Moelis (MC) Morgan Stanley US Financials Conference 2026 summary

CEO priorities and firm culture

• Focus on supporting bankers, expanding capabilities, and maintaining a strong, collaborative culture.

• Emphasis on nimbleness, innovation, and high-integrity teamwork as core cultural values.

• Commitment to hiring and developing 'difference makers' and prioritizing quality over scale in talent acquisition.

• Patience in hiring, preferring no coverage over average coverage in key areas.

Market environment and client activity

• M&A activity remains strong, with robust deal flow and a healthy pipeline.

• Corporates seek scale amid regulatory support and tech disruption, especially AI.

• Private equity shows strong desire to deploy and monetize investments, though middle market activity is recovering gradually.

• Large-cap deals are driving activity; middle market momentum depends on geopolitical and rate stability.

AI and sector trends

• AI dominates strategic discussions, influencing M&A and boardroom priorities.

• Software sector faces uncertainty due to AI disruption, but it's not the majority of deal flow.

• Supply chain resiliency remains important, but AI is the central boardroom topic.