MSCI Inc. (MSCI)
MSCI creates the essential indexes and data tools that global investors use to track markets and build their portfolios.
Is MSCI Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: High profit margins show a very efficient business. Worth weighing: High valuation compared to typical companies. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has MSCI Inc. actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, MSCI Inc. fell as much as −20% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Dominance in global financial infrastructure
Regulatory changes impacting index fees
What does MSCI Inc. do?
Think of MSCI as the architect behind the scenes of the investment world; they build the indexes that many pension funds and ETFs track. Financial institutions pay subscription fees for its data, analytics, and research tools. The question to follow is how well it keeps earning as more investors shift their cash into passive, index-based funds.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and growth, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.4% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 12% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 41% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 31 - big growth is already priced in
- Quality screens high (95/100)
- High profit margins show a very efficient business
- Essential service that is deeply embedded in the financial industry
- Strong revenue growth indicates high demand for their data
- Potential for new regulations to cap index licensing fees
- Competition from lower-cost data providers
- A major market crash could reduce the assets tracking their indexes
What do MSCI Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does MSCI Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does MSCI Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - MSCI Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 1.4% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about MSCI Inc.'s dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does MSCI Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
MSCI Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-20 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-21 | $4.98 | $4.94 | In line |
| 2026-04-21 | $4.46 | $4.55 | Beat +2% |
| 2026-01-28 | $4.59 | $4.66 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-10-28 | $4.37 | $4.47 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-07-22 | $4.15 | $4.17 | In line |
| 2025-04-22 | $3.90 | $4.00 | Beat +2% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, MSCI Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Financial Services
What are the scenarios for MSCI Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of MSCI Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- High profit margins show a very efficient business
- Essential service that is deeply embedded in the financial industry
- Strong revenue growth: How fast the company's sales grew versus a year ago. indicates high demand for their data
- High valuation compared to typical companies
- Share price can be more volatile than the broader market
- Relies heavily on the health of the global financial sector
- Potential for new regulations to cap index licensing fees
- Competition from lower-cost data providers
- A major market crash could reduce the assets tracking their indexes
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant drop in the popularity of index-based investing
- A sustained decline in profit margins
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.