MSCI Inc. Announces Quarterly Dividend of $1.60

MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI) has announced a quarterly dividend of $1.60 per share, as reported on Monday, October 28th. This dividend will be given to stockholders who are on record by Friday, November 15th, and it will be paid out on Friday, November 29th. The total annualized dividend for MSCI stands at $6.40, which results in a yield of 1.09%. The ex-dividend date is also set for Friday, November 15th.

Dividend Growth and Payout Ratio

MSCI has demonstrated a robust growth in its dividends over the past three years, averaging an increase of 23.7% annually. The company maintains a dividend payout ratio of 37.9%, indicating that its dividend is well-supported by its earnings. Analysts predict that MSCI will earn $16.85 per share in the upcoming year, which suggests the company can sustain its $6.40 annual dividend with a future payout ratio estimated at 38.0%.

Stock Performance

As of Wednesday, shares of MSCI traded up $6.42, reaching a price of $585.35. During this session, 35,959 shares exchanged hands, compared to the average volume of 537,441. Over the past year, MSCI has fluctuated with a low of $439.95 and a high of $631.70. With a market capitalization of $46.04 billion, the company has a PE ratio of 38.78, a P/E/G ratio of 3.09, and a beta of 1.11. The firm's moving averages currently stand at $579.80 over 50 days and $529.06 over 200 days.

Recent Earnings Report

On Tuesday, October 29th, MSCI disclosed its quarterly earnings, reporting $3.86 earnings per share, which exceeded the consensus estimate of $3.77 by $0.09. The company recorded a net margin of 43.86% but showed a negative return on equity of 143.09%. The revenue for the quarter was reported at $724.70 million, beating the expected $716.15 million. This revenue marks a 15.9% increase from the same quarter last year, with analysts forecasting an average EPS of 14.83 for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings

Several brokerages recently provided analysis and ratings for MSCI. Barclays raised their target price for MSCI from $650.00 to $700.00, assigning an "overweight" rating in their report from September 13th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded their assessment of MSCI from "neutral" to "buy," setting a price target of $680.00. Other analysts, including Argus and Wells Fargo & Company, also increased their price targets and affirmed their buy ratings. Overall, seven analysts have a hold rating, while nine rate it as a buy, leading to a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $615.23.

About MSCI Inc.

MSCI Inc., along with its subsidiaries, provides essential decision-making support tools and solutions for the investment community, helping manage their investment processes globally. Its Index segment offers indexes for various investment applications, including ETFs, mutual funds, futures, and more.

Dividend, Earnings, Finance