MSCI (NYSE:MSCI) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.05 EPS

MSCI (NYSE:MSCI) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The technology company reported $4.94 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.99 by ($0.05), FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $867.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $870.71 million. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 65.48% and a net margin of 40.74%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.17 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from MSCI’s conference call:

• MSCI reported strong Q2 results, with organic revenue growth of over 12%, adjusted EPS growth of nearly 19%, and adjusted EBITDA growth of 14%. Management also highlighted record asset-based fee run rate and strong share repurchases during the quarter.
• Index and private assets accelerated, with index subscription run rate growth above 11% and private capital subscription run rate growth above 16%. Management said both businesses are key growth engines and still early in their expansion.
• Hedge fund demand was a standout, with index subscription run rate growth of 15% in the broader traders/hedge funds category and 19% among hedge funds specifically. MSCI said this reflects growing demand for custom indexes, index analytics, and the trading/liquidity ecosystem around its benchmark franchise.
• Sustainability remains challenged, with continued client budget pressure and cancellations, especially in the Americas. Management expects recurring net new sales in the combined sustainability and climate segment to be roughly flat to slightly negative over the next two quarters.
• MSCI emphasized an AI-driven product and acquisition strategy, including more than 1,000 clients already using Index AI Insights and the planned acquisition of First Street to expand physical climate risk analytics. The company said AI is helping speed product development, customization, and monetization across the platform.

MSCI Price Performance

MSCI opened at $560.31 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $40.79 billion, a PE ratio of 32.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.24. The business’s 50-day moving average is $597.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $577.04. MSCI has a 1 year low of $501.08 and a 1 year high of $644.77.

MSCI Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 28th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $8.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. MSCI’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MSCI. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of MSCI in a report on Tuesday. Bank of America boosted their price target on MSCI from $715.00 to $730.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $690.00 price objective on MSCI in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of MSCI in a research note on Friday, July 17th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $760.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised shares of MSCI from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and eleven have given a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $716.42.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other MSCI news, insider Alvise J. Munari sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $592.04, for a total value of $5,920,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 23,548 shares in the company, valued at $13,941,357.92. This trade represents a 29.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 3.76% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of MSCI

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in MSCI. BOKF NA lifted its holdings in shares of MSCI by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. BOKF NA now owns 3,461 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $1,964,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its position in shares of MSCI by 12.8% during the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 212 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $122,000 after buying an additional 24 shares during the period. Caerus Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in MSCI by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Caerus Investment Advisors LLC now owns 618 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $355,000 after buying an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in MSCI by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Gotham Asset Management LLC now owns 3,807 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $2,184,000 after buying an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keel Point LLC raised its stake in MSCI by 5.4% during the second quarter. Keel Point LLC now owns 604 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $348,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.97% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about MSCI

Here are the key news stories impacting MSCI this week:

• Positive Sentiment: MSCI reported Q2 revenue of $867 million, up 12.2% year over year, and adjusted EPS of $4.94, up 18.5%, showing continued business growth. MSCI Reports Financial Results for Second Quarter and Six Months 2026
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan reiterated a bullish stance, raising its price target on MSCI to $742 from $700 and maintaining an overweight rating, suggesting analysts still see upside. MSCI (NYSE:MSCI) Stock Price Expected to Rise, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Analyst Says
• Neutral Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $2.05 per share, which supports shareholder returns but is unlikely to be the main driver of the stock’s move. MSCI dividend announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Despite growth, MSCI missed consensus on EPS and revenue, which appears to have disappointed investors and pressured the shares. MSCI earnings results and conference call
• Negative Sentiment: Management also lifted full-year 2026 expense guidance, including operating expense and adjusted EBITDA expense, signaling margin pressure from acquisitions and higher investment spending. MSCI slides as stronger Q2 results are overshadowed by a higher 2026 expense outlook

About MSCI

MSCI Inc is a global provider of investment decision support tools and services for the financial industry. The company is best known for its family of market indexes, which are widely used as benchmarks by asset managers and as the basis for exchange-traded funds and other passive products. In addition to index construction and licensing, MSCI offers portfolio analytics, risk models, factor and performance attribution tools, and a suite of data and technology solutions designed to support portfolio management and trading.

Beyond traditional indexing and risk analytics, MSCI has expanded into environmental, social and governance (ESG) research and ratings, offering data, scores and screening tools that help investors integrate sustainability considerations into investment processes.