UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of report (date of earliest event
reported): February 19, 2021 (February 19, 2021)
MORGAN STANLEY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in
its charter)
Commission File Number: 1-11758
Delaware
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36-3145972
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
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(IRS Employer Identification No.)
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1585 Broadway, New York, New York, 10036
(Address of principal executive offices,
including zip code)
(212) 761-4000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including
area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed
since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☒
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
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☐
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
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☐
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
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Trading Symbol(s)
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Name of each exchange on which registered
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Common Stock, $0.01 par value
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MS
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New York Stock Exchange
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Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1,000th interest in a share of Floating Rate
Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A, $0.01 par value
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MS/PA
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New York Stock Exchange
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Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1,000th interest in a share of Fixed-to-Floating Rate
Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E, $0.01 par value
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MS/PE
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New York Stock Exchange
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Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1,000th interest in a share of Fixed-to-Floating Rate
Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F, $0.01 par value
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MS/PF
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New York Stock Exchange
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Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1,000th interest in a share of Fixed-to-Floating Rate
Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series I, $0.01 par value
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MS/PI
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New York Stock Exchange
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Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1,000th interest in a share of Fixed-to-Floating Rate
Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series K, $0.01 par value
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MS/PK
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New York Stock Exchange
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Depositary Shares, each representing 1/1,000th interest in a share of 4.875%
Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series L, $0.01 par value
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MS/PL
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New York Stock Exchange
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Global
Medium-Term Notes, Series A, Fixed Rate Step-Up Senior Notes Due 2026
of Morgan Stanley Finance LLC (and Registrant’s guarantee with respect thereto)
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MS/26C
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New York Stock Exchange
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Morgan Stanley Cushing® MLP High Income Index ETNs due March 21, 2031
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MLPY
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NYSE Arca, Inc.
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging
growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the
registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards
provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
As previously disclosed, on October 7, 2020, Morgan Stanley,
a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”)
with Eaton Vance Corp., a Maryland corporation (“Eaton Vance”), Mirror Merger Sub 1, Inc., a Maryland corporation
and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub 1”), and Mirror Merger Sub 2, LLC, a Maryland limited
liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub 2”), providing for, among other
things, and subject to the conditions therein, (i) the merger of Merger Sub 1 with and into Eaton Vance (the “First Merger”),
with Eaton Vance surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and (ii) immediately following the completion of the First
Merger, the merger of Eaton Vance with and into Merger Sub 2 (the “Second Merger” and, together with the First
Merger, the “Mergers”), with Merger Sub 2 surviving the Second Merger and continuing as a wholly owned direct
subsidiary of the Company.
On February 19, 2021, the Company and Eaton Vance issued a
joint press release to announce that the Company and Eaton Vance currently expect to complete the Mergers on March 1, 2021.
In addition, the Company and Eaton Vance announced in the joint press release that the deadline for Broadridge Corporate
Issuer Solutions, Inc., the exchange agent for the Mergers, to receive properly completed forms of election from Eaton Vance
shareholders with respect to the form of merger consideration that such shareholders desire to receive in the Mergers has
been set for 5:00 pm, Eastern Time, on February 24, 2021. The press release also notes that, for purposes of determining the
merger consideration payable to Eaton Vance shareholders that have elected to receive all cash or all stock consideration,
the “Morgan Stanley Common Stock Reference Price” and “Parent Common Stock Reference Price”
referenced in the forms of election and Merger Agreement, respectively, will be the volume-weighted average price, rounded to
four decimal places, of one share of Morgan Stanley common stock for the ten consecutive trading days ending on the second
full trading day preceding the closing date, as calculated by using the VWAP command for MS US Equity on the Bloomberg
Terminal. Completion of the Mergers remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions. A copy of
the joint press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
Important Information about the Transaction and Where to
Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction between Morgan Stanley
and Eaton Vance, Morgan Stanley and Eaton Vance will file and have filed relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the “SEC”), including the Morgan Stanley registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a prospectus of Morgan Stanley.
The registration statement on Form S-4, as amended (“Form S-4”), was declared effective by the SEC on January 29, 2021
and the prospectus was first mailed to Eaton Vance stockholders on or about January 29, 2021. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT
DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF MORGAN STANLEY AND EATON VANCE ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE PROSPECTUS,
THE FORM OF ELECTION AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR
SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the registration statement,
the prospectus, the form of election as well as other filings containing information about Morgan Stanley or Eaton Vance without
charge at the SEC’s Internet website (http://www.sec.gov) or by contacting the investor relations department of Morgan Stanley
or Eaton Vance at the following:
Morgan Stanley
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Eaton Vance
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1585 Broadway
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Two International Place
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New York, NY 10036
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Boston, MA 02110
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Media Relations: 212-761-2448
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Media Relations: 617-672-8940
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mediainquiries@morganstanley.com
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rtice@eatonvance.com
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Investor Relations: 1-212-762-8131
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Investor Relations: 617-672-6744
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investorrelations@morganstanley.com
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esenay@eatonvance.com
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No Offer or Solicitation
This report on Form 8-K is for informational
purposes and is not intended to, and shall not, constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation
of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote of approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction
in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of
any such jurisdiction.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements”
within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future
business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,”
“intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,”
“target,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Forward-looking statements by their nature
address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about the consummation of the proposed transaction
and the anticipated benefits thereof. All such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Important risk factors
that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, (i) the completion of the proposed transaction on anticipated
terms and timing, including obtaining required regulatory approvals, anticipated tax treatment, unforeseen liabilities, future
capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses,
future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, expansion and growth of the combined company’s operations
and other conditions to the completion of the acquisition, including the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits of the
proposed transaction will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period, (ii) the ability of Morgan Stanley
and Eaton Vance to integrate the business successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies, risks and costs, (iii) potential litigation
relating to the proposed transaction that could be instituted against Morgan Stanley, Eaton Vance or their respective directors,
(iv) the risk that disruptions from the proposed transaction will harm Morgan Stanley’s and Eaton Vance’s business,
including current plans and operations, (v) the ability of Morgan Stanley or Eaton Vance to retain and hire key personnel, (vi)
potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the acquisition,
(vii) continued availability of capital and financing and rating agency actions, (viii) legislative, regulatory and economic developments,
(ix) potential business uncertainty, including changes to existing business relationships, during the pendency of the acquisition
that could affect Morgan Stanley’s and/or Eaton Vance’s financial performance, (x) certain restrictions during the
pendency of the acquisition that may impact Morgan Stanley’s or Eaton Vance’s ability to pursue certain business opportunities
or strategic transactions, (xi) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, acts of terrorism
or outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as Morgan Stanley’s or Eaton Vance’s management’s response to any
of the aforementioned factors, (xii) dilution caused by Morgan Stanley’s issuance of additional shares of its common stock
in connection with the proposed transaction, (xiii) the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than
anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events, (xiv) those risks described in Item 1A of Morgan Stanley’s
most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K, (xv) those risks described in Item
1A of Eaton Vance’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Form 8-K and (xvi) the additional
risk factors described in the Form S-4 available from the sources indicated above. These risks, as well as other risks associated
with the proposed acquisition, are more fully discussed in the Form S-4 in connection with the proposed acquisition. While the
list of factors presented here, and the list of factors presented in the Form S-4 are considered representative, no such list should
be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional
obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results as compared with those
anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational problems, financial
loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material adverse effect on Morgan Stanley’s
or Eaton Vance’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations, credit rating or liquidity. Neither Morgan Stanley
nor Eaton Vance assumes any obligation to publicly provide revisions or updates to any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future developments or otherwise, should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by securities
and other applicable laws.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
Signature
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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MORGAN STANLEY
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/s/ Martin M. Cohen
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Date: February 19, 2021
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Name: Martin M. Cohen
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Title: Corporate Secretary
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