MUFG to Resume Selling Morgan Stanley Shares Under 2018 Buyback Plan
MS sits 70% above its 52-week low of $135.265.
Summary
MUFG, holding 24.12% of Morgan Stanley, will resume selling shares into the company's buyback program on July 30, ending a suspension that began in December 2020.
Key Events · Ownership and Investor Activity · MS
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MUFG Resumes Sales Under 2018 Plan
MUFG notified Morgan Stanley on July 15, 2026 that sales under the 2018 Sales Plan will resume, with the first sale day set for July 30, 2026. The plan had been suspended since December 10, 2020.
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24.12% Stake Represents 377M Shares
MUFG beneficially owns 377,085,167 shares of Morgan Stanley common stock, representing 24.12% of outstanding shares. An additional 3.4 million shares are held in fiduciary accounts.
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Sales to Occur Through Company Buyback
Under the plan, MUFG sells shares to Morgan Stanley through its agent as part of the company's share repurchase program. Morgan Stanley recently reauthorized a $20 billion buyback.
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No Recent Transactions by MUFG
MUFG reports no transactions in Morgan Stanley shares in the past 60 days, except in a fiduciary capacity. The resumption marks the first potential selling by MUFG since the 2020 suspension.
Analysis · MS · Finance
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Morgan Stanley's largest shareholder with a 24.12% stake, has notified the company that it will resume selling shares into Morgan Stanley's buyback program starting July 30, 2026. The sales plan, originally established in 2018, was suspended in December 2020. The resumption introduces a significant overhang: MUFG holds 377 million shares, and even a modest reduction could pressure the stock, especially near its 52-week high. The filing does not specify the pace or volume of sales, but the plan allows MUFG to sell shares to Morgan Stanley as part of its repurchase program, meaning the company will be buying back stock from its largest investor — a dynamic that could offset some selling pressure but also signals MUFG's intent to reduce its position.
At the time of this filing, MS was trading at $230.31 on NYSE in the Finance sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $363.3B. The 52-week trading range was $135.27 to $232.25. This filing was assessed with negative market sentiment and an importance score of 8 out of 10.