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ASGN vs. GDS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

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Here’s a clear look at ASGN and GDS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

ASGN is a standard domestic listing, while GDS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

SymbolASGNGDS
Company NameASGN IncorporatedGDS Holdings Limited
CountryUnited StatesChina
GICS SectorIndustrialsInformation Technology
GICS IndustryProfessional ServicesIT Services
Market Capitalization2.12 billion USD7.27 billion USD
ExchangeNYSENasdaqGM
Listing DateSeptember 22, 1992November 2, 2016
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ASGN and GDS by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

ASGN vs. GDS: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolASGNGDS
5-Day Price Return0.92%-8.68%
13-Week Price Return-5.84%13.14%
26-Week Price Return-21.55%50.00%
52-Week Price Return-48.59%-19.97%
Month-to-Date Return2.09%-8.68%
Year-to-Date Return-42.00%60.53%
10-Day Avg. Volume0.54M13.01M
3-Month Avg. Volume0.57M10.11M
3-Month Volatility42.71%62.60%
Beta0.892.06

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

ASGN

7.81%

Professional Services Industry

Max
68.01%
Q3
35.32%
Median
21.92%
Q1
11.67%
Min
-20.25%

ASGN’s Return on Equity of 7.81% is in the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

GDS

19.17%

IT Services Industry

Max
32.78%
Q3
19.28%
Median
13.86%
Q1
5.50%
Min
-10.00%

GDS’s Return on Equity of 19.17% is on par with the norm for the IT Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

ASGN

3.50%

Professional Services Industry

Max
31.75%
Q3
15.50%
Median
8.95%
Q1
4.51%
Min
0.35%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry, ASGN’s Net Profit Margin of 3.50% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

GDS

42.87%

IT Services Industry

Max
19.71%
Q3
11.01%
Median
6.66%
Q1
2.96%
Min
-6.22%

GDS’s Net Profit Margin of 42.87% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the IT Services industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

ASGN

6.47%

Professional Services Industry

Max
30.62%
Q3
19.06%
Median
13.60%
Q1
8.60%
Min
-2.18%

ASGN’s Operating Profit Margin of 6.47% is in the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

GDS

22.44%

IT Services Industry

Max
22.44%
Q3
14.90%
Median
8.82%
Q1
4.91%
Min
-9.89%

An Operating Profit Margin of 22.44% places GDS in the upper quartile for the IT Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolASGNGDS
Return on Equity (TTM)7.81%19.17%
Return on Assets (TTM)3.93%6.08%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)3.50%42.87%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)6.47%22.44%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)28.84%21.45%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

ASGN

2.11

Professional Services Industry

Max
2.28
Q3
1.75
Median
1.34
Q1
1.10
Min
0.47

ASGN’s Current Ratio of 2.11 is in the upper quartile for the Professional Services industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

GDS

2.00

IT Services Industry

Max
3.17
Q3
2.00
Median
1.47
Q1
1.05
Min
0.52

GDS’s Current Ratio of 2.00 aligns with the median group of the IT Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

ASGN

0.66

Professional Services Industry

Max
2.93
Q3
1.45
Median
0.98
Q1
0.45
Min
0.00

ASGN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.66 is typical for the Professional Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

GDS

1.82

IT Services Industry

Max
3.11
Q3
1.55
Median
0.55
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00

GDS’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the IT Services industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.82. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

ASGN

4.73

Professional Services Industry

Max
39.45
Q3
20.41
Median
11.64
Q1
5.46
Min
-1.21

In the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry, ASGN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 4.73 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.

GDS

0.66

IT Services Industry

Max
129.00
Q3
56.00
Median
11.69
Q1
0.77
Min
-28.15

GDS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.66 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolASGNGDS
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.112.00
Quick Ratio (MRQ)1.991.93
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)0.661.82
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)4.730.66

Growth

Revenue Growth

ASGN vs. GDS: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

ASGN vs. GDS: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ASGN

0.00%

Professional Services Industry

Max
4.83%
Q3
2.44%
Median
1.52%
Q1
0.52%
Min
0.00%

ASGN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

GDS

0.00%

IT Services Industry

Max
2.79%
Q3
1.76%
Median
0.58%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GDS currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ASGN

0.00%

Professional Services Industry

Max
128.51%
Q3
69.03%
Median
47.00%
Q1
18.05%
Min
0.00%

ASGN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

GDS

0.00%

IT Services Industry

Max
107.85%
Q3
52.62%
Median
22.53%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GDS has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolASGNGDS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

ASGN

14.98

Professional Services Industry

Max
52.60
Q3
33.83
Median
24.95
Q1
17.59
Min
7.96

In the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry, ASGN’s P/E Ratio of 14.98 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

GDS

12.16

IT Services Industry

Max
56.41
Q3
33.17
Median
23.17
Q1
16.18
Min
6.62

In the lower quartile for the IT Services industry, GDS’s P/E Ratio of 12.16 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

ASGN

0.52

Professional Services Industry

Max
8.27
Q3
4.40
Median
2.09
Q1
0.99
Min
0.17

In the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry, ASGN’s P/S Ratio of 0.52 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

GDS

5.21

IT Services Industry

Max
5.99
Q3
4.26
Median
1.93
Q1
0.97
Min
0.12

GDS’s P/S Ratio of 5.21 is in the upper echelon for the IT Services industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

ASGN

1.20

Professional Services Industry

Max
18.75
Q3
9.53
Median
5.88
Q1
2.95
Min
0.59

ASGN’s P/B Ratio of 1.20 is in the lower quartile for the Professional Services industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

GDS

1.61

IT Services Industry

Max
12.34
Q3
7.54
Median
3.84
Q1
2.52
Min
0.88

GDS’s P/B Ratio of 1.61 is in the lower quartile for the IT Services industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

ASGN vs. GDS: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Professional Services and IT Services industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolASGNGDS
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)14.9812.16
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)0.525.21
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)1.201.61
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)6.19--