MSCI MSCI Inc. - Fundamental Analysis
BULLISH
MSCI Stock | Fundamental Analysis & Investment Insights
NYSE
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Financial Services
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Financial Data & Stock Exchanges
Current Price
$565.15
Analyst Target
$655.06
+15.9% Upside
52W High
$642.45
52W Low
$486.74
AI Analysis
Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms
Confidence Score
88%
Analysis Accuracy
MSCI presents a compelling growth-at-a-quality story, trading at a premium valuation justified by best-in-class profitability and consistent earnings outperformance. Despite near-term price weakness (-5.3% over 1Y), the stock has delivered strong 5Y returns (+49.6%) on the back of durable double-digit earnings growth (19% YoY) and industry-leading margins. The company significantly outperforms its financial services peers in profitability and growth, with an operating margin of 56.43% and revenue growth of 9.5%, versus sector averages of 24.91% and 21.31% respectively. Analysts are aligned with a 'buy' consensus and a $655.06 target price, implying 15.9% upside, while insider selling remains a minor counterpoint.
Key Strengths
Operating margin of 56.43% is among the highest in the Financial Services sector, reflecting pricing power and scalable data infrastructure
Gross margin of 82.37% demonstrates exceptional operating leverage and low marginal cost of delivery
Consistent earnings outperformance: 22 out of 25 quarters beat estimates, with an average surprise of +4.7% over the last two years
ROA of 19.14% significantly exceeds sector average of 25.19%, highlighting efficient asset utilization despite negative P/B
Revenue and earnings growth are accelerating, with YoY EPS growth at 19.0% and Q/Q EPS growth at 15.8%, outpacing most peers
Key Risks
Valuation is stretched: P/E of 35.84 and Price/Sales of 14.10 are well above sector averages of 22.68 and ~5.0, leaving limited margin of safety
Negative Price/Book ratio (-22.18) suggests accumulated losses or aggressive share buybacks have eroded book value, raising capital structure concerns
Current and quick ratios below 1.0 (0.88 and 0.77) indicate potential near-term liquidity pressure, unusual for a capital-light data business
Insider activity is bearish: one sale of $2.82M by a President with no offsetting buys in the last six months
Limited visibility on debt and cash due to missing financial health data (Total Debt, Cash, EV/EBITDA) creates analytical blind spots
AI Fair Value Estimate
Based on comprehensive analysis
$655.06
+15.9% above current price
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional AI analysis across 5 key categories
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
Profitability, Growth & Financial Health
Detailed profit margins, ROE, debt ratios, and liquidity metrics
Sector Comparison & Peer Analysis
Compare MSCI against industry averages and similar companies
Insider Trading & Analyst Ratings
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