What if you'd held MS?
A $1,000 investment in Morgan Stanley (MS) at the month-end close of 1993-02 would be worth $58,854 at the close of 2026-08 — +5785.4% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $17,385.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 1993
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | $1,000 | — |
| 1994 | $992 | -0.8% |
| 1995 | $1,393 | +40.4% |
| 1996 | $1,995 | +43.2% |
| 1997 | $3,607 | +80.8% |
| 1998 | $4,385 | +21.6% |
| 1999 | $8,904 | +103.0% |
| 2000 | $9,984 | +12.1% |
| 2001 | $7,161 | -28.3% |
| 2002 | $5,214 | -27.2% |
| 2003 | $7,711 | +47.9% |
| 2004 | $7,536 | -2.3% |
| 2005 | $7,859 | +4.3% |
| 2006 | $11,466 | +45.9% |
| 2007 | $9,141 | -20.3% |
| 2008 | $2,849 | -68.8% |
| 2009 | $5,365 | +88.3% |
| 2010 | $4,966 | -7.4% |
| 2011 | $2,786 | -43.9% |
| 2012 | $3,565 | +27.9% |
| 2013 | $5,896 | +65.4% |
| 2014 | $7,375 | +25.1% |
| 2015 | $6,141 | -16.7% |
| 2016 | $8,354 | +36.0% |
| 2017 | $10,578 | +26.6% |
| 2018 | $8,169 | -22.8% |
| 2019 | $10,839 | +32.7% |
| 2020 | $14,969 | +38.1% |
| 2021 | $21,951 | +46.6% |
| 2022 | $19,682 | -10.3% |
| 2023 | $22,422 | +13.9% |
| 2024 | $31,331 | +39.7% |
| 2025 | $45,482 | +45.2% |
| 2026 | $55,789 | +22.7% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought MS was 1994-03 ($3.63): $1,000 then is $59,017 today. The worst was 2026-08 ($214): $1,000 then is $1,000.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in MS be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Morgan Stanley (MS) at the start of 1993 would be worth about $58,854 today, a total return of +5785.4%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for MS?
Morgan Stanley (MS)'s strongest calendar year since 1993 was 1999, a +103.0% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $2,030 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -68.8%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in MS have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1993-02 would have grown to about $500,138 on $40,300 invested.
Did MS beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $17,385. MS beat the S&P 500 by +238.5% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. What If I'd Held is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Morgan Stanley (MS) historical total-return data from 1993-02 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. What If I'd Held is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.