Is MSCI Stock Outperforming the Nasdaq?
/MSCI%20Inc%20magnified%20website-by%20Mehaniq%20via%20Shutterstock.jpg)
New York-based MSCI Inc. (MSCI) provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. With a market cap of $43.2 billion, the company operates under four segments: Index, Analytics, ESG and Climate, and All other- Private Assets.
Companies worth $10 billion or more are typically referred to as "large-cap stocks." MSCI fits right into that category, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, reflecting its substantial size and influence in the Financial Data & Stock Exchanges industry. The company benefits from operating widely-known indexes including MSCI Global Equity Indexes, MSCI Custom Indexes, MSCI Factor Indexes, MSCI ESG Indexes, MSCI Real Assets Indexes, and Thematic Indexes.
However, the stock has retreated 13.2% from its 52-week high of $642.45 touched on Dec. 12, 2024. Shares of MSCI have grown 2.3% over the past three months, underperforming the broader Nasdaq Composite’s ($NASX) 12.9% rise over the same time frame.
Shares of MSCI have risen 15.3% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming $NASX’s 14.7% returns over the same time frame. However, MSCI stock is down 7% on a YTD basis, underperforming $NASX’s 2.1% uptick.
MSCI has been trading below its 200-day moving average since early April but above its 50-day moving average since early May.
MSCI stock grew marginally following the release of its strong Q1 2025 earnings on Apr. 22. The company reported a 9.7% year-over-year increase in its revenue to $745.8 million, mainly driven by growth in recurring subscription revenues and asset-based fees, and surpassed the Street’s estimates. Moreover, its operating income rose 11.1% from the prior-year quarter to $377 million, with an operating margin of 50.6%. MSCI’s adjusted EPS for the quarter rose 13.6% year-over-year to $4.00 and beat the consensus estimates by 3.4%.
Its peer, Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN), has grown 2.7% in 2025 and 2.1% over the past year, lagging behind the stock.
Analysts remain moderately optimistic about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the 20 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $628.50 implies a premium of 12.7% from the current market prices.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.