Morgan Stanley 2010 Annual Report Download - page 7

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. The Company is a financial
holding company regulated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”)
under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”). The Company 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,
2010, the Company had 62,542 employees worldwide. Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms 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 the
Company, its business segments and geographic regions for each of the 12 months ended December 31, 2010
(“2010”), December 31, 2009 (“2009”), November 30, 2008 (“fiscal 2008”) 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.
The Company 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 the Company files
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 the Company) file electronically with the SEC. The Company’s electronic SEC filings are
available to the public at the SEC’s internet site, www.sec.gov.
The Company’s internet site is www.morganstanley.com. You can access the Company’s Investor Relations
webpage at www.morganstanley.com/about/ir. The Company 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. The Company also makes available, through its
Investor Relations webpage, via a link to the SEC’s internet site, statements of beneficial ownership of the
Company’s equity securities filed by its directors, officers, 10% or greater shareholders and others under
Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
The Company has a Corporate Governance webpage. You can access information about the Company’s
corporate governance at www.morganstanley.com/about/company/governance. The Company posts the following
on its Corporate Governance webpage:
• Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation;
• Amended and Restated Bylaws;
• Charters for its Audit Committee; Internal Audit Subcommittee; Compensation, Management
Development and Succession Committee; Nominating and Governance Committee; and Risk Committee;
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