FactSet Research stock holds steady as dividend and valuation support the story

FactSet Research Systems Inc. (US3030751057) stock is trading close to the $283 mark based on the latest Cboe quote as of August 14, 2026, with investors focusing on its consistent dividend and moderate valuation multiples.

Per data from a recent market overview dated August 17, 2026, the shares closed at $283.25 on August 14, 2026, with a small extended-hours dip to $282.67 later the same day, underlining a period of relatively muted short-term volatility. The stock's current valuation near 18.8 times earnings and a price-to-book ratio just under 5 highlight how investors are paying a premium for FactSet's data and analytics franchise while still staying below the multiples of some faster-growing software peers. For income-oriented shareholders, a forward dividend yield of 1.64% backed by a long dividend growth track record provides a tangible cash return that complements the growth narrative.

Dividend track record and upcoming payout

One of the clearest current catalysts for FactSet Research Systems is its upcoming quarterly dividend. According to a detailed dividend schedule published on August 17, 2026, investors who own the stock before the ex-dividend date of August 31, 2026 will receive the next payment of $1.16 per share, which is scheduled for September 17, 2026. This regular quarterly distribution translates into an annual dividend of $4.64 per share based on the latest disclosure, corresponding to a dividend yield of 1.64% at the recent share price of $283.25 as of August 14, 2026. The same overview notes that FactSet has raised its dividend for 27 consecutive years, underscoring a long-standing commitment to returning capital to shareholders. In addition, the reported dividend payout ratio of 30.57% suggests that the company is distributing less than one-third of its earnings, leaving significant room to reinvest in the business and continue funding product development, acquisitions, and balance-sheet flexibility.

The $1.16 per-share quarterly dividend represents a steady increase over earlier payouts when viewed over a five-year horizon, as the annualized five-year dividend growth rate stands at 7.51% based on the same dataset. That implies that the annual dividend has grown meaningfully faster than inflation in recent years, a point income investors often consider as they evaluate the sustainability and purchasing power of their cash distributions. When combined with the payout ratio near 30%, these figures indicate that FactSet is not stretching its financial resources to maintain the dividend, which in turn can help support the stock's valuation as long as earnings continue to grow. For investors comparing the current yield with peer companies in financial information and analytics, a 1.64% yield might not be the highest in the sector, but the combination of steady growth and a disciplined payout ratio gives FactSet a distinctive profile among data providers.

Valuation metrics and market context

Beyond the dividend, the latest financial snapshot from a Cboe-linked market data page updated on August 17, 2026 shows FactSet Research Systems trading at 283.18 USD as of the August 14, 2026 close, reflecting a 1.40% decline over the previous five trading days and a 0.84% decline from the start of the year. These short-term performance figures place the stock in a relatively stable zone compared with more volatile technology names, suggesting that the market sees FactSet more as a steady compounder than as a momentum-driven high-beta play. At the same price, the stock's price-to-earnings multiple registers at 18.8x according to the same overview, with an enterprise-value-to-sales ratio of 4.53x and a price-to-book multiple of 4.97x. The combination of these metrics points to a company that is clearly valued above the market average but not at the extreme levels often seen in high-growth software or pure-play artificial intelligence names.

The quantified comparison between FactSet's valuation and its dividend yield is particularly relevant for investors seeking a balance of growth and income. At 18.8 times earnings and a 1.64% dividend yield as of mid-August 2026, the implied earnings yield of roughly 5.3% exceeds the cash yield, meaning that management has retained a considerable portion of profits to reinvest in operations and product innovation. The payout ratio of 30.57% confirms this allocation pattern numerically: for every dollar of earnings, roughly $0.31 is returned via dividends while $0.69 remains inside the company for growth initiatives. That mix can be attractive for shareholders who believe FactSet's core business of financial data, analytics, and workflow tools still has room to expand, especially as demand for integrated portfolio analysis, risk management, and ESG datasets continues to rise across institutional and wealth management segments.

From a price-performance perspective, the fact that the shares are only 0.84% below their level at the start of 2026, based on the year-to-date change in the same market overview, suggests that the stock has largely held onto previous gains despite a shifting macro backdrop. For investors who entered the stock earlier in the year, this stability may be reassuring even if it lacks the excitement of double-digit rallies. Meanwhile, the five-day decline of 1.40% would be considered minor in most risk frameworks, particularly when compared with typical daily swings in more cyclical or leveraged sectors. This relatively stable behavior is consistent with FactSet's role as a provider of mission-critical financial information and tools, where subscription-based revenue and long-term client relationships tend to smooth out short-term volatility.

Consensus and peer positioning

Recent competitor analyses compiled in a dedicated comparison overview as of August 17, 2026 place FactSet Research Systems within a broader set of financial data and analytics providers. While specific peer metrics are not all detailed in the available snapshot, the presence of FactSet in such competitor lists underlines its standing as a major player in the space. The same source reiterates the closing price of $283.25 on August 14, 2026 and the extended-hours quote of $282.67 later that evening, reinforcing the stability seen in the market data section. For investors benchmarking FactSet's valuation and dividend metrics against rivals, this competitor context can help clarify whether the 18.8x P/E ratio and 1.64% yield represent a premium, a discount, or a middle-of-the-road positioning relative to other data vendors and analytic platforms.

Another angle on consensus comes indirectly from the dividend metrics. The classification of FactSet as having a 27-year track record of dividend increases often signals that analyst models reflect ongoing growth in earnings and cash flows sufficient to support the policy. The annualized five-year dividend growth rate of 7.51% serves as a backward-looking confirmation of management's willingness to share expanding profits with shareholders. At the same time, the payout ratio of 30.57% can be interpreted by analysts as an indicator that there is still room for further increases if earnings continue to grow in line with expectations. In valuation models, such as dividend discount or total-return frameworks, these quantitative signals play a central role in supporting target prices and ratings.

Investors considering FactSet's competitive position should also note the balance between recurring revenue and potential cyclical exposure. Although specific revenue and EPS figures for the latest quarter are not visible in the current day-filtered search results, the company's ability to sustain a multi-decade history of rising dividends implies that earnings have grown consistently enough to justify these increases. In sectors where data and analytics are critical for regulatory compliance, portfolio construction, and risk oversight, clients often treat services like FactSet's as core infrastructure rather than discretionary purchases. That can help dampen earnings volatility across cycles, which in turn can explain why the stock trades at a premium valuation multiple but still exhibits relatively modest price swings compared with some technology peers.

FactSet Workstation as a flagship product

At the product level, a central pillar of FactSet Research Systems' offering is the FactSet Workstation, an integrated platform that combines market data, company fundamentals, estimates, and analytic tools into a unified interface for portfolio managers, analysts, and other financial professionals. Through this workstation, clients can access real-time quotes, historical price series, and fundamental data for equities, fixed-income instruments, and other asset classes, supported by robust screening and modeling capabilities. The platform is designed to plug directly into users' workflows, allowing them to visualize holdings, run scenario analyses, and build customized dashboards that reflect their investment strategies and risk parameters.

One of the key differentiators of the FactSet Workstation is its deep integration of estimates and research content, which can help users compare consensus earnings expectations with actual results and trace how revisions affect valuation metrics. This capability is particularly useful when investors want to understand why a stock trading at roughly 18.8 times earnings might still be considered attractive, for example if consensus forecasts point to mid- or high-single-digit earnings growth over the next several years. By providing granular data on earnings estimates, revenue forecasts, and margin trends, the workstation allows users to break down valuation multiples into components and assess whether the market is pricing in optimism, caution, or something in between.

The platform also emphasizes workflow automation and connectivity. For institutional clients, the ability to link FactSet data directly into portfolio management systems, order management tools, and risk platforms can reduce operational friction and improve the speed with which decisions are implemented. In addition, the workstation's charting tools enable detailed technical analysis of stocks such as FactSet itself, letting users overlay price series with moving averages, volume indicators, and relative-strength measures. Investors assessing FactSet Research stock can, in turn, use the company's own tools to evaluate its performance against indices, peers, and sector benchmarks, creating a recursive but practical use case where the product directly supports analysis of the issuing company.

Shares trade just below recent levels

Given the latest available quotes, FactSet Research Systems shares are changing hands around $283.25 based on the regular-session close on August 14, 2026, with extended trading that evening showing a modest dip to $282.67. This price level, paired with the upcoming $1.16 per-share dividend scheduled for September 17, 2026 and the current dividend yield of 1.64%, frames the stock as a blend of steady income and moderate growth potential. For investors, the numerical mix of a sub-1% year-to-date price decline, a multi-decade dividend growth record, and valuation multiples centered near 18.8x earnings suggests that the market is assigning FactSet a premium for quality without pushing it into speculative territory. As a result, portfolio decisions around FactSet Research stock at mid-August 2026 often hinge on views of the sustainability of its earnings trajectory and the long-term demand for integrated financial data and analytics.

Fact box

Company: FactSet Research Systems Inc.
ISIN: US3030751057
Ticker: FDS
Exchange: NYSE
Price (as of August 14, 2026, 3:59 p.m. ET): $283.25 USD
Market cap: Not specified in the available snapshot
Sector / Industry: Financial data and analytics / Information technology
Index membership: S&P 500
Next earnings date:

Investor Relations

More on FactSet Research stock and its latest filings, presentations, and financial reports is available through the company’s Investor Relations section on its corporate website.