Morgan Stanley price target raised to $165 from $156 at UBS

UBS analyst Erika Najarian raised the firm’s price target on Morgan Stanley (MS) to $165 from $156 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. Bank stocks delivered strong Q2 gains, with share price appreciation outpacing estimate revisions by roughly fivefold, driven by deregulation, improving capital markets activity, and solid loan growth, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The Fifth Third (FITB)/Comerica (CMA) merger may reignite interest in regional banks, particularly if management signals a rebound in middle-market C&I lending and NIM improvement from a steepening yield curve, though selectivity is warranted after the recent rally, the firm says.