Operating
Stock-Based Comp
Morgan Stanley Stock-Based Comp increased by 4.5% to $469.00M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 19.9%, from $391.00M to $469.00M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Stock-Based Comp shows relatively stable performance with a -2.0% CAGR.
Analysis
StatementCash Flow Statement
SectionOperating
CategoryCapital Allocation
SignalContext dependent
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ4 2013
Last reportedQ4 2025
How to read this metric
An increase may signal a strategy to preserve cash or align employee interests with shareholders, but it also results in share dilution.
Detailed definition
Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense where employees and executives are rewarded with equity or stock options...
Peer comparison
High-growth technology firms often have higher stock-based compensation as a percentage of revenue compared to mature industrial firms.
Metric ID:
cf_stock_based_compensationHistorical Data
19 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $618.00M | $500.00M | $449.00M | $431.00M | $418.00M | $528.00M | $498.00M | $558.00M | $423.00M | $367.00M | $361.00M | $442.00M | $417.00M | $372.00M | $391.00M | $539.00M | $469.00M | $449.00M | $469.00M |
| QoQ Change | — | -19.1% | -10.2% | -4.0% | -3.0% | +26.3% | -5.7% | +12.0% | -24.2% | -13.2% | -1.6% | +22.4% | -5.7% | -10.8% | +5.1% | +37.9% | -13.0% | -4.3% | +4.5% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -32.4% | +5.6% | +10.9% | +29.5% | +1.2% | -30.5% | -27.5% | -20.8% | -1.4% | +1.4% | +8.3% | +21.9% | +12.5% | +20.7% | +19.9% |
Range$361.00M – $618.00M
CAGR-5.9%
Avg YoY Growth+1.3%
Median YoY Growth+5.6%
Stock-Based Comp at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Morgan Stanley's stock-based comp?
- Morgan Stanley (MS) reported stock-based comp of $469.00M in Q4 2025.
- How has Morgan Stanley's stock-based comp changed year-over-year?
- Morgan Stanley's stock-based comp increased by 19.9% year-over-year, from $391.00M to $469.00M.
- What is the long-term trend for Morgan Stanley's stock-based comp?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Morgan Stanley's stock-based comp has grown at a -2.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $2.09B to $1.93B.
- What does stock-based comp mean?
- The value of company shares given to employees as part of their pay.