In its March 27, 2000 issue, Business Week names "The 50 Best Performers" of Corporate America. Morgan Stanley ranks in seventh place, the highest ranking of any company in the financial industry and one of only six financial-services companies that made the "BW 50." Business Week credits Morgan Stanley's "ability to tap into fast-growing global markets." In addition, Business Week ranks the S&P 500 companies within industry groups, using the same factors which determined the "50 Best Performers" list. Morgan Stanley ranks #1 within the Nonbank Financial category.

Of the ranking, Business Week writes, "Four years into our ranking of Corporate America's best and brightest, it is clear that what sets these hot performers apart is a knack for leveraging their strengths to seize new opportunities." The eight criteria on which Business Week's ranking is based include: one-year total return; three-year total return; one-year sales growth; three-year average annual sales growth; one-year profit growth; three-year average annual profit growth; net profit margins; and return on equity, with additional weight given to a company's sales. Overall rank is determined by the sum of its scores in each criteria.