Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm and a market leader in securities, investment management, and credit services. With more than 600 offices in 28 countries, Morgan Stanley helps people achieve their financial aspirations. It was in 1997 that Morgan Stanley combined the complementary skills and resources of two powerful organizations: Morgan Stanley, established in New York in 1935, and Dean Witter, established in 1924 in San Francisco. These distinguished pedigrees comprise a record of historic firsts: in national and international expansion, in the use of technology, and in the development of new financial tools and techniques that have redefined the meaning of financial services for individual, institutional and investment banking clients. The company has $576 billion in assets under management. Morgan Stanley is well known for consistent dividend payout growth and an excellent credit rating.