MSCI MSCI Inc. - Fundamental Analysis
At a glance
Key valuation, profitability, growth, and risk metrics.
AI Analysis
Powered by advanced machine learning algorithms
Key Strengths
Key Risks
Performance Snowflake
Multi-dimensional analysis across 5 key categories
MSCI trades at a substantial premium to Financial Services peers like AIG (P/E 13.98), PRU (14.68), and MET (14.81), reflecting its status as a high-quality data franchise, though the magnitude of the premium demands flawless execution.
- Forward P/E of 33.17 is lower than current P/E of 35.84, suggesting earnings growth will moderate valuation over time
- EV/Revenue and PEG not available, but high ROA supports premium multiple
- P/E of 35.84 is 58% above sector average of 22.68, increasing vulnerability to multiple contraction
- Price/Sales of 14.10 is extremely high, exceeding even high-growth SaaS benchmarks
MSCI’s growth trajectory remains robust, with accelerating EPS and strong analyst targets, while recent price action (down 5.3% over 1Y but up 3.2% over 1M) suggests stabilization after a correction, aligning with improving momentum.
- Revenue growth of 9.5% and earnings growth of 19.0% YoY indicate strong underlying demand for indexing and ESG analytics
- Q/Q EPS growth of 15.8% shows momentum is accelerating into the near term
- Forward P/E compression from 35.84 to 33.17 implies deceleration expectations
- Lack of Q/Q revenue growth data limits near-term trajectory clarity
MSCI has delivered exceptional historical performance with consistent margin expansion and EPS growth, underpinned by strong 5Y returns (+49.6%) despite a weak 1Y performance (-5.3%), reflecting long-term franchise strength.
- 22 out of 25 quarters beat EPS estimates, with only three misses, all within 3% of expectations
- EPS has grown from $1.61 in Q1 2020 to $4.47 in Q3 2025, a 177% increase over five years
- Most recent quarter (2026-01-28) lacks actual EPS, creating a data gap at a critical juncture
- Average earnings surprise has declined from +9.1% in 2021 to ~2% recently, suggesting reduced upside optionality
While profitability metrics are elite, liquidity ratios are concerning relative to peers like ALL (stable balance sheet) and AIG (low leverage), and the absence of key financials hinders full health assessment.
- ROA of 19.14% indicates efficient use of assets, outperforming sector average of 25.19%
- Profit margin of 40.03% reflects strong pricing and low variable costs
- Current ratio of 0.88 and quick ratio of 0.77 suggest working capital strain, atypical for a subscription-based data business
- Missing debt, cash, and EV/EBITDA data limits ability to assess leverage and refinancing risk
MSCI’s dividend policy is conservative and sustainable, with a low payout ratio supporting future increases, though the yield is not a primary investment thesis driver compared to growth and capital appreciation.
- Dividend yield of 1.27% is modest but growing, with a sustainable 44.39% payout ratio
- Payout ratio below 50% allows room for dividend growth alongside reinvestment
- Lack of 5-year average yield data limits visibility into dividend growth trend
- Yield is below peer average (e.g., MET at ~3.5%, PRU at ~5%)
Stock Price & Analyst Targets
Real-time price movements and analyst price targets
Multi-Horizon Performance vs Peers
Price momentum across 5Y → 1W horizons for MSCI and closest competitors.
| Company | 5Y | 3Y | 1Y | 6M | 1M | 1W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSCI
MSCI Inc.
Primary
|
+49.6% | +16.3% | -5.3% | -0.6% | +3.2% | -2.7% |
|
BBD
Banco Bradesco S.A.
Peer
|
+19.4% | +73.1% | +112.8% | +41.2% | +17.6% | +11.9% |
|
AIG
American International Group, Inc.
Peer
|
+104.8% | +22.4% | -1.0% | -8.7% | -16.4% | -0.8% |
|
AMP
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Peer
|
+153.4% | +52.0% | -10.7% | -4.1% | -0.9% | -2.5% |
|
PRU
Prudential Financial, Inc.
Peer
|
+67.5% | +28.3% | -0.8% | +11.0% | -3.5% | -5.4% |
Positive values indicate cumulative gains over the specified period. Comparables pulled from the same sector to highlight whether momentum is stock-specific or industry-wide.
Historical Performance Trends
Long-term financial metrics and growth patterns
Revenue & Net Income
Profit & Operating Margins
Return on Equity (ROE)
Quarterly Revenue Growth
Valuation Metrics
Key valuation ratios and pricing indicators
Profitability
Profit margins and return metrics
Growth
Revenue and earnings growth rates
Financial Health
Balance sheet strength and liquidity metrics
Quarterly Earnings History
EPS performance vs analyst estimates
Financial Services Sector Comparison
Similar Companies
Peer comparison within the same industry
| Company | AI Rating | Market Cap | P/E | ROE | Profit Margin | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSCI
MSCI Inc.
|
BULLISH | $43.08B | 35.84 | -% | 40.0% | $565.15 | |
|
BBD
Banco Bradesco S.A.
|
NEUTRAL | $41.78B | 10.68 | 12.6% | 24.2% | $3.95 | |
|
AIG
American International Group, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $40.07B | 13.01 | 7.7% | 12.0% | $72.32 | |
|
AMP
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $46.82B | 13.98 | 59.6% | 19.6% | $496.6 | |
|
PRU
Prudential Financial, Inc.
|
NEUTRAL | $39.31B | 15.3 | 8.5% | 4.5% | $111.69 |
Recent Insider Trading
Insider buy and sell transactions from the last 6 months
| Date | Insider | Position | Transaction | Shares | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-29 | YANG JUNE | Director | Stock Award | 1 | - |
| 2025-08-29 | MATLOCK ROBIN | Director | Stock Award | 4 | - |
| 2025-08-29 | RIEFLER LINDA H | Director | Stock Award | 6 | - |
| 2025-07-25 | FERNANDEZ HENRY A | Chief Executive Officer | Purchase | 12,400 | $6,731,599 |
| 2025-06-05 | PETTIT CARROLL DOUGLAS BAER | President | Sale | 5,000 | $2,818,102 |
| 2025-05-30 | YANG JUNE | Director | Stock Award | 1 | - |
| 2025-05-30 | TANEJA RAJAT | Director | Stock Award | 9 | - |
| 2025-05-30 | MATLOCK ROBIN | Director | Stock Award | 4 | - |
| 2025-05-30 | RIEFLER LINDA H | Director | Stock Award | 6 | - |
Wall Street Analysts
Professional analyst ratings and price targets
Past News Coverage
Recent headlines mentioning MSCI from our newsroom.