Finding FactSet | CSE Resource of the Month Series

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Have you ever felt that gathering data like financials, forecasted estimates, M&A deals, news and filings for public as well as private companies is tedious and time-consuming?

Check out FactSet to get instant access to accurate financial data and analytics!

What is FactSet?

FactSet is a database (just like Bloomberg, Refinitiv Eikon, etc.) that provides computer-based financial data and analysis for financial professionals, including individuals, investment managers, hedge funds, and investment bankers. It consolidates data on global markets, public and private companies, and equity and fixed-income portfolios and makes it widely available for its users. It is very user friendly and easy to navigate. For any and every public or private company, it provides:

  • Up-to-date market information, charts and valuations
  • Forecasted, current and historical financial data
  • News, research and company filings
  • M&A deal summary, PE/VC funding and sources of capital
  • Activism, management and governance

Let’s dive deep into how to actually use this valuable tool!

#1: Register on FactSet

Click here to register on FactSet! Accounts are free for Brandeis University students. (Note: FactSet ID process could take between 7 to 10 business days and if you do not receive it, contact FactSet Support: support@factset.com for additional guidance)

#2: Finding financial data

Use this link to get logged into your account. Post that, to search financial data for either a public or a private company, you search your company’s name in the search bar given at the top. Once you open your company’s page, on the extreme left of the page are a few dropdowns, out of which you should choose the Financials dropdown list.  Wasn’t that easy? Here you would get all the updated financial data related to the company you select and you can always download it by just hitting the download button.

#3: Glance of M&A deals

Similar to finding the financial data. as you hit the Transactionsdropdown list, you can check theM&A Summarytab. This is the place where you can find all the mergers or acquisitions that your company executed or was a part of. Make sure you click on the hyperlinks wherever you find to get more insights about the targets or acquirers!

#4: Peer screening for comparable valuations

Let’s do something fun! Screening peers for public comparable valuations can be a task, but we can do it in a more concise way through FactSet. Post logging in, just below the search bar are a lot of tabs. Scroll to the extreme right of the list and find Screening“. Underneath this, select Idea Screeningand there you can find heads such as companies, transactions and so on. Under the company’s head, start the screen forAll Companies”. At this point you can see a lot of factors that will help you filter out your company’s peers. You can also use the left most dropdown elements and drag and drop them on to the screen. Fill those criteria’s related to your firm and hit the View button on the top right of the screen. Phew! There you go with a list of peers for your company. This can be overwhelming at first, but it is really the best way to get accurate peers in the industry.

#5: Subscribe to FactSet Insights

FactSet provides selected content topics that are delivered directly to your inbox. FactSet Insight features unique thought leadership, commentary, and research reports, along with webcasts, infographics, and product news. Get weekly articles like earnings insight, ETF fund flows, deep dives into performance and fixed income analysis, and more. Complete this form to subscribe by email today!

You can access the latest eLearning demos and instructor-led training sessions by going here. Keep playing around and you will learn a lot about this treasure!

December’s Resource of the Month was brought to you by CSE Career Captain Harsh Sanghvi MSF’24!

By Harsh Sanghvi
Harsh Sanghvi Former CSE Career Captain