FLEX vs. GDS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at FLEX and GDS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
FLEX 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 | FLEX | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Flex Ltd. | GDS Holdings Limited |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components | IT Services |
| Market Capitalization | 21.69 billion USD | 7.81 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGM |
| Listing Date | March 18, 1994 | November 2, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of FLEX 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 | FLEX | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.68% | -0.25% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 16.13% | 41.88% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 63.90% | 50.68% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 72.74% | -19.97% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 8.11% | 18.72% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 51.00% | 75.79% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 4.03M | 12.22M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 4.12M | 10.28M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 31.46% | 64.12% |
| Beta | 1.26 | 1.88 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
FLEX
16.77%
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 21.57%
- Q3
- 13.27%
- Median
- 8.55%
- Q1
- 4.42%
- Min
- -4.21%
In the upper quartile for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry, FLEX’s Return on Equity of 16.77% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
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)
FLEX
3.42%
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 17.31%
- Q3
- 10.85%
- Median
- 7.26%
- Q1
- 3.13%
- Min
- -3.00%
FLEX’s Net Profit Margin of 3.42% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
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)
FLEX
4.78%
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 30.04%
- Q3
- 15.08%
- Median
- 9.55%
- Q1
- 4.27%
- Min
- -3.83%
FLEX’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.78% is around the midpoint for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
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 | FLEX | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.77% | 19.17% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.59% | 6.08% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 3.42% | 42.87% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.78% | 22.44% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.94% | 21.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
FLEX
1.30
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 4.57
- Q3
- 2.85
- Median
- 2.03
- Q1
- 1.51
- Min
- 0.62
FLEX’s Current Ratio of 1.30 falls into the lower quartile for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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)
FLEX
0.74
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 1.14
- Q3
- 0.54
- Median
- 0.30
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
FLEX’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.74. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
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)
FLEX
7.39
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 79.05
- Q3
- 36.62
- Median
- 12.51
- Q1
- 3.72
- Min
- -18.73
FLEX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.39 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
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 | FLEX | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.30 | 2.00 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.79 | 1.93 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.74 | 1.82 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.39 | 0.66 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
FLEX
0.00%
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 5.36%
- Q3
- 2.53%
- Median
- 1.28%
- Q1
- 0.16%
- Min
- 0.00%
FLEX 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)
FLEX
0.00%
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 218.94%
- Q3
- 90.25%
- Median
- 38.81%
- Q1
- 3.69%
- Min
- 0.00%
FLEX 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 | FLEX | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
FLEX
24.43
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 74.74
- Q3
- 42.40
- Median
- 26.55
- Q1
- 20.05
- Min
- 10.12
FLEX’s P/E Ratio of 24.43 is within the middle range for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
GDS
12.57
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 12.57 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
FLEX
0.83
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 6.79
- Q3
- 3.58
- Median
- 2.05
- Q1
- 1.29
- Min
- 0.20
In the lower quartile for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry, FLEX’s P/S Ratio of 0.83 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
5.39
IT Services Industry
- Max
- 5.99
- Q3
- 4.26
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.12
GDS’s P/S Ratio of 5.39 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)
FLEX
2.53
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components Industry
- Max
- 6.92
- Q3
- 3.80
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.42
- Min
- 0.44
FLEX’s P/B Ratio of 2.53 is within the conventional range for the Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
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 | FLEX | GDS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 24.43 | 12.57 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.83 | 5.39 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.53 | 1.61 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 19.72 | -- |