Wolfe Research Names MSCI, S&P Global Top Picks in Info Services Sector

Wolfe Research has highlighted its top investment ideas within the business and information services sector as companies prepare to report second-quarter earnings. The firm named MSCI Inc. as its leading pick, followed by S&P Global Inc. and Moody’s Corporation, citing a recovery in the sector and stabilizing underlying fundamentals.

Sector Rebound Fuels Optimism

After a difficult first half of 2026, the business and information services sector has shown renewed strength, according to a research note from Wolfe analyst Scott Wurtzel. The Wolfe Business and Information Services Index gained 4% month-to-date through mid-July, significantly outpacing the S&P 500’s 1% gain over the same period.

Wolfe attributes the rally to easing investor concerns about the potential negative impacts of artificial intelligence. The firm also pointed to improving fundamental drivers, such as debt issuance, equity market performance, and lending volumes, suggesting that financial results across the sector should be solid despite macroeconomic uncertainty in the second quarter.

Wolfe's Top Selections

Ad

Wolfe Research detailed its rationale for its top-ranked companies, all of which carry an Outperform rating from the firm.

• MSCI Inc. (MSCI): Wolfe's top choice is expected to benefit from strong momentum in recurring index subscription sales and increased custom index adoption. The firm sees upside to asset-based fee revenue from rising equity markets and has a $710 price target on the stock.
• S&P Global Inc. (SPGI): The second pick is also poised to gain from higher asset-based fees. Wolfe sees strong second-quarter debt issuance data as a key catalyst, signaling a potential earnings beat and an opportunity for the company to raise its full-year guidance from what the firm considers a conservative starting point. Wolfe maintains a $515 price target for SPGI.
• Moody’s Corporation (MCO): While Wolfe is constructive on Moody's due to positive debt issuance trends, it believes S&P Global has more potential to raise its outlook. The firm anticipates strength in Moody's Investors Service (MIS) segment but sees less room for guidance upside compared to its peer. The stock has a $550 price target from Wolfe.

Market Context

The positive outlook from Wolfe has been supported by recent earnings reports. Both MSCI and Moody's reported second-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations. MSCI posted adjusted earnings of $4.94 per share on revenue of $867 million, while Moody’s reported adjusted earnings of $4.68 per share on $2.19 billion in revenue.