MSCI Management
Management criteria checks 2/4
MSCI's CEO is Henry Fernandez, appointed in Jan 1998, has a tenure of 28.33 years. total yearly compensation is $33.32M, comprised of 3% salary and 97% bonuses, including company stock and options. directly owns 3.01% of the company’s shares, worth $1.27B. The average tenure of the management team and the board of directors is 3.9 years and 6.3 years respectively.
Key information
Henry Fernandez
Chief executive officer
US$33.3m
Total compensation
| CEO salary percentage | 3.00% |
| CEO tenure | 28.3yrs |
| CEO ownership | 3.0% |
| Management average tenure | 3.9yrs |
| Board average tenure | 6.3yrs |
Recent management updates
Recent updates
Narrative Update • Apr 26
MSCI: Limited AI Risk And Sales Momentum Will Support Premium Multiple
MSCI's updated analyst price target framework now points to a fair value of about $684, up from roughly $672. Analysts tie the change to modestly higher margin expectations, a slightly higher discount rate, and lower assumed future P/E alongside reduced revenue growth assumptions, supported by a recent cluster of upward and a few downward price target revisions across major firms.Seeking Alpha • Apr 21
MSCI: Record Sales And High Retention Prove This Compounder Is A Buy
Summary MSCI delivered strong Q1 2026 results, with adjusted EPS up 14.1% and operating revenue up 13.8%, despite AI-driven disruption fears. MSCI’s index and analytics segments posted double-digit growth, with retention rates at 95.4% and operating margins reaching 53.7%, reinforcing business resilience. Shareholder returns remain robust, with $464M in buybacks at $555/share and a 14% dividend increase, supported by $1.7B in remaining buyback authorization. I maintain a long-term buy rating on MSCI, expecting at least ~10% annual returns, but caution on short-term risks tied to market downturns and asset-based fee sensitivity. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
New Narrative • Apr 20
MSCI 04-2026
MSCI is a Wide Moat compounding machine whose index benchmarks serve as the institutional standard for $16.5 trillion in global AUM, generating 75%+ recurring revenue at 93-95% retention rates and approximately 50% FCF margins. The investment thesis rests on three durable pillars: (1) permanent switching costs in the Index segment, where fund mandate rewrites, LP notifications, and derivative contract renegotiations make benchmark migration prohibitively costly for all but the most determined sponsors; (2) secular tailwinds from the continued growth of passive investing and the institutionalization of private markets, which expand MSCI's AUM-linked revenue with zero incremental cost; and (3) an emerging private assets franchise replicating the Index playbook in a $10 trillion+ private equity and credit market that currently lacks institutional-grade benchmarks.Narrative Update • Apr 12
MSCI: Benchmark Data Strength And ETF Inflows Will Support Future Premium Multiple
MSCI's analyst price target edges lower by about $6 to reflect modest tweaks to discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E assumptions, as analysts balance earlier target increases from several firms with more recent cuts tied to updated views on the information services group. Analyst Commentary Recent research on MSCI shows a mix of confidence in the business model and caution around valuation, reflected in both target price increases and reductions over the past few months.Narrative Update • Mar 27
MSCI: ETF Inflows And Benchmark Data Strength Will Sustain Future Premium Multiple
MSCI's updated analyst price target edges higher to $710, supported by analysts citing improving sales momentum, healthy ETF inflows and limited AI risk, while still viewing the current P/E as only marginally above the wider market. Analyst Commentary Recent research points to a generally constructive stance on MSCI, with several firms adjusting ratings and targets while highlighting both upside drivers and areas to watch.Narrative Update • Mar 11
MSCI: Pricing Power And Data Assets Will Support Future Premium Multiple
The updated analyst price target for MSCI edges down by about $1 as analysts balance slightly softer fair value, revenue growth, and profit margin assumptions with ongoing support from recent target raises and constructive views on the company’s pricing power and data assets. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on MSCI is broadly constructive, with several firms lifting price targets and one large bank reinstating coverage with a positive stance.Narrative Update • Feb 24
MSCI: Pricing Power And ETF Inflows Will Support Future Premium Multiple
Narrative update on MSCI price targets Our fair value estimate for MSCI has inched higher by about $1 to $679.56, reflecting analysts' higher price targets and their view that the company still supports a premium P/E multiple, supported by resilient fee trends, healthy ETF inflows and strong pricing power. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on MSCI centers on how much of a premium valuation is justified, given its fee model, pricing power and exposure to passive investing and ETFs. While most recent moves have been supportive of higher targets, views still hinge on the company continuing to execute against these advantages.Narrative Update • Feb 07
MSCI: Pricing Power And ETF Inflows Will Support Premium Multiple
Analysts have lifted their price targets for MSCI, with our updated fair value estimate moving from US$659.40 to US$678.20 as they point to healthy ETF inflows, asset based fee support, and traits they say justify a premium P/E multiple. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research has clustered around upward price target revisions for MSCI, with several firms citing similar drivers for their updated views.Narrative Update • Jan 23
MSCI: Pricing Power And Passive Tailwinds Will Sustain Premium Multiple
Narrative Update on MSCI The updated analyst price target for MSCI moves to about US$659 from roughly US$657, with analysts pointing to factors such as MSCI's pricing power, proprietary benchmarks, passive investing tailwinds and recent support from equity markets and ETF inflows as reasons for maintaining a premium valuation framework. Analyst Commentary Recent Street commentary around MSCI centers on whether its current share price still makes sense given the company’s pricing power, benchmark assets and exposure to passive investing trends.Narrative Update • Jan 08
MSCI: High Recurring Revenue Will Support Premium Multiple Despite Sustainability Headwinds
Analysts have trimmed their fair value estimate for MSCI by a small amount to about US$657, reflecting slightly lower modeled revenue growth and P/E assumptions. They still acknowledge the company's high recurring revenue and margins, as well as the recent moderation in Sustainability product growth highlighted in recent research.Narrative Update • Dec 15
MSCI: Recurring Revenue Will Sustain Premium Multiple Despite Sustainability Slowdown
Analysts have modestly reduced their MSCI price target by $0.00, citing the combination of still-strong recurring, high-margin revenue and a sustained premium multiple, tempered by a slowdown in Sustainability product growth and sector-wide concerns that they view as somewhat overdone. Analyst Commentary Recent Street commentary on MSCI highlights a balanced view, with recognition of the company’s high-quality fundamentals alongside emerging concerns around specific growth drivers and sector sentiment.Narrative Update • Nov 29
MSCI: Recurring Revenue Strength Will Support Margin Stability And Buyback Upside
MSCI's analyst price target has been raised slightly, from $655.06 to $657.56. Analysts cite steady recurring revenue growth and healthy margins, despite some moderation in sustainability product momentum.Narrative Update • Nov 15
MSCI: Recurring Revenue And Buybacks Will Drive Premium Performance Ahead
Analysts have reaffirmed their price target for MSCI at $655.06, citing strong recurring revenue and healthy margins. Recent updates reflect only minor changes to key financial assumptions and acknowledge a moderating revenue growth rate in certain segments.Narrative Update • Nov 01
MSCI: Improved Margins And Share Buybacks Will Drive Stock Momentum
Analysts have raised their price target on MSCI from $627.81 to $655.06, reflecting improved profit margins and a premium valuation. This comes despite moderating revenue growth and a cautious outlook on Sustainability product momentum.Analysis Article • Oct 31
MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI) Third-Quarter Results Just Came Out: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For Next Year
Investors in MSCI Inc. ( NYSE:MSCI ) had a good week, as its shares rose 8.2% to close at US$583 following the release...Narrative Update • Oct 18
Global ETF Demand And ESG Mandates Will Reshape Asset Allocation
The analyst price target for MSCI has increased slightly by $4 to $627.81, as analysts cite ongoing growth in target markets and a favorable long-term outlook, despite recent margin and subscription growth concerns. Analyst Commentary Recent street research highlights a mix of optimism and concern among analysts following MSCI's latest earnings and developments.Narrative Update • Oct 03
Global ETF Demand And ESG Mandates Will Reshape Asset Allocation
The analyst price target for MSCI has increased slightly to $623.81 from $619.07. Analysts cite continued growth potential and recent buy ratings despite moderate output from recent earnings and mixed sector sentiment.Analysis Article • Jun 25
Earnings Not Telling The Story For MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI)
With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 39x MSCI Inc. ( NYSE:MSCI ) may be sending very bearish signals at the...Seeking Alpha • Apr 06
MSCI: Fairly Priced, But Will Wait For A Better Entry Point
Summary The decline in stock prices will impact revenues, driving lower than expected asset-based fees. The analyst consensus might be overoptimistic with MSCI, and I expect minor growth during 2025. MSCI stock is fairly priced with an estimated value of $510 per share, but I will wait for an extra margin of safety. Despite the short-term headwinds, I still consider MSCI an outstanding business due to its asset-light model, strong competitive position, and aligned management. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Jan 29
MSCI Earnings: Solid 2024, But Investors May Reprice The Stock Lower Against Organic Growth
Summary MSCI has outperformed its peers in recent years, delivering strong returns and demonstrating superior growth and operating efficiency. However, that success has also made the stock more expensive than peers on numerous metrics. MSCI's international exposure positions it well for potential capital redistribution towards global markets, contrasting with S&P Global's U.S.-centric revenue base. Despite MSCI's solid results and prospects, I rate the stock a Hold due to its premium valuation. I'd be eager to buy on any significant price dips. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Dec 25
Unlocking Value From MSCI, The Index Fund Powerhouse
Summary MSCI is a highly profitable financial analytics company with a strong brand, delivering 45% net profit margins on $2.5 billion in annual revenue. The company benefits from recurring subscriptions and organic growth, although net new subscriptions outside the Americas are slightly down. MSCI's focus on institutional investors and high dividend yield make it a compelling investment compared to competitors like Morningstar. Despite trading at a high P/E ratio, MSCI's strong brand and monopolistic profit margins justify its premium valuation in the saturated index fund industry. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Dec 04
MSCI: Quality Business At A Decent Valuation
Summary MSCI remains a "strong buy" due to its duopolistic market position, sustainable growth, and undervaluation despite recent price increases. The company boasts a strong revenue CAGR of 13% and a free cash flow margin of 48.5%, driven by its asset-light business model. Risks include cyclical demand in the ESG segment and elevated net debt, though debt maturity is well-managed with conservative interest coverage. MSCI's valuation remains attractive, with a price-to-free cash flow ratio 15.8% lower than the historical average, indicating continued undervaluation. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Nov 10
MSCI: It'll Take A Little Longer For Fundamentals To Catch Up
Summary MSCI's third-quarter results showed revenue acceleration and margin improvements but didn't indicate a significant trend change relative to competition. Despite good results, MSCI's valuation remains high compared to peers like S&P Global, which have more diversified and wide-moat businesses. At 35 times '25 earnings, MSCI is above a 2x PEG, making it unattractive; thus, I maintain a 'Hold' rating. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Oct 30
MSCI: Reiterate Buy Rating On Positive Demand Recovery Trend
Summary I maintain a buy rating for MSCI due to strong underlying growth, solid demand outlook, and improved fund inflows despite a challenging macro environment. MSCI's 3Q24 revenue grew 15.9% y/y, beating expectations, with robust growth in index and analytics segments, and expanding profit margins. Elevated cancellations and longer sales cycles are near-term challenges, but the recovery in fund inflows and record high AUM balances are positive indicators. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Oct 09
MSCI: Dividend Yield On Cost Might Surprise You
Summary MSCI's strong business model and subscription-based index offerings drive predictable, high-margin revenues, making it a dominant player in the financial industry. The company's financial performance is outstanding, with consistent revenue growth, high profitability ratios, and impressive free cash flow margins. Despite its strengths, MSCI's current share price is overvalued; a fair value is estimated at $397 per share, suggesting a wait for a price drop. MSCI's rapid dividend growth and buybacks make it attractive for long-term investors, but it should be bought at a more reasonable price. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Aug 21
MSCI: How 'The Customer Is Always Right' Leads To Shareholder Returns
Summary MSCI provides investment decision support tools and solutions for institutional investors globally. Their products include indices, portfolio construction software, ESG solutions, and private asset data analysis. MSCI's revenues are leveraged to stock market capitalization levels, with a focus on integrated offerings and excellent service. MSCI's balance sheet has significant negative tangible book value, which I would understand as a vote of confidence from bondholders who are willing to hold unsecured notes in MSCI. MSCI knows that the customer is always right - no matter how controversial, self-contradictory, or ineffective the customers' desires happen to be. Happy customers lead to good profit. MSCI, by an operating cash flow yield metric, is currently trading near an extreme high relative market valuation, but still has great long-term buy-and-hold prospects. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaSeeking Alpha • Jul 24
MSCI: Valuation Is Still Cheap And Business Growth Remains Robust
Summary MSCI stock continues to receive a buy rating given the strong growth indicators and cheap valuation compared to the market. 2Q24 earnings beat estimates with revenue growth across all segments, showing healthy growth potential despite macro impacts on active asset managers. MSCI partnership with Moody's enhances ESG & Climate offering. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaCEO Compensation Analysis
| Date | Total Compensation | Salary | Company Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31 2026 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Dec 31 2025 | US$33m | US$1m | US$1b |
| Sep 30 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Jun 30 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Mar 31 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Dec 31 2024 | US$16m | US$1m | US$1b |
| Sep 30 2024 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Jun 30 2024 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Mar 31 2024 | n/a | n/a | US$1b |
| Dec 31 2023 | US$14m | US$1m | US$1b |
| Sep 30 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$960m |
| Jun 30 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$917m |
| Mar 31 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$881m |
| Dec 31 2022 | US$13m | US$1m | US$871m |
| Sep 30 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$849m |
| Jun 30 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$803m |
| Mar 31 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$758m |
| Dec 31 2021 | US$10m | US$1m | US$726m |
| Sep 30 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$688m |
| Jun 30 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$701m |
| Mar 31 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$651m |
| Dec 31 2020 | US$10m | US$1m | US$602m |
| Sep 30 2020 | n/a | n/a | US$568m |
| Jun 30 2020 | n/a | n/a | US$523m |
| Mar 31 2020 | n/a | n/a | US$534m |
| Dec 31 2019 | US$9m | US$1m | US$564m |
Compensation vs Market: Henry's total compensation ($USD33.32M) is above average for companies of similar size in the US market ($USD14.80M).
Compensation vs Earnings: Henry's compensation has increased by more than 20% in the past year.
CEO
Henry Fernandez (67 yo)
28.3yrs
Tenure
US$33,320,590
Compensation
Mr. Henry A. Fernandez had been an Independent Director at Royalty Pharma plc since July 31, 2020 and was its Lead Independent Director since March 2021 until August 13, 2025. He has been the Chairman of t...
Leadership Team
| Name | Position | Tenure | Compensation | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | 28.3yrs | US$33.32m | 3.01% $ 1.3b | |
| Chief Financial Officer | 5.7yrs | US$4.43m | 0.025% $ 10.4m | |
| Chief Human Resources Officer | 12.1yrs | US$3.80m | 0.018% $ 7.6m | |
| Advisor | less than a year | US$9.85m | 0.39% $ 165.7m | |
| Head of Client Segments & Chief Product Officer | 10.5yrs | US$4.97m | 0.032% $ 13.7m | |
| COO & Head of Analytics | less than a year | no data | no data | |
| Global Controller & Chief Accounting Officer | 1.8yrs | no data | no data | |
| Head of Investor Relations & Treasurer | 3.9yrs | no data | no data | |
| General Counsel and Head of Corporate Affairs | 6.3yrs | US$2.66m | 0.019% $ 8.0m | |
| Chief Marketing & Communications Officer | 3.8yrs | no data | no data | |
| Managing Director | no data | no data | no data | |
| Head of Index | 2.5yrs | no data | no data |
3.9yrs
Average Tenure
56yo
Average Age
Experienced Management: MSCI's management team is considered experienced (3.9 years average tenure).
Board Members
| Name | Position | Tenure | Compensation | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | 28.3yrs | US$33.32m | 3.01% $ 1.3b | |
| Lead Independent Director | 12.4yrs | US$372.61k | 0.032% $ 13.4m | |
| Independent Director | 6.3yrs | US$322.32k | 0.0053% $ 2.2m | |
| Independent Director | 9.2yrs | US$337.76k | 0.0081% $ 3.4m | |
| Independent Director | 1.8yrs | US$312.46k | 0.00092% $ 389.8k | |
| Independent Director | 19.3yrs | US$348.79k | 0.029% $ 12.2m | |
| Independent Director | 3.9yrs | US$330.85k | 0.0017% $ 728.7k | |
| Independent Director | 8.5yrs | US$342.76k | 0.0070% $ 2.9m | |
| Independent Director | 4.9yrs | US$319.39k | 0.00069% $ 292.3k | |
| Independent Director | 6.3yrs | US$337.76k | 0.0033% $ 1.4m | |
| Independent Director | 1.4yrs | US$312.85k | 0.00018% $ 76.3k |
6.3yrs
Average Tenure
61yo
Average Age
Experienced Board: MSCI's board of directors are considered experienced (6.3 years average tenure).
Company Analysis and Financial Data Status
| Data | Last Updated (UTC time) |
|---|---|
| Company Analysis | 2026/05/21 21:48 |
| End of Day Share Price | 2026/05/21 00:00 |
| Earnings | 2026/03/31 |
| Annual Earnings | 2025/12/31 |
Data Sources
The data used in our company analysis is from S&P Global Market Intelligence LLC. The following data is used in our analysis model to generate this report. Data is normalised which can introduce a delay from the source being available.
| Package | Data | Timeframe | Example US Source * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Financials | 10 years |
| |
| Analyst Consensus Estimates | +3 years |
|
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| Market Prices | 30 years |
| |
| Ownership | 10 years |
| |
| Management | 10 years |
| |
| Key Developments | 10 years |
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* Example for US securities, for non-US equivalent regulatory forms and sources are used.
Unless specified all financial data is based on a yearly period but updated quarterly. This is known as Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) or Last Twelve Month (LTM) Data. Learn more.
Analysis Model and Snowflake
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Industry and Sector Metrics
Our industry and section metrics are calculated every 6 hours by Simply Wall St, details of our process are available on Github.
Analyst Sources
MSCI Inc. is covered by 29 analysts. 14 of those analysts submitted the estimates of revenue or earnings used as inputs to our report. Analysts submissions are updated throughout the day.
| Analyst | Institution |
|---|---|
| Manav Patnaik | Barclays |
| Arnaud Maurice Giblat | BNP Paribas |
| Gregory Simpson | BNP Paribas |