GDS vs. NICE: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GDS and NICE, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
Both GDS and NICE are American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). This provides U.S. investors with straightforward access to investing in these foreign-listed companies.
| Symbol | GDS | NICE |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | GDS Holdings Limited | NICE Ltd. |
| Country | China | Israel |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | IT Services | Software |
| Market Capitalization | 7.81 billion USD | 8.93 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGM | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | November 2, 2016 | January 25, 1996 |
| Security Type | ADR | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GDS and NICE 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 | GDS | NICE |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -0.25% | -3.82% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 41.88% | -12.81% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 50.68% | -14.39% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -19.97% | 9.98% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 18.72% | 5.97% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 75.79% | -21.44% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 12.22M | 0.17M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 10.28M | 0.15M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 64.12% | 33.43% |
| Beta | 1.88 | -0.33 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
NICE
14.85%
Software Industry
- Max
- 66.28%
- Q3
- 21.28%
- Median
- 9.33%
- Q1
- -8.77%
- Min
- -48.16%
NICE’s Return on Equity of 14.85% is on par with the norm for the Software industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
NICE
18.81%
Software Industry
- Max
- 51.92%
- Q3
- 19.23%
- Median
- 6.98%
- Q1
- -7.14%
- Min
- -41.00%
NICE’s Net Profit Margin of 18.81% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Software industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
NICE
21.25%
Software Industry
- Max
- 60.40%
- Q3
- 21.25%
- Median
- 9.90%
- Q1
- -4.97%
- Min
- -43.50%
NICE’s Operating Profit Margin of 21.25% is around the midpoint for the Software industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GDS | NICE |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.17% | 14.85% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 6.08% | 10.16% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 42.87% | 18.81% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 22.44% | 21.25% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.45% | 67.03% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
NICE
1.83
Software Industry
- Max
- 4.29
- Q3
- 2.37
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.25
NICE’s Current Ratio of 1.83 aligns with the median group of the Software industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
NICE
0.12
Software Industry
- Max
- 2.16
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.31
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
NICE’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.12 is typical for the Software industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
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.
NICE
37.69
Software Industry
- Max
- 89.65
- Q3
- 32.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- -9.84
- Min
- -71.23
NICE’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 37.69 is in the upper quartile for the Software industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | GDS | NICE |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.00 | 1.83 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.93 | 1.67 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.82 | 0.12 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 0.66 | 37.69 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
NICE
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 0.22%
- Q3
- 0.11%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NICE 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)
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.
NICE
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 3.29%
- Q3
- 2.41%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NICE 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 | GDS | NICE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
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.
NICE
17.01
Software Industry
- Max
- 145.74
- Q3
- 94.88
- Median
- 45.35
- Q1
- 26.66
- Min
- 8.80
In the lower quartile for the Software industry, NICE’s P/E Ratio of 17.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
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.
NICE
3.20
Software Industry
- Max
- 25.67
- Q3
- 13.68
- Median
- 8.28
- Q1
- 4.95
- Min
- 0.90
In the lower quartile for the Software industry, NICE’s P/S Ratio of 3.20 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
NICE
2.91
Software Industry
- Max
- 30.67
- Q3
- 14.92
- Median
- 8.52
- Q1
- 3.89
- Min
- 0.38
NICE’s P/B Ratio of 2.91 is in the lower quartile for the Software 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 | GDS | NICE |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 12.57 | 17.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.39 | 3.20 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.61 | 2.91 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | -- | 13.76 |