• 14 Jan 2011 at 10:17 AM

Bonus Watch ’11: Morgan Stanley Puts A Fine Point On It

By Bess Levin

Lest there be any confusion about what’s coming…

“FYI: Division heads spent yesterday telling people to expect, and I quote, “very austere bonuses.” Not just austere, very austere.”

Comments (44)

  1. 1
    Posted by guest | January 14, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    austere – god how i love that word

  2. 2
    Posted by NakedShort | January 14, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    Whats that?

    -State of Illinois pensioner

  3. 3
    Posted by NakedShort | January 14, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    Whats that?

    -State of Illinois pensioner

  4. 4
    Posted by NakedShort | January 14, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    Whats that?

    -State of Illinois pensioner

  5. 5
    Posted by BobZamuda | January 14, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    I like the word waffles better than austere.

  6. 6
    Posted by Anon | January 14, 2011 at 3:41 PM

    not such a great word when it describes your bonus…

  7. 7
    Posted by Guestosaurus | January 14, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    no glazing on the doughnut?

  8. 8
    Posted by Mike | January 14, 2011 at 3:49 PM

    I prefer the word spartan. At least you can pretend you were like one of the 300 men who died at Thermoplae. Though that’s pretty gay.

  9. 9
    Posted by Jason STATHAM. | January 14, 2011 at 3:59 PM

    I wonder how many Morgan Stanley employees will actually get smart and LEAVE the firm that underpays them and head for the greener pasture of elite boutiques like Greenhill, Centerview, Evercore or Moelis? Why be penalized for a low-margin high-volume business like private wealth management controlling YOUR stock compensation?!?! What is this, UBS??

  10. 10
    Posted by Guest | January 14, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    How about bran muffin. Dear underling, it is going to feel like you ate a dozen bran muffins…

  11. 11
    Posted by Guest | January 14, 2011 at 4:01 PM

    How about bran muffin. Dear underling, it is going to feel like you ate a dozen bran muffins…

  12. 12
    Posted by Flip | January 14, 2011 at 4:23 PM

    None because the people who work there now are the ones (myself included) who couldn’t get hired by the elites such as Greenhill, Centerview, Evercore, UBS or Moelis

  13. 13
    Posted by Aspen Entrepreneur | January 14, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Austere profits and waffles go hand in hand

  14. 14
    Posted by Aspen Entrepreneur | January 14, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Austere profits and waffles go hand in hand

  15. 15
    Posted by Aspen Entrepreneur | January 14, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Austere profits and waffles go hand in hand

  16. 16
    Posted by Aspen Entrepreneur | January 14, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Austere profits and waffles go hand in hand

  17. 17
    Posted by UBS_GUY | January 14, 2011 at 4:47 PM

    UBS > Morgan Stanley

  18. 18
    Posted by MD | January 14, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    Bulge Bracket is the new Big 6 accounting career; they will be recruiting at Rutgers, UNC, Pitt, Penn St. soon.

    These firms will meet same fate of Shearson (Amex); Pru-Bache (Pru); Kidder (GE) Paine Webber, Dean Witter (Sears) etc. Comp will be pushed down to zilch. Only one, Lehman saved itself for a decade from Amex, then died again. Rest all went to zero; and the MDs all had zero worthless stock.

    There are NO seats at the table at elite firms; and ZERO in PE, HF.

  19. 19
    Posted by Guest | January 14, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    pond scum > GS > UBS > Morgan Stanley

  20. 20
    Posted by fustercluck | January 14, 2011 at 4:58 PM

    bonus schmonus. I work for personal fulfillment and to achieve greatness…..

  21. 21
    Posted by fustercluck | January 14, 2011 at 4:58 PM

    bonus schmonus. I work for personal fulfillment and to achieve greatness…..

  22. 22
    Posted by Pretentious_douche | January 14, 2011 at 5:13 PM

    I achieved greatness long time ago. I work only to provide inspiration for others to do the same. Similarly, after consistently benching in excess of 250lbs, I go to the gym so that others can experience firsthand the unlimited potential of the human body.

  23. 23
    Posted by Mitchapallooza | January 14, 2011 at 5:48 PM

    Sometimes you think you’ve found greatness – then you catch the early flight home from San Diego…

  24. 24
    Posted by Bonus Malfunction | January 14, 2011 at 5:49 PM

    Austere ?

    Wasnt that the guy that sang singin’ in the rain ?

  25. 25
    Posted by fustercluck | January 14, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    cool. can you fart and walk at the same time?

  26. 26
    Posted by LeafsFan | January 14, 2011 at 6:06 PM

    We find Eggos work best.

  27. 27
    Posted by Guest | January 14, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Your joke = (see “austere”)

  28. 28
    Posted by Swannson | January 14, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Perhaps it is a miss-print? Instead of “austere”, he meant “a steer”, as in coupons for meat of the month club?

  29. 29
    Posted by Swannson | January 14, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Perhaps it is a miss-print? Instead of “austere”, he meant “a steer”, as in coupons for meat of the month club?

  30. 30
    Posted by Guest | January 14, 2011 at 6:58 PM

    Yeah, Great! Gorman completely screws up the execution of Mack’s plan so his plan B? Toss out the bonus pool so there’s some money left over for his gazillion dollar bonus. Gorman and Mack should be fired asap!!!!

  31. 31
    Posted by Jason STATHAM. | January 14, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    exclude ubs from that and i would have actually felt like you READ my post.

  32. 32
    Posted by Dreadlks | January 14, 2011 at 10:46 PM

    and we know how well Mack’s plans work.

  33. 33
    Posted by Sadsackday | January 15, 2011 at 1:24 AM

    What a depressing post. An MD cant get a job at PE or HF these days. Sad sad.

  34. 34
    Posted by Dealbreaker89 | January 15, 2011 at 2:38 AM

    Certain people will get good bonuses. As long as you are in Research and putting out reports recommending products that the fixed income traders want to dump, you will still be taken care of. Just ask JC’s guys.

  35. 35
    Posted by Yahoo | January 15, 2011 at 3:05 AM

    Red herring…bonuses (whisper) are actually fine…just ask CeCe and Will

  36. 36
    Posted by Guest | January 15, 2011 at 4:47 AM

    who is JC ?

  37. 37
    Posted by Tnahsin | January 15, 2011 at 8:42 AM

    Greenhill, Evercore, Moelis …..elite ? — Take one at the league tables buddy, Centerview, Lazard I’ll give you

  38. 38
    Posted by Guest | January 15, 2011 at 2:20 PM

    Research does not get paid

  39. 39
    Posted by MeaslyStrat | January 15, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    I WISH I got paid what some of the research people get paid. You would be surprised. You push the right products, and people take care of you.

  40. 40
    Posted by Mormon | January 15, 2011 at 6:12 PM

    GS employee> GS client

    MS client> MS employee

  41. 41
    Posted by bowl | January 15, 2011 at 6:22 PM

    most of people will get “orange” in Morgan Stanley for 2010 bonus.

  42. 42
    Posted by Tim Duncan | January 15, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    i think we should stick pubic hairs in our dickholes and pee all over each other, so its a messy pee and pee gets all over our thighs….also, i think im gonna cut off my dick and chew it up and spit it in my neighbors mouth (kind of like how a mother bird does to her chicks). then im gonna shit in my girlfriend’s vagina and dig it out with a spoon and feed an infant. YOUNG MONEY

  43. 43
    Posted by Guest | January 17, 2011 at 10:19 PM

    Damn dude…next time don’t rack up a huge credit card bill prior to bonuses

  44. 44
    Posted by Tyle | January 18, 2011 at 3:03 PM

    That was Gene Kelly, not Fred Astaire.

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