Stock fact sheet · data as of
MSCI Inc. (MSCI): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Financial Services · Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges · United States · Quality / Blue-Chip
Is MSCI undervalued?
At 575.09 (close of 16 Oct 2026), MSCI trades 48% over the GLS average fair value of 388.19, with 2 of 8 models above the price. The stock earns none of the Wheel Score's Value points at this price. That is a statement about price against trailing fundamentals, not about the company's prospects - the Wall Street View and the Growth tab on the Quote page carry the forward numbers.
The 8 models disagree widely: DDM gives 116.98 while Payback Time gives 650.37. A spread that wide means the average is sensitive to which methods you trust; the model table below shows where each one lands, and the Quote page lets you switch any of them off.
The nightly engine files MSCI under Quality / Blue-Chip: a high moat score and a high health score together.
Nine valuation models for MSCI
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 291.54 | -49% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | - | - | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share; no value tonight |
| Graham Growth | 636.83 | +11% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 246.59 | -57% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 452.14 | -21% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 504.34 | -12% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 650.37 | +13% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | 116.98 | -80% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 206.71 | -64% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -92.33 | -116% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 701.71 | +22% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
On financial health MSCI scores 8/9 (Piotroski): most of the nine tests - positive earnings and cash flow, falling debt, rising margins and turnover - are passed, which is the kind of balance sheet a wheel trader is happy to be assigned. The GLS Moat score is 7.7 out of 10, built from ten years of revenue, earnings, margins, cash flow, share count and returns on capital scored for consistency - a high reading that points to a durable business.
Returns on capital are high - ROIC 32.6%, ROE -45.3%, ROA 21.1% - with debt at -2.39 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 3.8%.
The dividend yield is 1.38% with a payout ratio of 42% - a small yield that leaves most of the earnings in the business. Revenue comes mainly from Index 59%, Analytics 22%, E S G And Climate 11% (quarter Q2 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 6/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 8 / 9 | ROIC | 32.6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 7.7 / 10 | ROE | -45.3% |
| Debt / equity | -2.39 | ROA | 21.1% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 3.8% | Payout ratio | 42% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 6 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 66: Good
MSCI scores 66 out of 100 on the Wheel Score (Good band, 65-79). The score blends the margin of safety (Value, 0/25), Piotroski health (18/20), the GLS moat (12/15), the option premium on offer (20/20) and how easily the stock trades (17/20). Value (0/25) is the part holding the score back.
Implied volatility is 35% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out - inside the 35-60% range the Wheel Score pays full marks for: enough premium to be worth selling, not so much that the risk is unpaid. Chain open interest is 9,162 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 582k shares a day on a market cap of $41.8B, with a beta of 1.24 - a high beta, so the stock tends to move more than the market and a strike can be gapped through; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 17 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 0 / 25 | -48% margin of safety | |
| Health | 18 / 20 | Piotroski 8/9 | |
| Moat | 12 / 15 | moat 7.7/10 | |
| Premium | 20 / 20 | implied volatility 35% | |
| Stability | 17 / 20 | 582k shares/day, $41.8B cap, beta 1.24 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
MSCI Inc. reports earnings on 20 Oct 2026 (before the open) - inside the 14-day window the Sunday Scan avoids, because a put sold now would carry the report's gap risk.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
The 12 companies below are the closest to MSCI Inc. by market cap within the Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COIN Coinbase Global, Inc. | 183.81 | 101.69 | -81% | 43Weak | $48.5B |
| NDAQ Nasdaq, Inc. | 93.50 | 56.98 | -64% | 65Good | $52.3B |
| CBOE Cboe Global Markets, Inc. | 308.09 | 211.67 | -46% | 62Fair | $32.2B |
| MCO Moody's Corporation | 483.69 | 357.14 | -35% | 64Fair | $83.8B |
| ICE Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. | 158.41 | 146.07 | -8% | 73Good | $88.9B |
| CME CME Group Inc. | 289.46 | 216.97 | -33% | 56Fair | $104.1B |
| SPGI S&P Global Inc. | 408.57 | 302.68 | -35% | 61Fair | $120.4B |
| TRU TransUnion | 66.94 | 86.04 | +22% | 86Prime | $12.8B |
| FDS FactSet Research Systems Inc. | 301.83 | 280.79 | -7% | 75Good | $10.7B |
| MORN Morningstar, Inc. | 209.24 | 276.68 | +24% | 82Prime | $7.8B |
| OTCM OTC Markets Group Inc. | 53.00 | 50.57 | -5% | 39No options | $635M |
| VALU Value Line, Inc. | 43.29 | 25.36 | -71% | 27No options | $406M |
⚖ Compare MSCI with 7 of them All Financial Services stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about MSCI
Is MSCI undervalued right now?
No: at 575.09 the stock trades 48% above the GLS average fair value of 388.19 (data as of 16 Oct 2026), well beyond what trailing earnings, cash flow and book value support.
What is the Wheel Score of MSCI and what does it mean?
MSCI scores 66 out of 100 (Good). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for MSCI?
388.19 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 8 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does MSCI Inc. report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 20 Oct 2026 (before the open), 4 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does MSCI have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 684 listed contracts with 9,162 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 35% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.