MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI) is a leading provider of equity indexes, analytics, and risk tools used by institutional investors worldwide. Shares recently traded around $576 per share, giving the company a market value of roughly $43.8 billion.
Once known primarily for equity benchmarks, MSCI has evolved into a high-margin, data-driven business with recurring revenue tied to global asset allocation, index-linked products, and passive investment flows.
Looking at who owns MSCI and recent insider trades helps show how the largest investors may be approaching the stock today.
Who Are MSCI’s Top Shareholders?
MSCI’s shareholder base is led by large passive institutions that tend to hold through market cycles, which can help support long-term ownership stability. Active managers adjusted positions in both directions last quarter, suggesting mixed views around valuation.
- The Vanguard Group: 9,640,374 shares (12.83%), ~$5.61B value. Added 165,378 shares (+1.75%).
- BlackRock Institutional Trust Company: 4,231,621 shares (5.63%), ~$2.46B value. Added 42,882 shares (+1.02%).
- State Street Investment Management: 3,320,761 shares (4.42%), ~$1.93B value. Added 39,450 shares (+1.20%).
- Baron Capital Management: 2,394,117 shares (3.19%), ~$1.39B value. Added 223,784 shares (+10.31%).
- Henry A. Fernandez: 2,173,447 shares (2.89%), ~$1.27B value. Added 10,210 shares (+0.47%).
- Geode Capital Management: 2,024,901 shares (2.69%), ~$1.18B value. Added 31,377 shares (+1.57%).
- Edgewood Management: 1,913,281 shares (2.55%), ~$1.11B value. Cut 180,066 shares (-8.60%).
- Principal Global Investors: 1,777,749 shares (2.37%), ~$1.04B value. Added 109,287 shares (+6.55%).
- Polen Capital Management: 1,583,939 shares (2.11%), ~$922M value. Cut 157,450 shares (-9.04%).
- Morgan Stanley Investment Management (UK): 1,308,117 shares (1.74%), ~$762M value. Increased sharply from a much smaller prior position.
For investors, MSCI’s ownership remains anchored by long-term passive holders, while mixed activity among active managers suggests investors are balancing business quality against valuation.
Hedge Fund Highlights
Meritage Group, led by Nat Simons, increased its MSCI position by about 33% last quarter, adding more than 100,000 shares. The firm now holds roughly $236M value of the stock, which may suggest growing confidence in MSCI’s long-term index and analytics franchise.
Ritholtz Wealth Management, founded by Barry Ritholtz, boosted its MSCI stake by over 200%, bringing total holdings to approximately $1.5M value. While small in absolute size, the increase stands out relative to its prior exposure.
Gotham Asset Management, run by Joel Greenblatt, raised its MSCI position by nearly 50%, now holding roughly $2.1M value of shares, which could reflect valuation-driven interest following recent price consolidation.
O’Shaughnessy Asset Management, founded by James O’Shaughnessy, lifted its stake by about 20%, bringing total holdings to roughly $10M value, pointing to steady conviction in MSCI’s recurring revenue model for investors watching hedge fund positioning.
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MSCI’s Recent Insider Trades
Insider transactions can offer useful context on how executives and directors may be managing personal exposure, though they should not be viewed in isolation.
- Andrew Craig Wiechmann (Officer): Sold ~$248K worth of shares (450 shares at ~$550) on 12/10/25.
- Henry A. Fernandez (Founder, Officer, Director): Bought ~$1.8M worth of shares across multiple purchases at ~$532 to $542 on 12/4/25.
These transactions represent a very small portion of shares outstanding and do not materially change insider ownership levels. For investors, it appears insider activity is relatively balanced, with modest selling and incremental buying that may reflect personal portfolio decisions rather than a clear signal on future performance.
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What the Ownership & Insider Trade Data Tell Us
MSCI’s shareholder base remains heavily institutional and supported by large passive managers, providing a stable ownership foundation. Active managers show mixed positioning, which may reflect differing views on valuation as the stock trades near the upper end of its historical range.
Insider activity has been limited in size and mixed in direction, offering context without pointing to a strong directional signal. For investors, the data suggests MSCI continues to be viewed as a high-quality, durable business, though current positioning reflects a measured approach rather than aggressive accumulation.
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