MORGAN STANLEY
For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Feb 21, 2025.
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FY2024 · Filed Feb 21, 2025
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19. Deferred Compensation Plans and Carried Interest Compensation
- Deferred Compensation Plans and Carried Interest Compensation
Stock-Based Compensation Plans
Certain current and former employees of the Firm participate in the Firm’s stock-based compensation plans. These plans include RSUs, PSUs and an ESPP.
Table of Contents
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Stock-Based Compensation Expense
| $ in millions | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs | $1,464 | $1,607 | $1,827 |
| PSUs | 148 | 91 | 40 |
| ESPP | 10 | 11 | 8 |
| Total | $1,622 | $1,709 | $1,875 |
| Retirement-eligible awards1 | $202 | $178 | $176 |
- Total expense includes stock-based compensation anticipated to be awarded in January of the following year that does not contain a future service requirement.
Tax Benefit Related to Stock-Based Compensation Expense
| $ in millions | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax benefit1 | $343 | $382 | $427 |
- Excludes income tax consequences related to employee share-based award conversions.
Unrecognized Compensation Cost Related to Stock-Based Awards Granted
| $ in millions | AtDecember 31,20241 |
|---|---|
| To be recognized in: | |
| 2025 | $510 |
| 2026 | 230 |
| Thereafter | 38 |
| Total | $778 |
- Amounts do not include forfeitures or 2024 performance year compensation awarded in January 2025 which will begin to be amortized in 2025.
In connection with awards under its stock-based compensation plans, the Firm is authorized to issue shares of common stock held in treasury or newly issued shares.
The Firm generally uses treasury shares, if available, to deliver shares to employees or employee stock trusts and has an ongoing repurchase authorization that includes repurchases in connection with awards under its stock-based compensation plans.
Common Shares Available for Future Awards under Stock-Based Compensation Plans
| in millions | AtDecember 31,2024 |
|---|---|
| Shares | 109 |
See Note 17 for additional information on the Firm’s Share Repurchase Program.
Restricted Stock Units
RSUs are subject to vesting over time, generallyone toseven years from the date of award, contingent upon continued employment and subject to restrictions on sale, transfer or assignment until conversion to common stock. All or a portion of an award may be forfeited if employment is terminated before the end of the relevant vesting period or canceled after the relevant vesting period in certain situations. Recipients of RSUs may have voting rights, at the Firm’s discretion, and generally receive dividend equivalents if the awards vest.
Vested and Unvested RSU Activity
| 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| shares in millions · Number ofShares · WeightedAverageAward DateFair Value | |||
| RSUs at beginning of period | 59 | $86.92 | |
| Awarded | 20 | 85.46 | |
| Conversions to common stock | (23) | 77.11 | |
| Forfeited | (2) | 90.84 | |
| RSUs at end of period1 | 54 | $90.53 | |
| Weighted average award date fair value | |||
| RSUs awarded in 2023 | 93.55 | ||
| RSUs awarded in 2022 | 96.61 | ||
- At December 31, 2024, the weighted average remaining term until delivery for the outstanding RSUs was approximately 1.2 years.
Unvested RSU Activity
| 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| shares in millions | Number ofShares | WeightedAverageAward DateFair Value |
| Unvested RSUs at beginning of period | 28 | $89.16 |
| Awarded | 20 | 85.46 |
| Vested | (19) | 85.96 |
| Forfeited | (2) | 90.51 |
| Unvested RSUs at end of period1 | 27 | $88.64 |
- Unvested RSUs represent awards where recipients have yet to satisfy either the explicit vesting terms or retirement-eligible requirements.
Fair Value of RSU Activity 1
| $ in millions | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conversions to common stock | $2,065 | $2,019 | $2,301 |
| Vested | 1,723 | 2,260 | 2,433 |
- Fair value of converted stock is based on the share price at conversion. Fair value of vested stock is based on the share price at the date of vesting.
Performance-Based Stock Units
PSUs vest and convert to shares of common stock only if the Firm satisfies, over athree-year performance period, performance goals that are determined on the award date. The number of PSUs that may vest ranges from 0% to 150% of the target award, based on the Firm’s level of achievement of the specified performance goals. One-half of a PSU award is earned based on the Firm’s average return on tangible common equity (“MS Average ROTCE”) over the performance period. The other half of a PSU award is earned based on the Firm’s total shareholder return, relative to the total shareholder return of the S&P 500 Financials Sector Index (“MS Relative TSR”) for awards granted prior to 2023, or for PSU awards granted from 2023 onwards based on the MS Average ROTCE relative to the Return on Tangible Common Equity of each member of the defined comparison group (“MS Relative ROTCE”). PSUs have vesting, conversion and cancellation provisions that are generally similar to those of RSUs. Dividend equivalents that accrue on these awards are paid in cash when the awards convert. At December 31, 2024, approximately 2.8 million PSUs at target were outstanding.
Table of Contents
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
PSU Awards - Fair Value on Award Date
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Average ROTCE/ Relative ROTCE1 | $83.86 | $85.76 | $100.12 |
| MS Relative TSR | — | — | 102.17 |
- Weighted average price on award date
The MS Relative TSR fair values on the award date were estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation and the following assumptions.
Monte Carlo Simulation Assumptions
| Risk-FreeInterest Rate · ExpectedStock PriceVolatility · CorrelationCoefficient | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Award year | |||
| 2022 | 1.3% | 38.9% | 0.91 |
The risk-free interest rate was determined based on the yields available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues. The expected stock price volatility was determined using historical volatility. The correlation coefficient was developed based on historical price data of the Firm and the S&P 500 Financials Sector Index. The model uses an expected dividend yield equivalent to reinvesting dividends.
Deferred Cash-Based Compensation Plans
DCP generally provide a return to the plan participants based upon the performance of each participant’s referenced investments.
Deferred Cash-Based Compensation Expense
| $ in millions | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deferred cash-based awards | $770 | $693 | $761 |
| Return on referenced investments | 672 | 668 | (716) |
| Total | $1,442 | $1,361 | $45 |
| Retirement-eligible awards1 | $287 | $259 | $264 |
- Total expense includes deferred cash-based compensation anticipated to be awarded in January of the following year that does not contain a future service requirement.
Carried Interest Compensation
The Firm generally recognizes compensation expense for any portion of carried interest (both realized and unrealized) that is allocated to employees.
Carried Interest Compensation Expense
| $ in millions | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense | $114 | $44 | $225 |
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