options, futures, foreign currencies, precious metals, fixed income securities, mutual funds, structured products, alternative investments, unit investment trusts, managed futures, separately managed accounts and mutual fund asset allocation programs. Global Wealth Management Group also offers education savings programs, financial and wealth planning services and annuity and other insurance products.
In addition, Global Wealth Management Group offers its clients access to several cash management services through various affiliates, including cash sweeps, debit cards, electronic bill payments and check writing, as well as lending products, including securities based lending, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit. Global Wealth Management Group also offers access to cash management and commercial credit solutions to qualified small and medium businesses in the U.S., and provides individual and corporate retirement solutions, including IRAs and 401(k) plans and U.S. stock plan services to corporate executives and businesses.
Global Wealth Management Group provides clients a variety of ways to establish a relationship and conduct business, including brokerage accounts with transaction-based pricing and investment advisory accounts with asset-based fee pricing.
Operations and Information Technology.
As a result of the MSSB joint venture, most of the operations and technology supporting the Global Wealth Management Group are provided either by Morgan Stanley’s Operations and Information Technology departments or by Citi. Pursuant to contractual agreements, Morgan Stanley and Citi perform various broker-dealer related functions, such as execution and clearing of brokerage transactions, margin lending and custody of client assets. For Morgan Stanley, these activities are undertaken through Morgan Stanley’s own facilities, through memberships in various clearing and settlement organizations, and through agreements with unaffiliated third parties. Morgan Stanley and Citi provide certain other services and systems to support the Global Wealth Management Group, including through transition services agreements with MSSB.
Asset Management.
Morgan Stanley’s Asset Management business segment is one of the largest global asset management organizations of any full-service financial services firm and offers individual and institutional clients a diverse array of equity, fixed income and alternative investments and merchant banking strategies. Currently, Morgan Stanley’s asset management activities are principally conducted under the Morgan Stanley and Van Kampen brands. Portfolio managers located in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Singapore and India manage investment products ranging from money market funds to equity, taxable and tax-exempt fixed income funds and alternative investment and merchant banking products in developed and emerging markets. Morgan Stanley offers clients various investment styles, such as value, growth, core, fixed income and asset allocation; global investments; active and passive management; and diversified and concentrated portfolios.
Morgan Stanley offers a range of alternative investment and merchant banking products for institutional investors and high net worth individuals. Morgan Stanley’s alternative investments platform includes hedge funds, funds of hedge funds, funds of private equity funds and portable alpha strategies, including FrontPoint Partners LLC, a leading provider of absolute return strategies. Morgan Stanley’s alternative investments platform also includes minority stakes in Lansdowne Partners, Avenue Capital Group and Traxis Partners LP. Morgan Stanley’s Merchant Banking Division includes Morgan Stanley’s real estate investing business, private equity funds and infrastructure investing group. Morgan Stanley typically acts as general partner of, and investment adviser to, its alternative investment and merchant banking funds and typically commits to invest a minority of the capital of such funds with subscribing investors contributing the majority.
On October 19, 2009, as part of a restructuring of Morgan Stanley’s Asset Management business segment, Morgan Stanley entered into a definitive agreement to sell substantially all of its retail asset management business, including Van Kampen Investments, Inc. (“Van Kampen”), to Invesco Ltd. (“Invesco”). This transaction allows Morgan Stanley’s Asset Management business segment to focus on its institutional client base. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Invesco will purchase substantially all of Morgan Stanley’s retail asset management business, operating under both the Morgan Stanley and Van Kampen brands, in a stock and cash transaction. Morgan Stanley will receive a 9.4% minority interest in Invesco. The transaction, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, is expected to close in mid-2010, subject to customary regulatory, client and fund shareholder approvals.
Institutional Investors.
Morgan Stanley provides asset management products and services to institutional investors worldwide, including corporations, pension plans, large intermediaries, private funds, non-profit organizations, foundations, endowments, sovereign wealth funds, governmental agencies, insurance companies and banks. Products and services are available to institutional investors primarily through separate accounts, U.S. mutual funds and other pooled vehicles. Morgan Stanley also sub-advises funds for various unaffiliated financial institutions and intermediaries. A global sales force and a team dedicated to covering the investment consultant industry serve institutional investors.
Individual Investors.
Morgan Stanley offers open-end and alternative investment funds and separately managed accounts to individual investors through affiliated and unaffiliated broker-dealers, banks, insurance companies and financial planners. Closed-end funds managed by Morgan Stanley or Van Kampen are available to individual investors through affiliated and unaffiliated broker-dealers. A small number of unaffiliated broker-dealers account for a substantial portion of Van Kampen open-end fund sales. Morgan Stanley also sells mutual funds through numerous retirement plan platforms. Internationally, Morgan Stanley distributes traditional investment products to individuals outside the U.S. through non-proprietary distributors, and alternative investment products are distributed through affiliated broker-dealers.
Operations and Information Technology.
Morgan Stanley’s Operations and Information Technology departments provide or oversee the process and technology platform required to support its asset management business. Support activities include transfer agency, mutual fund accounting and administration, transaction processing and certain fiduciary services, on behalf of institutional, retail and intermediary clients. These activities are undertaken through Morgan Stanley’s own facilities, through membership in various clearing and settlement organizations, and through agreements with unaffiliated third parties.
Research.
Morgan Stanley’s research department (“Research”) coordinates globally across all of Morgan Stanley’s businesses. Research consists of economists, strategists and industry analysts who engage in equity and fixed income research activities and produce reports and studies on the U.S. and global economy, financial markets, portfolio strategy, technical market analyses, individual companies and industry developments. Research examines worldwide trends covering numerous industries and individual companies, the majority of which are located outside of the U.S.; provides analysis and forecasts relating to economic and monetary developments that affect matters such as interest rates, foreign currencies, securities, derivatives and economic trends; and provides analytical support and publishes reports on asset-backed securities and the markets in which such securities are traded and data are disseminated to investors through third party distributors, proprietary internet sites such as Client Link and Morgan Stanley’s sales forces.
Competition.
All aspects of Morgan Stanley’s businesses are highly competitive and Morgan Stanley expects them to remain so. Morgan Stanley competes in the U.S. and globally for clients, market share and human talent in all aspects of its business segments. Morgan Stanley’s competitive position depends on its reputation and the quality of its products, services and advice. Morgan Stanley’s ability to sustain or improve its competitive position also depends substantially on its ability to continue to attract and retain qualified employees while managing compensation and other costs. Morgan Stanley competes with commercial banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies, sponsors of mutual funds, hedge funds, energy companies and other companies offering financial services in the U.S., globally and through the internet. Over time, certain sectors of the financial services industry have become more concentrated, as institutions involved in a broad range of financial services have been acquired by or merged into other firms or have declared bankruptcy. Such changes could result in Morgan Stanley’s remaining competitors gaining greater capital and other resources, such as the ability to offer a broader range of products and services and geographic diversity.
Institutional Securities and Global Wealth Management Group.
Morgan Stanley’s competitive position depends on innovation, execution capability and relative pricing. Morgan Stanley competes directly in the U.S. and globally with other securities and financial services firms and broker-dealers, and with others on a regional or product basis.
Morgan Stanley’s ability to access capital at competitive rates (which is generally dependent on Morgan Stanley’s credit ratings) and to commit capital efficiently, particularly in its capital-intensive underwriting and sales, trading, financing and market-making activities, also affects its competitive position. Corporate clients may request that Morgan Stanley provide loans or lending commitments in connection with certain investment banking activities.
It is possible that competition may become even more intense as Morgan Stanley continues to compete with financial institutions that may be larger, or better capitalized, or may have a stronger local presence and longer operating history in certain areas. Many of these firms have greater capital than Morgan Stanley and have the ability to offer a wide range of products and services that may enhance their competitive position and could result in pricing pressure in our businesses. The complementary trends in the financial services industry of consolidation and globalization present, among other things, technological, risk management, regulatory and other infrastructure challenges that require effective resource allocation in order for Morgan Stanley to remain competitive.
Morgan Stanley has experienced intense price competition in some of its businesses in recent years. In particular, the ability to execute securities trades electronically on exchanges and through other automated trading markets has increased the pressure on trading commissions. The trend toward direct access to automated, electronic markets will likely continue. It is possible that Morgan Stanley will experience competitive pressures in these and other areas in the future as some of its competitors may seek to obtain market share by reducing prices.
Asset Management.
Competition in the asset management industry is affected by several factors, including Morgan Stanley’s reputation, investment objectives, quality of investment professionals, performance of investment products relative to peers and an appropriate benchmark index, advertising and sales promotion efforts, fee levels, the effectiveness of and access to distribution channels, and the types and quality of products offered. Morgan Stanley’s alternative investment products, such as private equity funds, real estate and hedge funds, compete with similar products offered by both alternative and traditional asset managers.