ASGN vs. GDS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’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.
| Symbol | ASGN | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | ASGN Incorporated | GDS Holdings Limited |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Professional Services | IT Services |
| Market Capitalization | 2.12 billion USD | 7.27 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGM |
| Listing Date | September 22, 1992 | November 2, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ASGN | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.92% | -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 Return | 2.09% | -8.68% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -42.00% | 60.53% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.54M | 13.01M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.57M | 10.11M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 42.71% | 62.60% |
| Beta | 0.89 | 2.06 |
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.
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.
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.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASGN | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.
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.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASGN | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.11 | 2.00 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.99 | 1.93 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.66 | 1.82 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 4.73 | 0.66 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
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.
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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASGN | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.
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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASGN | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 14.98 | 12.16 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.52 | 5.21 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.20 | 1.61 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 6.19 | -- |