MSCI (NYSE:MSCI) Stock Price Up 6.1% After Earnings Beat

Shares of MSCI Inc (NYSE:MSCI) shot up 6.1% on Tuesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $604.08 and last traded at $601.4860. 217,852 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 64% from the average session volume of 599,431 shares. The stock had previously closed at $566.95.

The technology company reported $4.55 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.38 by $0.17. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 82.59% and a net margin of 38.36%.The business had revenue of $850.80 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $830.91 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $4.00 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year.

MSCI Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be issued a $2.05 dividend. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 15th. MSCI’s dividend payout ratio is currently 52.26%.

More MSCI News

Here are the key news stories impacting MSCI this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations: MSCI reported $4.55 adjusted EPS and roughly $850.8M revenue (revenue +14% YoY) with operating and adjusted EBITDA margins expanding — a key driver behind the stock strength. MSCI Reports Financial Results for First Quarter 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Asset‑based fees and index momentum stood out in the quarter, supporting recurring revenue and raising confidence in resilience through market volatility. MSCI Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y, Shares Up
• Positive Sentiment: Capital return program expanded: MSCI declared a $2.05 quarterly dividend (ex‑div May 15; pay May 29) and continues share repurchases — both boost shareholder yield and signal management’s confidence. MSCI Reports Financial Results for First Quarter 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and investor commentary is supportive: bullish write‑ups highlight record sales and high retention, and recent analyst price targets remain well above current levels for many firms — a tailwind for sentiment. MSCI: Record Sales And High Retention Prove This Compounder Is A Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Full earnings materials and transcript are available — useful for assessing forward commentary but not an immediate price mover by itself. MSCI Inc. (MSCI) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/headline risk: MSCI extended its review/freezing of Indonesian market inclusion decisions, which has spooked some investors and could delay or reduce index rebalancing flows tied to Indonesia exposure. MSCI extends review of Indonesian stock market reforms to June

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have weighed in on MSCI. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on MSCI from $618.00 to $545.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 1st. UBS Group set a $638.00 target price on MSCI in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. Evercore upped their target price on MSCI from $655.00 to $690.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $730.00 target price on shares of MSCI in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on MSCI in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $700.00 target price for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, MSCI currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $668.11.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Henry A. Fernandez purchased 6,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 13th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $524.18 per share, for a total transaction of $3,145,080.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 1,493,047 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $782,625,376.46. The trade was a 0.40% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Andrew C. Wiechmann sold 450 shares of MSCI stock in a transaction on 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 transaction, the chief financial officer owned 22,544 shares in the company, valued at $12,624,640. This represents a 1.96% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 3.76% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MSCI. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Root Financial Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of MSCI by 341.7% in the 4th 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 in the last quarter. Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI in the 4th quarter worth $34,000. 89.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

MSCI Trading Up 5.3%

The stock has a market cap of $43.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.05, a PEG ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.30. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $549.15 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $561.64.

MSCI Company Profile

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.