As I grow older, I’m more interested in dividend-paying stocks, as I can see how dividends can supplement my Social Security income and help support me in the future. But dividend stocks are actually terrific for investors of any age. If your dividend payers are generating, say, $10,000 per year, you can always just plow that money back into your portfolio by buying more stock.
One dividend payer I’ve recently noticed is financial services giant Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS). Its dividend recently yielded a solid 2.4%, and it’s been growing briskly — as has the stock. Here’s how the stock has grown over time:
|
Period
|
Average annual growth rate
|
|
Past year
|
13.86%
|
|
Past 3 years
|
38.67%
|
|
Past 5 years
|
15.71%
|
|
Past 10 years
|
18.71%
|
|
Past 15 years
|
18.77%
|
Data source: Morningstar.com, as of Nov. 13, 2026.
Those are impressive returns!
Now check out how robustly the stock’s dividend has been growing:
|
Period
|
Average annual dividend growth rate
|
|
Past 5 years
|
10.44%
|
|
Past 10 years
|
19.12%
|
|
Past 15 years
|
23.25%
|
Data source: Calculations by author using data from Yahoo!Finance.
The most recent increase was a hefty 15% one.
Should you invest in Morgan Stanley?
Give this big company a closer look if you’re seeking dividend income and/or stock-price appreciation. Here are a few tidbits about it:
Morgan Stanley is high on my watch list, and when I have more dollars to invest, it may be added to my long-term portfolio. No one can know just how it will perform in the future, but it’s positioned to keep growing for 20 years and beyond.
Should you buy stock in Morgan Stanley right now?
Before you buy stock in Morgan Stanley, consider this:
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Selena Maranjian has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
