Morgan Stanley is set to acquire Eaton Vance for $7 billion
The shares of Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) are down 1.5% to trade at $48 at last check, amid news that the investment banking company is set to buy industry giant Eaton Vance (EV), the shares of which are soaring today, in a $7 billion cash-and-stock deal. Just recently completing the purchasing of E-Trade Financial, this new acquisition will further Morgan Stanley's shift towards the money management side of things rather than trading.
Today, pressure at the ascending 100-day moving average is reaching the $49 level, a region that has kept a cap on MS' gains since its late-September bear gap. Year-to-date, the equity is down 6%.
On the analyst front, eight in coverage sport a "strong buy" on Morgan Stanley stock, with the remaining five a "hold." Meanwhile, the 12-month consensus price target of $59.52 is a 23.5% premium to current levels.
Options bulls are still holding out hope for MS. In the last 10 weeks, 3.22 calls have been bought for every put at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio sits in the 88th percentile of its annual range, meaning options traders are picking up long calls at a faster-than-usual rate.
That said, options could be a decent way to go when weighing in on MS. The stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 42% stands higher than 18% of all other readings in its annual range, implying that options players are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations at the moment.
Also worth noting, the security's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) sits at a high 93 out of 100. This means Morgan Stanley stock has tended to exceed option traders' volatility expectations during the past year -- a boon for options buyers.