MSCI Inc (NYSE:MSCI) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of MSCI Inc (NYSE:MSCI) have earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven research firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $674.00.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on MSCI shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $655.00 target price on shares of MSCI in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Raymond James Financial upgraded MSCI from an “outperform” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $710.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $715.00 price objective on shares of MSCI in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. UBS Group set a $638.00 price objective on MSCI in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Finally, Bank of America started coverage on shares of MSCI in a research report on Tuesday, February 17th. They set a “buy” rating and a $700.00 target price on the stock.

More MSCI News

Here are the key news stories impacting MSCI this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raymond James named MSCI a top sector pick and cited strong sales momentum, giving investors a fresh analyst endorsement that can support buying interest. Raymond James names MSCI top sector pick
• Positive Sentiment: MSCI appeared on a retail recommendation list (“5 Best Stocks to Invest In on Robinhood for Beginners”), which can boost retail visibility and demand over time. 5 Best Stocks to Invest In on Robinhood for Beginners
• Positive Sentiment: Several companies (Minth Group; Hengtong Optic-Electric) publicly noted MSCI ESG rating actions (upgrades and ‘A’ ratings). While these are client stories, they highlight ongoing demand for MSCI’s ESG ratings and data services — a structural revenue tailwind. Minth Group wins MSCI ESG rating upgrade Hengtong Optic-Electric secures MSCI ‘A’ rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage in multiple Q4 fund letters and market pieces references MSCI indexes (e.g., MSCI All Country World, MSCI USA Financials). This underscores broad usage of MSCI benchmarks across ETFs and active funds, supporting recurring index licensing revenue but not signaling an immediate catalyst. ACWI coverage (MSCI All Country World) Baron Financials ETF letter
• Neutral Sentiment: No material negative news items surfaced in the last 24–36 hours; volume is lighter than average, so price moves may reflect analyst/news-driven shifts rather than a broad flow. (See linked fund commentaries for context.) Goldman Sachs fund commentary Franklin fund commentary

MSCI Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MSCI opened at $532.14 on Tuesday. MSCI has a 12 month low of $486.73 and a 12 month high of $626.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $39.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.92, a P/E/G ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.29. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $558.78 and its 200 day moving average price is $563.15.

MSCI (NYSE:MSCI) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The technology company reported $4.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.62 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $822.53 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $819.51 million. MSCI had a net margin of 38.36% and a negative return on equity of 82.59%. MSCI’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $4.18 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that MSCI will post 16.86 EPS for the current year.

MSCI Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th were paid a dividend of $2.05 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $8.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.5%. This is an increase from MSCI’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.80. MSCI’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 52.26%.

Insider Buying and Selling at MSCI

In other news, CFO Andrew C. Wiechmann sold 450 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $560.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 22,544 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,624,640. This represents a 1.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Henry A. Fernandez bought 6,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $524.18 per share, with a total value of $3,145,080.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,493,047 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $782,625,376.46. This trade represents a 0.40% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Company insiders own 3.76% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of MSCI

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MSCI. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new position in shares of MSCI in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Root Financial Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of MSCI during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of MSCI by 341.7% during the fourth quarter. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC now owns 53 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares during the period. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new position in MSCI in the 4th quarter valued at $34,000. 89.97% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.