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FDS vs. SYF: FactSet Research Systems vs. Synchrony Financial Stock Comparison

How do FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but FDS is classified in Capital Markets while SYF is classified in Consumer Finance.

Company profile comparison for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
Profile ItemFDSSYF
NameFactSet Research Systems Inc.Synchrony Financial
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS IndustryCapital MarketsConsumer Finance
GICS Sub-IndustryFinancial Exchanges & DataConsumer Finance
Market Capitalization11.56 billion USD23.99 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 28, 1996July 31, 2014
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

FDS
SYF
GSPC
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
Total Return (1Y)27.49%2.84%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-8.71%39.02%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.88%10.89%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

FDS
SYF
GSPC
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Synchrony Financial (SYF) has an aggressive beta of 1.40, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while FactSet Research Systems (FDS) is defensive at 0.69 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)48.03%31.32%
Beta (5Y)0.691.40
Max Drawdown (5Y)-61.13%-44.60%
Avg. Volume (3M)803.71K3.37M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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FDS and SYF are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.48-0.05
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.71-0.06

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 25.48% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 19.83% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for FDS.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

25.48%

Max
44.78%
FDS
25.48%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

19.83%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
SYF
19.83%
Median
12.91%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 34.07% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 21.54%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

21.54%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
FDS
21.54%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

34.07%

Max
62.84%
SYF
34.07%
Q3
28.05%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 22.22% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 49.84% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

22.22%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
Median
30.09%
FDS
22.22%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

49.84%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
SYF
49.84%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
ROE (TTM)25.48%19.83%
ROA (TTM)10.65%2.78%
Net Margin (TTM)21.54%34.07%
Operating Margin (TTM)22.22%49.84%
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 6.65% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at -0.50% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at -6.30% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 8.54% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.65%-0.50%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.89%8.67%
EPS Growth (YoY)-6.30%8.54%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.59%14.70%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: FactSet Research Systems (FDS) in Financial Services and Synchrony Financial (SYF) in Financial Services both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: FactSet Research Systems (FDS) in Financial Services and Synchrony Financial (SYF) in Financial Services run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 1.33% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.67% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

1.33%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
FDS
1.33%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

1.67%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
SYF
1.67%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 31.02% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 12.94% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

31.02%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
FDS
31.02%
Median
25.77%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

SYF

Financial Services industry group

12.94%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
SYF
12.94%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.33%1.67%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)31.02%12.94%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 7.70 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 22.50 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for SYF, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

22.50

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
FDS
22.50
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16

SYF

Financial Services industry group

7.70

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
SYF
7.70
Min
0.16
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 2.45 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 4.67 sits in the pricier quartile — FDS costs more per dollar of sales.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

4.67

Max
9.23
FDS
4.67
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55

SYF

Financial Services industry group

2.45

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
SYF
2.45
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.55 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while FactSet Research Systems (FDS) at 5.77 carries an above-peer premium to book — FDS is pricier on assets.

FDS

Financial Services industry group

5.77

Max
7.79
FDS
5.77
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39

SYF

Financial Services industry group

1.55

Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
SYF
1.55
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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FactSet Research Systems (FDS) vs. Synchrony Financial (SYF): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for FactSet Research Systems (FDS) and Synchrony Financial (SYF)
MetricFDSSYF
P/E Ratio (TTM)22.507.70
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.672.45
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.771.55
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----