Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Long associated with catering to the wealthiest clients, Morgan is also astute enough to see which way the winds are blowing for the industry.

The wirehouse has big reasons to pursue the deal, but the online brokerage's 225 independent advisor firms are not among them.

The acquisition is the latest demonstration of firms merging banking, wealth management and digital services to meet clients' every financial need.

The all-stock takeover adds E-Trade’s $360 billion of client assets to Morgan Stanley’s $2.7 trillion.

Three years after leaving the Broker Protocol, the firm continues to selectively hire.

The advisors join the bank following a major reorganization of its wealth management business.

The all-woman unit will operate from two locations.

The firm plans to entice new customers through its stock plan administration and financial wellness businesses.

The size of the firm's class compares with 145 last year.

More often than not, wirehouses were on the losing side of these moves.

The wirehouse is also simplifying its small household policy and boosting its emphasis on financial plans.

The firm also opened a new branch office to house its recruits.

As Bob Dylan once sang, “the times they are a-changin.”

The firm’s shares presumably trailed rivals for a reason — did anything from the third quarter drastically change those views?

Advisors are not "non-for-profits,” CEO James Gorman said.