Fund Evaluator:
Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C (MSIAX)
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Best Performing in Foreign Large Growth Over the Last Year
| 27.0% | WCM Focused International Equity Inv (WLIVX) |
| 25.4% | Saturna International Z (SIFZX) |
| 25.1% | Saturna International (SSIFX) |
| 24.2% | American Funds EUPAC F-3 (FEUPX) |
| 23.2% | Fidelity Diversified International (FDIVX) |
Fund Details
Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C Overview
Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C (MSIAX) is an actively managed International Equity Foreign Large Growth fund. Morgan Stanley launched the fund in 2015.
The investment seeks long-term capital appreciation. The fund invests primarily in established companies on an international basis, with capitalizations within the range of companies included in the MSCI All Country World ex USA Index. It typically invests at least 80% of its assets in the securities of issuers located outside of the United States. The fund may invest in foreign securities, which may include emerging market securities. It may invest in equity securities. The fund may also invest in privately placed and restricted securities.
About Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C (MSIAX)
There are 3 members of the management team with an average tenure of 7.04 years: Lindsay Connor (2024), Anil Agarwal (2022), Kristian Heugh (2010). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 1 primary benchmark: MSCI ACWI Ex USA NR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C has 39 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 62.2% of the fund’s assets. The fund meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The fund is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity fund group. Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C has 88.3% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 11.9%. There is 88.3% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C has -0.2% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $3 million in total assets, which is below the $1 billion average for the Foreign Large Growth category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
MSIAX Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C expense ratio is high compared to funds in the Foreign Large Growth category. Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C has an expense ratio of 2.05%, which is 98% higher than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a F. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C has a portfolio turnover rate of 13%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.1 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 51% for the Foreign Large Growth category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C returned -2.1%, which earned it a grade of C, as the Foreign Large Growth category had an average return of -2.7%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all funds in that category.
Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C has a trailing yield of 0.00%, which is below the 0.95% category average. The fund normally distributes its income annually and its capital gains semi-annually.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg C Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned -0.0%, 6.6 percentage points worse than the category, which translates into a grade of F. The fund has returned 4.8% over the past year (grade of F), 5.6% over the past three years (grade of F) and -1.5% per year over the past five years (grade of F) and 8.4% per year over the past 10 years (grade of C).
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MSIAX Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| MSIAX Return (NAV) | -2.1% | 3.1% | 4.8% | 5.6% | -1.5% | 8.4% |
| MSIAX Grade | C | C | F | F | F | C |
| +/- Category | 0.6% | 0.5% | -8.3% | -5.2% | -4.8% | 0.3% |
| Foreign Large Growth Avg | -2.7% | 2.6% | 13.1% | 10.7% | 3.2% | 8.2% |
| MSIAX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
MSIAX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| MSIAX Return (NAV) | -0.0% | 14.6% | 5.9% | 17.2% | -35.1% | 12.1% | 31.0% | 28.7% | -6.2% | 43.2% | 1.4% |
| MSIAX Grade | F | D | C | C | F | B | B | C | A | A | A |
| +/- Category | -6.6% | -5.4% | 0.5% | 0.5% | -9.9% | 4.0% | 5.6% | -0.5% | 7.4% | 11.1% | 3.0% |
| Foreign Large Growth Avg | 6.5% | 20.0% | 5.3% | 16.7% | -25.2% | 8.1% | 25.5% | 29.3% | -13.6% | 32.1% | -1.6% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 17.4% |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.42 - High |
| Category Risk Index: | 1.14 - High |
| Category Risk Grade: | F (83% Rank) |
| Beta: | 1.08 |
| R-Squared: | 74% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Large-Cap Growth |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 0.0% |
| Dividend Distribution: | Annually |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | Semi-Annually |
| Total Assets: | $2004 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $ 3 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | C |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 13% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 3 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 15.6 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 7.0 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Heugh Kristian (2010), Agarwal Anil (2022), Connor Lindsay (2024) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 3/31/26)
| # of Holdings: | 39 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 62.2% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 88.3% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 11.9% |
| Foreign Stock: | 88.3% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | -0.2% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Morgan Stanley |
| Phone Number: | 800-869-6397 |
| Website: | www.morganstanley.com/im |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | April 30, 2015 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $1,000 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |
| True No-Load: | No |
| Front Load Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 1.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | 1.00% |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 2.05% ( Rating : High ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 1.03% |
| Share Class: | Morgan Stanley Inst Intl Advtg I |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 0 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |
