MSCI Declares $2.05 Quarterly Dividend for Second Quarter 2026
MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a provider of investment decision support tools, declared a cash dividend of $2.05 per share for the second quarter of 2026. The dividend is payable May 29 to shareholders of record as of May 15.
MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, declared a cash dividend of $2.05 per share for the second quarter of 2026. The MSCI Board of Directors approved the dividend on April 20, 2026. Read more dividend announcements.
The dividend will be paid on May 29, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of trading on May 15, 2026.
| Dividend Details | Date |
|---|---|
| Amount per Share | $2.05 |
| Record Date | May 15, 2026 |
| Payment Date | May 29, 2026 |
First Quarter Financial Performance
The dividend declaration came alongside MSCI's first quarter 2026 financial results, which showed operating revenues of $850.8 million, up 14.1% from the prior-year period. The company reported diluted earnings per share of $5.53, up 49.1% year-over-year, and adjusted earnings per share of $4.55, up 13.8%.
Net income for the quarter reached $406.0 million compared to $288.6 million in the first quarter of 2025. Operating margin expanded to 53.7% from 50.6% in the year-ago period.
Adjusted EBITDA totaled $504.7 million, an 18.6% increase, with adjusted EBITDA margin rising to 59.3% from 57.1%. Organic operating revenue growth was 13.3% for the quarter.
Capital Allocation Activity
MSCI paid approximately $150.1 million in dividends to shareholders during the first quarter of 2026. The company also repurchased 835,591 shares for $464 million through April 20, 2026, at an average price of $555.61 per share.
As of April 20, 2026, approximately $1.7 billion remained available under the company's outstanding share repurchase authorization. Total shares outstanding as of March 31, 2026 were 72.9 million.
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow
Cash and cash equivalents stood at $385.3 million as of March 31, 2026. Total principal amount of debt outstanding was $6.5 billion, with a total debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.2x based on trailing twelve months.
Net cash provided by operating activities increased 1.7% to $306.8 million in the first quarter. Free cash flow rose 3.4% year-over-year to $278.0 million. Capital expenditures for the quarter totaled $28.8 million.
MSCI maintained its full-year 2026 guidance, projecting net cash provided by operating activities of $1,640 million to $1,690 million and free cash flow of $1,470 million to $1,530 million.