Morningstar, Inc.
Business
Morningstar, Inc. is a global provider of independent investment insights and solutions that deliver data, research, ratings, and investment management to support investor decision-making. It offers products and services including proprietary investment data feeds, analyst research and ratings (equity, credit, and ESG), software platforms for advisors and institutions, indexes, and managed portfolio and retirement solutions. The company operates through reportable segments including Morningstar Data and Analytics, PitchBook, Morningstar Wealth, Morningstar Credit (DBRS), and Morningstar Retirement. Its offerings are distributed via subscription licenses, APIs, direct platforms, redistributors, advisor channels, and institutional partnerships across North America, EMEA, Asia, and other global markets.
Summary from filing dated 2025-02-28
Financials
Consolidated Statement of Income
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 2,446 | 2,275 | 2,039 | 1,871 | 1,699 | |
| Cost of revenue | 953 | 896 | 844 | 779 | 698 | |
| Sales and marketing | 467 | 441 | 424 | 357 | 275 | |
| General and administrative | 334 | 327 | 356 | 400 | 318 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 190 | 190 | 185 | 167 | 151 | |
| Total operating expense | 1,944 | 1,854 | 1,808 | 1,703 | 1,442 | |
| Gain on sale of customer assets | 23 | 64 | 0 | — | — | |
| Other operating income | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| Operating income | 527 | 485 | 231 | 168 | 257 | |
| Interest expense, net | −29 | −38 | −52 | −28 | −9 | |
| Gain on sale of business | 0 | 45 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Expense from equity method transaction, net | 0 | 0 | −12 | 0 | 0 | |
| Other income (expense), net | 1 | −1 | 14 | −7 | −4 | |
| Non-operating income (expense), net | −28 | 7 | −49 | −37 | −7 | |
| Income before income taxes and equity in investments of unconsolidated entities | 499 | 491 | 182 | 131 | 251 | |
| Equity in investments of unconsolidated entities | −3 | −17 | −7 | −4 | 5 | |
| Income tax expense | 122 | 104 | 33 | 57 | 63 | |
| Consolidated net income | 374 | 370 | 141 | 71 | 193 | |
| Basic net income per share (in dollars per share) | 8.93 | 8.64 | 3.31 | 1.65 | 4.5 | |
| Diluted net income per share (in dollars per share) | 8.87 | 8.58 | 3.29 | 1.64 | 4.45 | |
| Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share) | 1.87 | 1.67 | 1.53 | 1.46 | 1.31 | |
| Dividends paid per common share (in dollars per share) | 1.82 | 1.62 | 1.5 | 1.44 | 1.26 | |
| Basic (in shares) | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | |
| Diluted (in shares) | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 |
Consolidated Balance Sheet
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and cash equivalents | 475 | 503 | 338 | 377 | 484 | |
| Investments | 54 | 48 | 51 | 38 | 62 | |
| Accounts receivable, less allowance for credit losses of $7.1 million and $7.1 million, respectively | 390 | 358 | 344 | 308 | 269 | |
| Income tax receivable | 16 | 12 | 600,000 | 0 | 9 | |
| Deferred commissions | 35 | 39 | 42 | 41 | 31 | |
| Prepaid expenses | 43 | 42 | 35 | 37 | 31 | |
| Other current assets | 25 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 2 | |
| Total current assets | 1,038 | 1,014 | 816 | 811 | 888 | |
| Goodwill | 1,611 | 1,562 | 1,579 | 1,572 | 1,207 | |
| Intangible assets, net | 379 | 409 | 484 | 549 | 328 | |
| Property, equipment, and capitalized software, net | 232 | 219 | 208 | 199 | 172 | |
| Operating lease assets | 159 | 181 | 164 | 192 | 149 | |
| Investments in unconsolidated entities | 50 | 85 | 100 | 96 | 63 | |
| Deferred tax asset, net | 79 | 43 | 15 | 11 | 13 | |
| Deferred commissions | 30 | 27 | 29 | 35 | 31 | |
| Other assets | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | |
| Total assets | 3,590 | 3,549 | 3,403 | 3,475 | 2,863 | |
| Deferred revenue | 586 | 541 | 518 | 456 | 377 | |
| Accrued compensation | 294 | 272 | 214 | 220 | 274 | |
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 98 | 87 | 78 | 76 | 77 | |
| Operating lease liabilities | 42 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 36 | |
| Income tax payable | 24 | 31 | 0 | — | — | |
| Other current liabilities | 9 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 2 | |
| Total current liabilities | 1,053 | 967 | 881 | 883 | 784 | |
| Operating lease liabilities | 147 | 170 | 151 | 177 | 136 | |
| Accrued compensation | 20 | 21 | 24 | 21 | 16 | |
| Deferred tax liabilities, net | 27 | 28 | 36 | 63 | 102 | |
| Long-term debt | 1,073 | 699 | 940 | 1,078 | 359 | |
| Deferred revenue | 21 | 22 | 26 | 34 | 36 | |
| Income tax payable | 13 | 12 | 8 | — | — | |
| Other long-term liabilities | 14 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 14 | |
| Total liabilities | 2,368 | 1,930 | 2,076 | 2,268 | 1,447 | |
| Common stock, no par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized, of which 39,740,881 and 42,869,380 shares were outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Treasury stock at cost, 15,277,454 and 12,010,630 shares as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 respectively | −1,786 | −994 | −986 | −987 | −764 | |
| Additional paid-in capital | 870 | 823 | 789 | 758 | 689 | |
| Retained earnings | 2,206 | 1,909 | 1,611 | 1,535 | 1,527 | |
| Currency translation adjustment | −68 | −119 | −86 | −99 | −41 | |
| Unrealized gain on available-for-sale investments, net of tax | 0 | −100,000 | −100,000 | 0 | 6 | |
| Total accumulated other comprehensive loss | −68 | −119 | −87 | −99 | −35 | |
| Total equity | 1,222 | 1,619 | 1,328 | 1,207 | 1,416 | |
| Total liabilities and equity | 3,590 | 3,549 | 3,403 | 3,475 | 2,863 |
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deferred income taxes | −42 | −35 | −32 | −37 | −12 | |
| Stock-based compensation expense | 56 | 55 | 53 | 83 | 42 | |
| Provision for credit losses | 5 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | |
| Gain on equity method transaction | 0 | 0 | −50 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gain on sale of customer assets | −23 | −64 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Other, net | 3 | −2 | 21 | −15 | −2 | |
| Accounts receivable | −26 | −30 | −38 | −39 | −68 | |
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 1 | 10 | −2 | −2 | 7 | |
| Accrued compensation and deferred commissions | 38 | 77 | 15 | −38 | 58 | |
| Income taxes | −8 | 23 | −8 | 19 | −6 | |
| Deferred revenue | 26 | 30 | 51 | 60 | 78 | |
| Other assets and liabilities | −2 | −17 | 10 | −13 | −6 | |
| Cash provided by operating activities | 590 | 592 | 316 | 298 | 450 | |
| Purchases of investment securities | −22 | −16 | −16 | −37 | −71 | |
| Proceeds from maturities and sales of investment securities | 46 | 27 | 31 | 43 | 59 | |
| Capital expenditures | −147 | −143 | −119 | −130 | −102 | |
| Acquisitions, net of cash acquired | −39 | 0 | −800,000 | −647 | −25 | |
| Proceeds from sale of business | 0 | 52 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Proceeds from sale of customer assets | 23 | 65 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Proceeds from sale of equity method investments, net | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | |
| Purchases of investments in unconsolidated entities | −4 | −7 | −4 | −29 | −30 | |
| Other, net | 5 | 200,000 | 100,000 | −200,000 | −100,000 | |
| Cash used for investing activities | −139 | −21 | −82 | −799 | −168 | |
| Common shares repurchased | −787 | −12 | −1 | −226 | −1 | |
| Dividends paid | −77 | −69 | −64 | −62 | −54 | |
| Proceeds from revolving credit facility | 800 | 90 | 260 | 475 | 10 | |
| Repayment of revolving credit facility | −450 | −105 | −365 | −355 | −10 | |
| Proceeds from term facility | 375 | 0 | 0 | 650 | 0 | |
| Repayment of term facility | 350 | 259 | 33 | 19 | 90 | |
| Employee taxes withheld for stock awards | −23 | −29 | −30 | −30 | −29 | |
| Payment of acquisition-related earn-outs | 0 | 0 | −46 | −16 | −34 | |
| Other, net | −3 | 0 | 100,000 | −2 | −3 | |
| Cash used for financing activities | −515 | −384 | −278 | 415 | −212 | |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 36 | −21 | 5 | −21 | −9 | |
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | −28 | 165 | −39 | −107 | 61 | |
| Cash paid for income taxes | 172 | 116 | 73 | 75 | 81 | |
| Cash paid for interest | 37 | 47 | 58 | 28 | 10 |