Morgan Stanley 2009 Annual Report Download - page 5

Part I
Item 1. Business.
Overview.
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm that, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, provides its
products and services to a large and diversified group of clients and customers, including corporations,
governments, financial institutions and individuals. Morgan Stanley was originally incorporated under the laws
of the State of Delaware in 1981, and its predecessor companies date back to 1924. Morgan Stanley is a financial
holding company regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Fed”) under the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). Morgan Stanley conducts its business from its
headquarters in and around New York City, its regional offices and branches throughout the U.S. and its
principal offices in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and other world financial centers. At December 31, 2009,
Morgan Stanley had 61,388* employees worldwide. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Morgan
Stanley,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Morgan Stanley and its consolidated subsidiaries.
On December 16, 2008, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a change in the Company’s fiscal year
end from November 30 to December 31 of each year, beginning January 1, 2009. As a result of the change, the
Company had a one month transition reporting period in December 2008. Financial information concerning
Morgan Stanley, its business segments and geographic regions for each of the 12 months ended December 31,
2009 (“2009”), November 30, 2008 (“fiscal 2008”), November 30, 2007 (“fiscal 2007”) and the one month ended
December 31, 2008 is included in the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto in “Financial
Statements and Supplementary Data” in Part II, Item 8.
Available Information.
Morgan Stanley files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC
at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for information on the public reference room. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains
annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy and information statements and other information that issuers
(including Morgan Stanley) file electronically with the SEC. Morgan Stanley’s electronic SEC filings are
available to the public at the SEC’s internet site, www.sec.gov.
Morgan Stanley’s internet site is www.morganstanley.com. You can access Morgan Stanley’s Investor Relations
webpage at www.morganstanley.com/about/ir. Morgan Stanley makes available free of charge, on or through its
Investor Relations webpage, its proxy statements, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after such
material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Morgan Stanley also makes available, through its
Investor Relations webpage, via a link to the SEC’s internet site, statements of beneficial ownership of Morgan
Stanley’s equity securities filed by its directors, officers, 10% or greater shareholders and others under Section 16
of the Exchange Act.
Morgan Stanley has a Corporate Governance webpage. You can access information about Morgan Stanley’s
corporate governance at www.morganstanley.com/about/company/governance. Morgan Stanley posts the
following on its Corporate Governance webpage:
• Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation;
• Amended and Restated Bylaws;
* Worldwide employees includes headcount related to the Morgan Stanley Smith Barney joint venture.
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