MSCI 10-Q 2024-09-30

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-Q

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For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024

OR

For the transition period from____________to____________

Commission file number 001-33812

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MSCI INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 804-3900

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No x

As of October 24, 2024, there were 78,371,294 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01, outstanding.

FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Our corporate headquarters is located at 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, 49th Floor, New York, New York, 10007, and our telephone number is (212) 804-3900. We maintain a website on the internet at www.msci.com. The contents of our website are not a part of or incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information that we file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. We also make available free of charge, on or through our website, these reports, proxy statements and other information as soon as reasonably practicable following the time they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. To access these, click on the “SEC Filings” link under the “Financial Information” tab found on our Investor Relations homepage (http://ir.msci.com).

We also use our Investor Relations homepage and our Corporate Responsibility homepage as channels of distribution of Company information. The information we post through these channels may be deemed material.

Accordingly, investors should monitor these channels, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about us when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Email Alerts” section of our Investor Relations homepage at https://ir.msci.com/email-alerts. The contents of our website, including our Investor Relations homepage and Corporate Responsibility homepage, and our social media channels are not, however, a part of or incorporated by reference in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We have included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and from time to time may make in our public filings, press releases or other public statements, certain statements that constitute forward-looking statements. In addition, our management may make forward-looking statements to analysts, investors, representatives of the media and others. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts and represent only MSCI’s beliefs regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements.

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “may,” “could,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Statements concerning our financial position, business strategy and plans or objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases, beyond our control and that could materially affect our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Such risks and uncertainties include those set forth under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of the 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 9, 2024. If any of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or if MSCI’s underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from what MSCI projected. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events, levels of activity, performance or achievements and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. The forward-looking statements in this report speak only as of the time they are made and do not necessarily reflect our outlook at any other point in time. MSCI assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Therefore, readers should carefully review the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other reports or documents we file from time to time with the SEC.

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

MSCI INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

(in thousands, except per share and share data)

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

MSCI INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(in thousands, except per share data)

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The following discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Form 10-Q and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (the “Form 10-K”). This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed below. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in “Item 1A.—Risk Factors,” in our Form 10-K.

Except as the context otherwise indicates, the terms “MSCI,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” refer to MSCI Inc., together with its subsidiaries.

Overview

We are a leading provider of critical decision support tools and solutions for the global investment community. Our mission-critical offerings help investors address the challenges of a transforming investment landscape and power better investment decisions. Leveraging our knowledge of the global investment process and our expertise in research, data and technology, we enable our clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently and efficiently build more effective portfolios. The Company has five operating segments: Index, Analytics, ESG and Climate, Real Assets and Private Capital Solutions (formerly Burgiss), which are presented as the following four reportable segments: Index, Analytics, ESG and Climate and All Other – Private Assets.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, we renamed the The Burgiss Group, LLC (“Burgiss”) operating segment to Private Capital Solutions. The operating segments of Real Assets and Private Capital Solutions do not individually meet the segment reporting thresholds and have been combined and presented as part of the All Other – Private Assets reportable segment.

Our growth strategy includes: (a) extending leadership in research-enhanced content across asset classes, (b) leading the enablement of ESG and climate investment integration, (c) enhancing distribution and content-enabling technology, (d) expanding solutions that empower client customization, (e) strengthening client relationships and growing into strategic partnerships with clients and (f) executing strategic relationships and acquisitions with complementary data, content and technology companies. For more information about our Company’s operations, see “Item 1: Business” in our Form 10-K.

As of September 30, 2024, we served approximately 6,9001 clients in more than 95 countries.

Our principal business model is generally to license annual, recurring subscriptions for the majority of our Index, Analytics and ESG and Climate products and services for a fee due in advance of the service period. Private Assets products are also licensed annually through subscriptions, which are generally recurring, for a fee which is paid either in advance when products are generally delivered ratably over the subscription period or in arrears after the product is delivered. A portion of our fees comes from clients who use our indexes as the basis for index-linked investment products. Such fees are primarily based on a client’s assets under management (“AUM”), trading volumes and fee levels.

In evaluating our financial performance, we focus on revenue and profit growth. This includes evaluating results based on generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), as well as non-GAAP measures, for the Company as a whole and by operating segment.

We present revenues disaggregated by types and by segments, which represent our major product lines. We also review expenses by activity, which provides more transparency into how resources are being deployed. In addition, we utilize operating metrics including Run Rate, subscription sales and Retention Rate to manage and assess performance and to provide deeper insights into the recurring portion of our business.

In the discussion that follows, we provide certain variances excluding the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and acquisitions. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations reflect the difference between the current period results as reported compared to the current period results recalculated using the foreign currency exchange rates in effect for the comparable prior period. While operating revenues adjusted for the impact of foreign currency fluctuations includes asset-based fees that have been adjusted for the impact of foreign currency fluctuations, the underlying AUM, which is the primary component of asset-based fees, is not adjusted for foreign currency fluctuations. Approximately three-fifths of the AUM is invested in securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and accordingly, any such impact is excluded from the disclosed foreign currency-adjusted variances.

(1)1Represents the aggregate of all related clients under their respective parent entity. At acquisition, we align an acquired company’s client count to our methodology.

A material portion of our revenues is concentrated in some of our largest clients. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, our largest client organization by revenue, BlackRock, accounted for 10.1% of our consolidated operating revenues. 96.1% of the operating revenues from BlackRock come from fees based on the assets in BlackRock’s ETFs and non-ETF products that are based on our indexes.

The discussion of our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 are presented below. The results of operations for interim periods may not be indicative of future results.

Factors Affecting the Comparability of Results

Acquisitions of Burgiss, Trove, Fabric and Foxberry

On October 2, 2023, the Company acquired the remaining 66.4% interest in Burgiss for $696.8 million in cash. The Company’s existing 33.6% interest had a fair value at acquisition date of $353.2 million which resulted in a non-taxable gain of $143.0 million for the three months ending December 31, 2023.

Prior to the acquisition, the Company’s ownership interest in Burgiss was classified as an equity-method investment. Therefore, the All Other – Private Assets segment did not include the Company’s proportionate share of operating revenues and Adjusted EBITDA related to Burgiss. The Company’s proportionate share of the income or loss from its equity-method investment in Burgiss was reported as a component of other (expense) income, net.

Following the acquisition, the consolidated results of Burgiss are included in the Company’s Private Capital Solutions operating segment (formerly known as Burgiss), which is combined and presented as part of the All Other – Private Assets reportable segment. See Note 5, “Acquisitions,” and Note 12, “Segment Information” of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information on the acquisition of Burgiss.

On November 1, 2023, MSCI completed the acquisition of Trove Research Ltd (“Trove”), a carbon markets intelligence provider for approximately $37.5 million in cash. Trove is a part of the ESG and Climate operating segment.

On January 2, 2024, MSCI completed the acquisition of Fabric RQ, Inc. (“Fabric”), a wealth technology platform specializing in portfolio design, customization and analytics for wealth managers and advisors for approximately $8.0 million in cash and contingent consideration with an acquisition date fair value of $8.1 million that is payable based on future sales of Fabric’s products. Fabric is a part of the Analytics operating segment.

On April 16, 2024, MSCI completed the acquisition of Foxberry Ltd. (“Foxberry”), a front-office index technology platform for approximately $23.5 million in cash and contingent consideration with an acquisition date fair value of $19.1 m

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Foreign Currency Risk

We are subject to foreign currency exchange fluctuation risk. Exchange rate movements can impact the U.S. dollar-reported value of our revenues, expenses, assets and liabilities denominated in non-U.S. dollar currencies or where the currency of such items is different than the functional currency of the entity where these items were recorded.

We generally invoice our clients in U.S. dollars; however, we invoice a portion of our clients in Euros, British pounds sterling, Japanese yen and a limited number of other non-U.S. dollar currencies. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, 16.6% and 17.0%, respectively, of our revenues are subject to foreign currency exchange rate risk and primarily included clients billed in foreign currency as well as U.S. dollar exposures on non-U.S. dollar foreign operating entities. Of the 16.6% of non-U.S. dollar exposure for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, 42.2% was in Euros, 32.9% was in British pounds sterling and 17.7% was in Japanese yen. Of the 17.0% of non-U.S. dollar exposure for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, 41.7% was in Euros, 32.5% was in British pounds sterling and 17.6% was in Japanese yen.

Revenues from asset-based fees represented 22.8% and 22.4% of operating revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. While a substantial portion of our asset-based fees are invoiced in U.S. dollars, the fees are based on the assets in investment products, of which approximately three-fifths are invested in securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, declines in such other currencies against the U.S. dollar will decrease the fees payable to us under such licenses. In addition, declines in such currencies against the U.S. dollar could impact the attractiveness of such investment products resulting in net fund outflows, which would further reduce the fees payable under such licenses.

We are exposed to additional foreign currency risk in certain of our operating costs. Approximately 41.8% and 43.4% of our operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, were denominated in foreign currencies, the significant majority of which were denominated in British pounds sterling, Indian rupees, Euros, Hungarian forints, Mexican pesos and Swiss francs.

We have certain monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than local functional amounts, and when these balances are remeasured into their local functional currency, either a gain or a loss results from the change of the value of the functional currency as compared to the originating currencies. We manage foreign currency exchange rate risk, in part, through the use of derivative financial instruments comprised principally of forward contracts on foreign currency which are not designated as hedging instruments for accounting purposes. The objective of the derivative instruments is to minimize the impact on the income statement of the volatility of amounts denominated in certain foreign currencies. We recognized total foreign currency exchange losses of $5.0 million and $2.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”), as of the end of the period covered by this report, and have concluded that these disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. These disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

There have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the three months ended September 30, 2024 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

Various lawsuits, arbitrations, claims, government inquiries, requests for information, regulatory investigations, examinations, inspections, other proceedings and subpoenas have been or may be instituted or asserted against the Company in the ordinary course of business. While the potential losses could be substantial, due to uncertainties surrounding the potential outcomes, management cannot currently reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may arise from these matters. Consequently, it is possible that MSCI’s business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows in a particular period could be materially affected by these matters. However, based on facts currently available, we believe that the disposition of matters that are currently pending or asserted will not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect on MSCI’s business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows.

For a discussion of the risk factors affecting the Company, see “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

There have been no material changes to the risk factors and uncertainties known to the Company and disclosed in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, that, if they were to materialize or occur, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect on MSCI’s business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities, Use of Proceeds and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

There were no unregistered sales of equity securities during the three months ended September 30, 2024.

The table below presents information with respect to purchases made by or on behalf of the Company of its shares of common stock during the three months ended September 30, 2024.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

(1)Includes, when applicable, (i) shares purchased by the Company on the open market under the stock repurchase program; (ii) shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations on behalf of employees that occur upon vesting and delivery of outstanding shares underlying restricted stock units; and (iii) shares held in treasury under the MSCI Inc. Non-Employee Directors Deferral Plan. The value of shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations was determined using the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of withholding, using a valuation methodology established by the Company.

(2)Excludes 1% excise tax incurred on share repurchases.

(3)See Note 10, “Shareholders’ Equity (Deficit),” of the Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for further information regarding our stock repurchase program.

During the three months ended September 30, 2024, none of the Company’s directors or officers, as defined in Section 16 of the Exchange Act, adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or a “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” as each term is defined in Item 408(a) of Regulation S-K of the Exchange Act.

EXHIBIT INDEX

*Filed herewith.

**Furnished herewith.

† Indicates a management compensation plan, contract or arrangement.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: October 31, 2024