FDS vs. MSCI

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

FDS (FactSet Research Systems Inc.) and MSCI (MSCI Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Financial Data & Stock Exchanges industry within the Financial Services sector. Over the past 10 years, FDS returned 5.90%/yr vs 24.48%/yr for MSCI. A 0.56 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

FDS vs. MSCI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS) and MSCI Inc. (MSCI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FDS achieves a -11.24% return, which is significantly lower than MSCI's 8.68% return. Over the past 10 years, FDS has underperformed MSCI with an annualized return of 5.90%, while MSCI has yielded a comparatively higher 24.48% annualized return.

FDS

• 1D: 0.62%
• 1M: 16.79%
• YTD: -11.24%
• 6M: -7.65%
• 1Y: -40.21%
• 3Y*: -12.78%
• 5Y*: -3.76%
• 10Y*: 5.90%

MSCI

• 1D: 0.86%
• 1M: 6.92%
• YTD: 8.68%
• 6M: 15.29%
• 1Y: 10.69%
• 3Y*: 10.13%
• 5Y*: 7.00%
• 10Y*: 24.48%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FDS vs. MSCI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FDS FactSet Research Systems Inc.	-11.24%	-38.88%	1.62%	19.99%	-16.75%	47.49%	25.13%	35.51%	5.02%	19.44%
MSCI MSCI Inc.	8.68%	-3.17%	7.31%	22.90%	-23.34%	38.14%	74.38%	77.19%	17.95%	62.63%

Correlation

The correlation between FDS and MSCI is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.52
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.52
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.60
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 16, 2007	0.56

The correlation between FDS and MSCI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.60 - a consistent structural relationship.

Fundamentals

Market Cap FDS : $9.52B MSCI : $45.43B
EPS FDS : $15.59 MSCI : $17.28
PE Ratio FDS : 16.36 MSCI : 35.81
PEG Ratio FDS : 1.53 MSCI : 2.22
PS Ratio FDS : 4.00 MSCI : 14.59
Total Revenue (TTM) FDS : $2.40B MSCI : $3.24B
Gross Profit (TTM) FDS : $1.25B MSCI : $2.68B
EBITDA (TTM) FDS : $821.05M MSCI : $1.99B

Return for Risk

FDS vs. MSCI — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FDS

FDS Risk / Return Rank: 11
FDS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
FDS Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
FDS Omega Ratio Rank: 7
FDS Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
FDS Martin Ratio Rank: 20

MSCI

MSCI Risk / Return Rank: 53
MSCI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
MSCI Sortino Ratio Rank: 48
MSCI Omega Ratio Rank: 49
MSCI Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
MSCI Martin Ratio Rank: 57

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

FDS vs. MSCI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS) and MSCI Inc. (MSCI). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	FDS	MSCI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.99	0.38	-1.36
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-1.36	0.71	-2.07
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.82	1.10	-0.28
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.70	0.59	-1.30
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.06	1.56	-2.62
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FDS vs. MSCI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FDS Sharpe Ratio is -0.99, which is lower than the MSCI Sharpe Ratio of 0.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FDS and MSCI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FDS	MSCI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.99	0.38	-1.36
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.14	0.23	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.21	0.79	-0.57
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.55	-0.10

Drawdowns

FDS vs. MSCI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FDS drawdown since its inception was -61.13%, smaller than the maximum MSCI drawdown of -69.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDS and MSCI.

Drawdown Indicators

	FDS	MSCI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.13%	-69.06%	+7.93%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-57.50%	-18.07%	-39.43%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-61.13%	-25.99%	-35.14%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-61.13%	-43.74%	-17.39%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-61.13%	-43.74%	-17.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-47.32%	-3.88%	-43.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.20%	-13.09%	-0.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	37.86%	6.88%	+30.98%

Volatility

FDS vs. MSCI - Volatility Comparison

FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS) has a higher volatility of 18.06% compared to MSCI Inc. (MSCI) at 7.90%. This indicates that FDS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MSCI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FDS	MSCI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	18.06%	7.90%	+10.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	35.34%	20.66%	+14.68%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	40.86%	28.59%	+12.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.65%	30.72%	-3.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.62%	31.17%	-3.55%

Dividends

FDS vs. MSCI - Dividend Comparison

FDS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.75%, more than MSCI's 1.24% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FDS FactSet Research Systems Inc.	1.75%	1.50%	0.85%	0.80%	0.87%	0.66%	0.91%	1.04%	1.24%	1.13%	1.19%	1.05%
MSCI MSCI Inc.	1.24%	1.25%	1.07%	0.98%	0.98%	0.59%	0.65%	0.98%	1.30%	1.04%	1.27%	1.11%

Financials

FDS vs. MSCI - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between FactSet Research Systems Inc. and MSCI Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

FDS - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, FactSet Research Systems Inc. reported a gross profit of 314.28M and revenue of 611.02M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 51.4%.

MSCI - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSCI Inc. reported a gross profit of 709.00M and revenue of 850.80M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 83.3%.

FDS - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, FactSet Research Systems Inc. reported an operating income of 184.96M and revenue of 611.02M, resulting in an operating margin of 30.3%.

MSCI - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSCI Inc. reported an operating income of 456.90M and revenue of 850.80M, resulting in an operating margin of 53.7%.

FDS - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, FactSet Research Systems Inc. reported a net income of 133.06M and revenue of 611.02M, resulting in a net margin of 21.8%.

MSCI - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, MSCI Inc. reported a net income of 406.00M and revenue of 850.80M, resulting in a net margin of 47.7%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FDS and MSCI in my portfolio?

FDS and MSCI have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FDS or MSCI?

FDS has higher volatility (18.06%) compared to MSCI (7.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FDS dropped -61.13% vs MSCI's -69.06%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MSCI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.38 vs -0.99), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.