FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS)
FactSet provides the data, analytics, and software that financial professionals use to track markets and make sense of complex investment information.
Is FactSet Research Systems Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: High profit margins show a very efficient business model. Worth weighing: Recent earnings growth has been negative. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has FactSet Research Systems Inc. actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, FactSet Research Systems Inc. fell as much as −62% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Dominance in the financial analytics market
Long-term decline in financial industry headcount
What does FactSet Research Systems Inc. do?
Think of FactSet as the digital toolkit for the finance world, offering a platform where analysts can pull up real-time market data, company reports, and portfolio tools all in one place. They make their money primarily through recurring subscriptions, meaning firms pay a regular fee to keep using their software. Their success hinges on keeping existing clients happy while winning new ones in a competitive market for financial data.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and income, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.8% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 6% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 23% of sales into profit
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 27%)
- High profit margins show a very efficient business model
- Subscription-based income provides a predictable stream of cash
- Strong return on equity suggests management uses capital wisely
- Growth screens low (27/100)
- Financial firms cutting their budgets for expensive software
- New technology making traditional data platforms less essential
- Difficulty in winning new clients during economic uncertainty
What do FactSet Research Systems Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does FactSet Research Systems Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does FactSet Research Systems Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - FactSet Research Systems Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 1.8% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about FactSet Research Systems Inc.'s dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does FactSet Research Systems Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
FactSet Research Systems Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-09-17 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-01 | $4.45 | $4.53 | Beat +2% |
| 2026-03-31 | $4.38 | $4.46 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-12-18 | $4.36 | $4.51 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-09-18 | $4.13 | $4.05 | Missed -2% |
| 2025-06-23 | $4.30 | $4.27 | In line |
| 2025-03-20 | $4.18 | $4.28 | Beat +2% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, FactSet Research Systems Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 4 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Financial Services
What are the scenarios for FactSet Research Systems Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of FactSet Research Systems Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- High profit margins show a very efficient business model
- Subscription-based income provides a predictable stream of cash
- Strong return on equity: How much profit the company makes for each £1 shareholders have put in. Higher usually means a more efficient business. suggests management uses capital wisely
- Recent earnings growth has been negative
- The share price has seen a significant decline over the past year
- Operates in a highly competitive industry with large rivals
- Financial firms cutting their budgets for expensive software
- New technology making traditional data platforms less essential
- Difficulty in winning new clients during economic uncertainty
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained return to positive earnings growth
- A major shift in how financial professionals access market data
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.