Back to top

Image: Bigstock

FactSet Q4 Earnings & Revenues Beat Estimates, Increases Y/Y

Read MoreHide Full Article

FactSet Research Systems, Inc. (FDS - Free Report) has reported impressive fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 results, wherein earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

FDS’s earnings per share (excluding $1.4 from non-recurring items) of $3.7 beat the consensus mark by 3.9% and increased 27.7% from the year-ago quarter. Revenues of $562.2 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.7% and gained 4.9% from the year-ago quarter.

The company’s shares have gained 14.1% in the past month compared with the 14.1% rally of the industry it belongs to.

FactSet Research Systems Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

 

FactSet Research Systems Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

FactSet Research Systems Inc. price-eps-surprise | FactSet Research Systems Inc. Quote

FactSet’s Revenues in Detail

Organic revenues increased 5% year over year to $562.8 million. Region-wise, organic revenue growth was 6.1% for the Americas, 1.8% for the EMEA, and 7.1% for the Asia Pacific.

Revenues generated from the Americas segment were $362.5 million, up 5.6% from the year-ago quarter, surpassing our estimate of $347.1 million. Revenues from the EMEA were $143.1 million, an increase of 3.3% from the year-ago quarter. The figure beat our estimate of $140.6 million. Revenues from the Asia Pacific were $56.6 million, marking 6.1% growth on a year-over-year basis but missing our expectation of $60.2 million.

FDS’s ASV Plus Professional Services

FactSet’s Annual Subscription Value (“ASV”) plus professional services was $2.3 billion. Organic ASV plus professional services were $2.3 billion, up 4.8% from the year-ago quarter. Buy-side organic ASV growth rates were 4.9% and sell-side organic ASV growth rates were 3.8%. Nearly 82% of organic ASV was generated by the buy-side and the rest by sell-side firms.

Organic ASV generated from the United States was $1.5 billion, increasing 6.1% from the year-ago quarter. Organic ASV from the EMEA was $569.3 million, gaining 1.8% year over year. Organic ASV from the Asia Pacific was $228.4 million, up 7.1% on a year-over-year basis.

FactSet added 188 clients in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, driven by an increase in corporate, wealth and partners, taking the total to 8,217. The annual client retention rate was 90%.

Operating Results for FDS

The adjusted operating income was $201.4 million, which increased 12.4% from the year-ago quarter and beat our estimate of $185.7 million. The adjusted operating margin of 35.8% increased 240 basis points year over year. Adjusted EBITDA was $170.5 million, marginally declining from the year-ago quarter and missing our estimate of $204.5 million.

FactSet’s Balance Sheet & Cash Flow

FactSet exited the quarter with a cash and cash-equivalent balance of $423 million compared with $453.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. The long-term debt was $1.2 billion compared with $1.5 billion in the preceding quarter.

FDS generated $163.1 million in cash from operating activities. However, its capital expenditure was $26 million. The free cash flow utilized was $137.2 million.

FY24 & FY25 Guidance for FDS

For fiscal 2024, the company expects revenues of $2.18-$2.19 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $2.19 billion.

FDS anticipates earnings per share of $16-$16.4. The mid-point ($16.2) of the guided range is lower than the consensus estimate of $16.31. The adjusted operating margin is expected to be 37-37.5%.

For fiscal 2025, the company expects revenues of $2.29-$2.31 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $2.29 billion.

Adjusted earnings per share is anticipated to be $16.8-$17.4. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $17.4 per share. The adjusted operating margin guidance is at 36-37%.

FactSet carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Earnings Snapshot of FactSet’s Peers

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG - Free Report) reported mixed second-quarter 2024 results.

IPG’s adjusted earnings (excluding 4 cents from non-recurring items) of 61 cents per share met the Zacks Consensus Estimate but decreased 17.6% on a year-over-year basis. Revenues before billable expenses (net revenues) of $2.3 billion surpassed the consensus estimate marginally but declined 12.7% year over year. Total revenues of $2.7 billion rose 1.6% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate pegged at $2.3 billion.

Equifax Inc. (EFX - Free Report) reported impressive second-quarter 2024 results.

EFX’s adjusted earnings (excluding 51 cents from non-recurring items) were $1.82 per share, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.8% and increasing 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Total revenues of $1.4 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by a slight margin and jumped 8.6% from the year-ago quarter.


Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)


Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.


Click Here, It's Really Free

Published in