Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE:MSDL) Receives Average Rating of “Hold” from Analysts

Shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE:MSDL) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the seven brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $17.5833.

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $16.00 price objective (down from $17.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Zacks Research upgraded Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund from $20.00 to $18.50 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and issued a $18.00 price objective (down previously from $19.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund from $16.00 to $16.50 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th.

Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund Trading Down 1.0%

Shares of MSDL stock opened at $15.78 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.45 and a quick ratio of 1.45. The firm has a market cap of $1.37 billion, a PE ratio of 9.56 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a 50-day moving average of $16.49 and a two-hundred day moving average of $16.98. Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund has a 1-year low of $14.81 and a 1-year high of $21.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund in the third quarter valued at $32,000. Allworth Financial LP boosted its holdings in Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 62.3% in the second quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 2,606 shares of the company’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 225.0% during the 2nd quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 3,250 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 2,250 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ameritas Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund by 53.3% during the 3rd quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,388 shares of the company’s stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 1,178 shares during the period.

About Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund

Morgan Stanley Direct Lending Fund (NYSE: MSDL) is a closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide investors with attractive current income and the potential for capital appreciation. The fund primarily invests in senior secured loans and other debt instruments issued by middle-market companies. By focusing on floating-rate structures, it aims to offer a measure of protection against rising interest rates while generating regular cash distributions.

The fund’s investment strategy centers on building a diversified portfolio of direct lending opportunities across a broad range of industries, including healthcare, business services, and industrials.