MDOAX
Developing Opportunity Portfolio
MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL FUND INC
Expense ratio1
1.50%
Net assets2
$51.28M
Holdings2
34
Category
International Equity
2025 return3
7.97%

Investment objective & strategy

As of April 30, 2025 · prospectus

Objective. The Developing Opportunity Portfolio (the Fund) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Strategy. Under normal market conditions, the Adviser seeks to achieve the Funds investment objective by investing primarily in equity securities of issuers located or operating in developing or emerging market countries, with capitalizations within the range of companies included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Net Index. For purposes of this prospectus, developing markets, developing market countries, emerging markets and emerging market countries and similar terms are used interchangeably but refer to the same underlying markets and countries. The Adviser emphasizes a bottom-up stock selection process, seeking attractive investments on an individual company basis. In ?selecting securities for investment, the Adviser seeks high quality companies within developing markets that the Adviser believes are ?undervalued at the time of purchase. Fundamental research drives … Under normal market conditions, the Adviser seeks to achieve the Funds investment objective by investing primarily in equity securities of issuers located or operating in developing or emerging market countries, with capitalizations within the range of companies included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Net Index. For purposes of this prospectus, developing markets, developing market countries, emerging markets and emerging market countries and similar terms are used interchangeably but refer to the same underlying markets and countries. The Adviser emphasizes a bottom-up stock selection process, seeking attractive investments on an individual company basis. In ?selecting securities for investment, the Adviser seeks high quality companies within developing markets that the Adviser believes are ?undervalued at the time of purchase. Fundamental research drives the investment process. The Adviser typically favors companies it believes have sustainable competitive advantages that ?can be monetized through growth. The investment process integrates analysis of sustainability with respect to disruptive change, financial strength, environmental and social externalities and governance (also referred to as ESG). The Adviser typically focuses a significant portion of the Funds investments in a limited number of issuers, which may be in the same industry, sector or geographic region. The Adviser generally considers selling a portfolio holding when it determines that the holding no longer satisfies its investment criteria. ? ? The Adviser views incorporating ESG-related potential risks and opportunities within the investment process as important to ensure long-term stewardship of capital. Over extended time horizons, the Adviser believes that ESG risks are more likely to materialize and externalities not borne by the company are more likely to be priced into the value of securities. Since ESG risks could potentially impact the risk and reward profile of investment opportunities, the Adviser typically engages company management in constructive discussions on a range of ESG issues the Adviser deems materially important. The Fund may also invest in privately placed and restricted securities. Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Funds assets will be invested in equity securities of issuers located or operating in developing markets. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, you would be notified upon 60 days notice in writing of any changes. ? For purposes of the Funds 80% policy, developing market countries will include frontier emerging market countries. The term frontier emerging markets refers to those emerging market countries outside the mainstream emerging markets, whose capital markets have traditionally been difficult for foreign investors to enter or are in early stages of capital market and/or economic development. The countries that comprise frontier emerging markets may change from time to time. For purposes of maintaining exposure of at least 80% of the Funds assets to equity securities of issuers located or operating in developing markets, the Fund may ?also invest in ?American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and other types of depositary receipts with respect to issuers located or operating in developing markets. ?The Fund may invest in China A-Shares (shares of publicly traded companies based in mainland China) listed and traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program, as well as China A-Shares listed and traded on the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program (collectively, Stock Connect).

Top holdings

As of March 31, 2026 · N-PORT
SecurityTickerValue% of fund
TSMC $4.45M 8.68%
SK HYNIX INC $3.92M 7.64%
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD $3.71M 7.23%
MERCADOLIBRE INC $2.67M 5.22%
NU HOLDINGS LTD/CAYMAN ISLANDS $2.48M 4.84%
TRIP.COM GROUP LTD ADR $2.39M 4.66%
COUPANG INC A $2.19M 4.26%
BAIDU INC SPON ADR $2.17M 4.24%
ICICI Bank Ltd $2.11M 4.12%
MEITUAN-W $2.11M 4.11%
View all holdings →

Allocation by sector

As of March 31, 2026 · N-PORT
View portfolio breakdown →

Portfolio moves

Dec 31, 2025 → Mar 31, 2026
Opened
3
Exited
2
Increased
4
Decreased
24
Unchanged
3

How many positions this fund opened, exited, grew, trimmed, or left unchanged between its two most recent N-PORT snapshots — net changes between point-in-time reports, not a trade log.

View portfolio moves →

Similar funds

Funds whose portfolios most overlap this one, by weight
FundOverlapNet exp.
Asia Opportunity Portfolio · MSAQX, MSAUX, MSAWX, MSAYX 85% 1.05%
International Opportunity Portfolio · MIOIX, MIOLX, MIOPX, MNOPX, MSOCX, MRNPX 54% 0.94%
Federated Hermes Emerging Markets Equity Fund · FRIEX, PIEFX 36% 0.93%
View all similar funds →

Advisers

As of December 31, 2025 · N-CEN
FirmRole
Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. Adviser

Footnotes

  1. Expense ratio as of April 30, 2025, from the fund's prospectus.
  2. Net assets and holdings count as of March 31, 2026, from the fund's N-PORT filing.
  3. Total return for calendar year 2025, before tax and after fund expenses. Computed by compounding the twelve monthly total returns the fund reported in its SEC N-PORT filings for 2025 (the latest prospectus does not yet chart this year).

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