Operating Expenses
Compensation and benefits
Morgan Stanley Compensation and benefits increased by 14.8% to $8.54B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 1484.8%, from $539.00M to $8.54B. This is a positive signal — lower values indicate better performance for this metric.
Analysis
StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryEfficiency
SignalLower is better
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ4 2014
Last reportedQ4 2025
How to read this metric
An increase often reflects headcount growth or higher performance-based incentives, while a decrease may indicate efficiency initiatives or workforce reductions.
Detailed definition
Includes all salaries, wages, bonuses, stock-based compensation, and employee benefit costs for the workforce. This is t...
Peer comparison
Highly comparable across all sectors; usually found under 'Personnel' or 'Staffing' expenses.
Metric ID:
compensation_and_benefitsHistorical Data
15 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $6.42B | $5.92B | $431.00M | $5.55B | $5.61B | $558.00M | $6.26B | $5.94B | $442.00M | $6.46B | $6.73B | $539.00M | $7.19B | $7.44B | $8.54B |
| QoQ Change | — | -7.8% | -92.7% | >999% | +1.2% | -90.1% | >999% | -5.2% | -92.6% | >999% | +4.2% | -92.0% | >999% | +3.5% | +14.8% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | -13.6% | -5.2% | +29.5% | +12.8% | +5.7% | -20.8% | +3.2% | +13.4% | +21.9% | +11.3% | +10.5% | >999% |
Range$431.00M – $8.54B
CAGR+8.5%
Avg YoY Growth+129.5%
Median YoY Growth+10.9%
Current Streak3 quarters growth
Business Segments
| Segment | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wealth Management1 | $3.60B | $3.87B | — | $4.00B | $4.15B | $4.39B | — | $4.65B |
| Institutional Securities1 | $2.29B | $2.27B | $1.76B | $2.85B | $2.43B | $2.42B | $2.08B | $3.26B |
| Investment Management | $568.00M | $594.00M | — | $668.00M | $613.00M | $632.00M | — | $630.00M |
| Total | $6.46B | $6.73B | — | $539.00M | $7.19B | $7.44B | — | $8.54B |
Compensation and benefits at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Morgan Stanley's compensation and benefits?
- Morgan Stanley (MS) reported compensation and benefits of $8.54B in Q1 2026.
- How has Morgan Stanley's compensation and benefits changed year-over-year?
- Morgan Stanley's compensation and benefits increased by 1484.8% year-over-year, from $539.00M to $8.54B.
- What does compensation and benefits mean?
- The total cost of employee salaries, bonuses, and benefits.