FactSet Research Systems Inc. (NYSE:FDS) Sees Large Growth in Short Interest

FactSet Research Systems Inc. (NYSE:FDS) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in January. As of January 30th, there was short interest totaling 2,299,198 shares, a growth of 27.6% from the January 15th total of 1,801,249 shares. Approximately 6.3% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 683,299 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.4 days. Based on an average daily volume of 683,299 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.4 days. Approximately 6.3% of the company’s stock are sold short.

Insider Transactions at FactSet Research Systems

In related news, Director Malcolm Frank sold 2,572 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $295.70, for a total value of $760,540.40. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 879 shares in the company, valued at approximately $259,920.30. The trade was a 74.53% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Laurie Siegel sold 2,572 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $296.25, for a total transaction of $761,955.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 1,037 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $307,211.25. The trade was a 71.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.20% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On FactSet Research Systems

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in FDS. Huntington National Bank grew its holdings in FactSet Research Systems by 10.0% during the second quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 320 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $143,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. increased its position in shares of FactSet Research Systems by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 6,866 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $3,071,000 after buying an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Claret Asset Management Corp raised its stake in FactSet Research Systems by 7.0% during the 2nd quarter. Claret Asset Management Corp now owns 532 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $238,000 after buying an additional 35 shares during the period. Aurora Investment Managers LLC. lifted its holdings in FactSet Research Systems by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. Aurora Investment Managers LLC. now owns 3,928 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $1,140,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MAI Capital Management grew its stake in FactSet Research Systems by 4.4% in the second quarter. MAI Capital Management now owns 873 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $390,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares during the period. 91.24% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

FactSet Research Systems Price Performance

FactSet Research Systems stock traded up $3.74 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $205.69. 920,710 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,105,607. FactSet Research Systems has a 12 month low of $190.58 and a 12 month high of $474.79. The business’s 50-day moving average is $271.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is $300.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 1.54 and a current ratio of 1.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.73.

FactSet Research Systems (NYSE:FDS) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, December 18th. The business services provider reported $4.51 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.36 by $0.15. FactSet Research Systems had a return on equity of 30.49% and a net margin of 25.40%.The business had revenue of $607.62 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $599.69 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $4.37 EPS. FactSet Research Systems’s revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. FactSet Research Systems has set its FY 2026 guidance at 16.900-17.600 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that FactSet Research Systems will post 17.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

FactSet Research Systems announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Thursday, December 18th that authorizes the company to repurchase $600.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the business services provider to buy up to 5.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

FactSet Research Systems Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be given a $1.10 dividend. This represents a $4.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th. FactSet Research Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.99%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FDS has been the subject of several recent research reports. Zacks Research raised FactSet Research Systems from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, December 5th. Morgan Stanley set a $307.00 target price on FactSet Research Systems and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of FactSet Research Systems from $282.00 to $253.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 19th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of FactSet Research Systems from $311.00 to $305.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of FactSet Research Systems in a research note on Monday, December 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has given a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $308.83.

FactSet Research Systems Company Profile

FactSet Research Systems Inc operates as a global provider of integrated financial data and analytics to the investment community. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, the company offers a unified platform that aggregates content from thousands of sources, delivering real-time and historical market data, company fundamentals, estimates, fixed-income information and proprietary analytics to portfolio managers, research analysts, investment bankers and risk officers.

The company’s core products include the FactSet Workstation, an application offering customizable screening, charting, portfolio analysis and news; APIs and data feeds for seamless integration into proprietary systems; and cloud-based solutions for thematic research and quantitative strategies.