• Wondering whether FactSet Research Systems at around US$224.86 is starting to look like value, or if the recent excitement has already been priced in.
• The stock has moved 16.0% over the last 7 days and 2.2% over the past month, yet year to date it is down 21.1% and the 1 year return sits at a 49.5% decline.
• These swings have kept attention on what the current share price actually reflects about the business. This is especially the case after a year where longer term returns, such as the 3 year decline of 42.2% and 5 year decline of 23.6%, have been difficult for holders. Recent coverage has focused on whether this repricing is more about changing risk perceptions around the stock or an adjustment in what investors are willing to pay for its data and analytics franchise.
• On Simply Wall St, FactSet currently holds a valuation score of 4 out of 6, which suggests some metrics flag the shares as undervalued. The rest of this article will walk through those methods before finishing with a broader way to think about what that valuation really means for you.

Approach 1: FactSet Research Systems Excess Returns Analysis

The Excess Returns model looks at how efficiently a company turns its equity base into earnings, above the return that shareholders require. For FactSet Research Systems, the starting point is a Book Value of $57.66 per share and a Stable EPS of $19.74 per share, based on weighted future Return on Equity estimates from 4 analysts.

The model assumes an Average Return on Equity of 28.77% on a Stable Book Value of $68.62 per share, sourced from 5 analyst book value estimates. Against a Cost of Equity of $5.60 per share, this produces an Excess Return of $14.14 per share, which is the value created after covering shareholders’ required return.

When these excess returns are projected and capitalized, the model points to an intrinsic value of about $366.12 per share. Compared with the recent share price around $224.86, this implies the stock is 38.6% undervalued according to this approach.

Result: UNDERVALUED

Our Excess Returns analysis suggests FactSet Research Systems is undervalued by 38.6%. Track this in your watchlist or portfolio, or discover 63 more high quality undervalued stocks.

Approach 2: FactSet Research Systems Price vs Earnings

The P/E ratio is a common way to value profitable companies because it links what you pay for each share to the earnings that share currently generates. It gives a quick sense of how many years of today’s earnings you are paying for at the current price.

What counts as a “normal” P/E depends on how investors view the company’s growth prospects and risk. Higher expected growth or lower perceived risk often supports a higher multiple, while slower growth or higher risk tends to justify a lower one.

FactSet Research Systems trades on a P/E of 14.19x. That sits well below the Capital Markets industry average P/E of 34.11x and also below the peer group average of 24.93x. Simply Wall St’s Fair Ratio for FactSet is 13.11x, which is an estimate of what the P/E might be given factors such as earnings growth, industry, profit margin, market cap and company specific risks.

The Fair Ratio is more tailored than a straight comparison with peers or the broad industry, because it adjusts for the company’s own characteristics rather than assuming all firms deserve similar multiples. With FactSet’s current P/E of 14.19x only modestly above the Fair Ratio of 13.11x, the shares screen as slightly expensive on this metric.

Result: OVERVALUED

P/E ratios tell one story, but what if the real opportunity lies elsewhere? Start investing in legacies, not executives. Discover our 20 top founder-led companies.

Upgrade Your Decision Making: Choose your FactSet Research Systems Narrative

Earlier it was mentioned that there is an even better way to understand valuation. Narratives take that next step by letting you attach a clear story about FactSet Research Systems to specific assumptions for its future revenue, earnings and margins. You can link those assumptions to a Fair Value, then compare that Fair Value to the current price inside Simply Wall St’s Community page, where Narratives are automatically updated as fresh news or earnings arrive. This allows you to see, for example, how one investor might build a Narrative that treats FactSet as a financial infrastructure group with a Fair Value of US$430.0, while another uses a more cautious view with a Fair Value of US$253.0. You can then use those different stories and values side by side to decide whether today’s price looks high, low or roughly in line with the Narrative you agree with.

Do you think there's more to the story for FactSet Research Systems? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying!

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.