FactSet Trails Nasdaq as Analysts Rate Stock a Hold at $10.1B Value

FactSet Research Systems stock has fallen 5% over the past 52 weeks while the Nasdaq Composite returned 19.5%, a gap that has pushed analysts to a consensus "Hold" rating on the $10.1 billion financial data company.

The underperformance extends across timeframes. FDS stock is down 3.3% year-to-date against the Nasdaq Composite's 17.1% return, according to Barchart. Over the past three months, however, the picture flips: FactSet shares have gained 28.4%, well ahead of the index's 4% rise. The stock has also traded above its 50-day moving average since late February.

Shares now sit 12.9% below their 52-week high of $320.48. At the time of writing, the stock trades above the mean analyst price target of $275.65, a level derived from the 19 analysts covering the name.

Why the stock has lagged

FactSet's struggles stem from slowing organic growth, weaker demand from asset managers and asset owners, and prolonged client budget tightening, according to Barchart's analysis. Concerns about AI-driven disruption, fragmented data consumption, and pressure on pricing power have raised doubts about the durability of the company's traditional financial data and terminal business.

A cautious macroeconomic environment, longer sales cycles, and uncertainty over whether its AI investments can offset structural pressures have weighed further on the shares.

The company's fundamentals remain substantial. FactSet operates with more than 47 years of expertise, a presence in 19 countries, over 9,100 global clients and 247,000 individual users. Its digital platform integrates proprietary financial data, client datasets, third-party sources, and flexible technology to serve the buy-side, sell-side, wealth management, private equity, and corporate sectors.

Rival comparison

FactSet's numbers look stronger against at least one competitor. S&P Global Inc. (SPGI) has declined 22.6% year-to-date and 20% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming FactSet on both horizons.

Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, FactSet is classified as a large-cap stock, fitting the standard criterion of companies valued at $10 billion or more. The company offers broad multi-asset class coverage supported by advanced data connectivity, AI, and next-generation tools.

The analyst verdict

The consensus "Hold" rating from 19 analysts signals limited conviction in a near-term recovery. With the stock trading above its mean price target of $275.65, the market has already priced in more upside than the analyst community projects, leaving FactSet's AI investments and any easing in client budgets as the key variables that could shift that stance.