Margins varied 6.1% around their average (limit 35%), and no loss years were recorded (limit 2).
- 10y median
- 14.5%
- Worst year
- 13.3%
- Latest · 2025
- 14.6%
# SGS (SGSN.SW) Canonical: https://gigainvestors.com/s/SGSN.SW Analysis as of: 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z. Financial observations: FY2000–FY2025. Listing currency: CHF. Reporting currency: CHF. ## Verdict A wonderful business at too high a price Quality tests for Buy: pass (profit record: pass; earnings resilience is evidence only). Published buy qualification: no. Share price: CHF 98.70 per share; close as of 2026-10-15. Estimated value: low CHF 51.40 per share, central CHF 65.30 per share, high CHF 75.48 per share. Buy at or below the central value CHF 65.30 per share. Valuation as of 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z; scenarios are not confidence intervals. Expected annual return: 7.5% at the stated quote. About 7.5% a year at today's price (required return 10.0%). required return 10.0% a year (10% floor; CH 10-year bond 0.5% + 4 points). ## Checklist ### understandable: pass - 3 revenue declines in the last 10 years (informational) - Financial history: 10 years - Years with declining revenue: 3 - Years with a net loss: 0 - Operating margin variation: 0.06× Chart: Operating margin; fiscal year observations. - FY2016: 0.14× - FY2017: 0.15× - FY2018: 0.14× - FY2019: 0.15× - FY2020: 0.16× - FY2021: 0.16× - FY2022: 0.15× - FY2023: 0.13× - FY2024: 0.13× - FY2025: 0.15× ### moat: pass - ROIC, median of available years: 40.9% - ROIC, second-lowest year: 39.5% - Typical minus recent gross margin: -46.0 pp - Typical gross margin (annual median): 39.9% - Recent gross margin (lower of latest and 3-year median): 85.9% - Years with nonpositive capital: 0 - Capital spending / revenue: 4.6% - ROIC including acquisitions, ten-year median: 19.1% Chart: ROIC excluding acquisitions; fiscal year observations. - FY2016: 48.9% - FY2017: 52.1% - FY2018: 59.8% - FY2019: 40.6% - FY2020: 40.5% - FY2021: 43.3% - FY2022: 41.1% - FY2023: 39.5% - FY2024: 39.6% - FY2025: 38.2% ### economics: pass - Owner earnings / net income, 5-yr: 1.12× - Cash conversion uses consolidated totals: No - Owner earnings, five-year total: CHF 3.4B - Net income, five-year total: CHF 3.0B - Return on incremental invested capital: >100% - Working capital / revenue, annual change: -0.7 pp - Working capital / revenue, change between three-year averages: -4.9 pp - Working capital / revenue, final three-year average: 16.1% Chart: Annual owner cash / profit; fiscal year observations. - FY2021: 1.05× - FY2022: 1.08× - FY2023: 1.14× - FY2024: 1.18× - FY2025: 1.15× ### management: pass - Historical market-dollar context (not the management verdict): 2016 to 2025 (9 years) - buybacks unrelated to price (informational) - ROIC first 3 years vs last 3 years: 52.1% vs 39.5% - Per-share earnings: 2.89 to 3.08 (three-year endpoint medians) - Management verdict uses per-share economic progress: Yes - Ordinary dilution, 10-year annual growth: 0.2% - Ordinary dilution, 5-year annual growth: 0.7% - Market cap gain: CHF 2.5B - Cumulative retained earnings: CHF -362M - Diluted shares, 10-year annual growth: 0.2% - Diluted shares, 5-year annual growth: 0.7% - $1 test, starting fiscal year: FY2016 - $1 test, ending fiscal year: FY2025 - Per-share value growth: 0.8% - Per-share value change: CHF 0.19 - Per-share value, starting three-year median: CHF 2.89 - Per-share value, ending three-year median: CHF 3.08 - Buybacks concentrated in cheaper years (correlation): 0.00 - Average buyback yield: 0.8% - Buyback history: 9 years - Debt-funded buybacks: No - Acquisition spending: CHF 2.7B - Cumulative net income, 10 years: CHF 6.0B - ROIC, first three-year median: 52.1% - ROIC, last three-year median: 39.5% Chart: Earnings per share; fiscal year observations. - FY2016: CHF 2.86 - FY2017: CHF 3.33 - FY2018: CHF 3.37 - FY2019: CHF 3.50 - FY2020: CHF 2.57 - FY2021: CHF 3.27 - FY2022: CHF 3.14 - FY2023: CHF 2.99 - FY2024: CHF 3.08 - FY2025: CHF 3.46 ### accounting: pass - Sloan accruals: -7.0% - Receivables to sales index (DSRI): 0.98× - Restructuring years, last five: 0 - Stock compensation / operating cash flow: 1.3% - Earnings backed by cash: Yes - Operating cash / earnings: 1.83× - Accounting red flags: 0 - Goodwill and intangibles / equity: 2.46× Chart: Sloan accruals; fiscal year observations. - FY2016: -8.8% - FY2017: -6.2% - FY2018: -7.1% - FY2019: -6.7% - FY2020: -9.5% - FY2021: -7.2% - FY2022: -5.6% - FY2023: -8.4% - FY2024: -9.5% - FY2025: -7.0% ## Holders ## Price story Price needs cash profits to grow 10.2% a year for ten years · sales +2.2% Story as of 2026-10-16T10:00:01.472Z; price observation 2026-10-15. Price needs cash profits to grow 10.2% a year for ten years ### Sales · FY2024–2025 sales +2.2%; source https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/; observed 2026-10-16. - FY2016: CHF 6.0B - FY2017: CHF 6.3B - FY2018: CHF 6.7B - FY2019: CHF 6.6B - FY2020: CHF 5.6B - FY2021: CHF 6.4B - FY2022: CHF 6.6B - FY2023: CHF 6.6B - FY2024: CHF 6.8B - FY2025: CHF 6.9B ### Gross margin · FY2025 gross margin 85.9%; source https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/; observed 2026-10-16. - FY2016: 43.6% - FY2017: 43.5% - FY2018: 43.2% - FY2019: 35.9% - FY2020: 35.8% - FY2021: 36.6% - FY2022: 36.3% - FY2023: 35.7% - FY2024: 85.9% - FY2025: 85.9% ## Owner memo Memo as of 2026-10-16T08:06:05.509Z. ### How it makes money Operates in consulting services; annual sales are CHF 6.9 billion. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2025: revenue 6945000000; grossProfit 5968000000; margin = grossProfit / revenue. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16); SGSN.SW: SGS SA operates as a testing, inspection, and certification company in the Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and America. It operates in two segments, Testing & Inspection and Certification. The company offers testing services, such as crop production testing, agricultural commodities testing, field studies, laboratory studies, seed quality control, and seed research and development; and inspection services, including draft survey and marine services, e-certificates, loading and discharge supervision, pre-shipment inspection, quality and quantity inspection, and tally. It also provides consulting, digital trust assurance, medical devices regulatory compliance, product certification, supply chain assurance, sustainability assurance, and verification and assurance, as well as assessment, auditing, and certification services; and professional training services. The company serves agriculture and forestry, building and infrastructure, consumer products and retail, cosmetics and personal care, cybersecurity and technology, environmental, health and safety, food, government and trade facilitation, industrial manufacturing and processing, MedTech, mining, oil, gas and chemicals, pharma, power and utilities, and transportation industries. SGS SA was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. ### Why customers stay Margins ranged from 35.7% to 85.9% during 2023–25; it earns 40.9% on its capital. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2023: grossProfit / revenue = 35.7%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2024: grossProfit / revenue = 85.9%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2025: grossProfit / revenue = 85.9%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); 10-year return on capital observations [[2016,0.48934847111916563],[2017,0.5211153708174234],[2018,0.5979002213824102],[2019,0.4058589032394158],[2020,0.40503012274616346],[2021,0.4331537809929166],[2022,0.41139348962725586],[2023,0.39458888878885817],[2024,0.39611651574510565],[2025,0.38227453553705454]]; median 0.40862619643333586. ROIC follows the displayed moat series; financial companies use return on tangible equity. ### Can it raise prices Kept about a 36% gross margin through 2022 cost inflation. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); Gross margin observations: [[2021,0.365807962529274],[2022,0.3626919602529359],[2023,0.35653881002718213]]; range within 2 percentage points. ### Where the cash goes Paid dividends in 10 of 10 years; bought back CHF 100 million of shares. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2016: growth capex 0; upkeep 289000000; owner earnings 559000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2017: growth capex 0; upkeep 298000000; owner earnings 632000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2018: growth capex 0; upkeep 304000000; owner earnings 655000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2019: growth capex 0; upkeep 290000000; owner earnings 728200000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2020: growth capex 0; upkeep 263000000; owner earnings 541800000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2021: growth capex 0; upkeep 338000000; owner earnings 644800000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2022: growth capex 0; upkeep 332000000; owner earnings 634853333.3333334. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2023: growth capex 0; upkeep 298000000; owner earnings 630438525.9631491. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2024: growth capex 0; upkeep 251000000; owner earnings 687400000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2025: growth capex 0; upkeep 255000000; owner earnings 767000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); Dividend observations: [[2016,517000000],[2017,528000000],[2018,573000000],[2019,589000000],[2020,598000000],[2021,599000000],[2022,599000000],[2023,590000000],[2024,207000000],[2025,222000000]]. Zero only counted when supported by a complete cash-flow statement. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); FY2025: cash repurchases 100000000 CHF. ### Are managers owners Insiders own 14.3% of the company. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16); SGSN.SW SharesStats.PercentInsiders = 14.262 percentage points; cache date 2026-10-16. ### What the price says The price assumes cash profits grow 10.2% yearly over ten years; actual growth was 3.9%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-10-16T07:34:35.703Z); Ten-year compound average after fade. Initial solved rate 0.1754007240431225. Price 98.7; FX 1; discount 0.1; same compounder ten-year fade to terminal 0.03. FY2015 owner earnings/share 2.706964520367937 → FY2025 3.9715559955738122. Closing-price date 2026-10-15. ## Monthly share-price history (CHF per share) - 2016-11: CHF 78.46 per share - 2016-12: CHF 79.58 per share - 2017-01: CHF 80.34 per share - 2017-02: CHF 82.00 per share - 2017-03: CHF 82.07 per share - 2017-04: CHF 85.99 per share - 2017-05: CHF 88.52 per share - 2017-06: CHF 89.18 per share - 2017-07: CHF 82.11 per share - 2017-08: CHF 82.30 per share - 2017-09: CHF 89.22 per share - 2017-10: CHF 94.63 per share - 2017-11: CHF 93.40 per share - 2017-12: CHF 97.59 per share - 2018-01: CHF 96.13 per share - 2018-02: CHF 92.44 per share - 2018-03: CHF 90.18 per share - 2018-04: CHF 92.83 per share - 2018-05: CHF 97.90 per share - 2018-06: CHF 101.47 per share - 2018-07: CHF 99.32 per share - 2018-08: CHF 98.05 per share - 2018-09: CHF 99.24 per share - 2018-10: CHF 91.87 per share - 2018-11: CHF 90.87 per share - 2018-12: CHF 84.88 per share - 2019-01: CHF 91.98 per share - 2019-02: CHF 97.74 per share - 2019-03: CHF 95.21 per share - 2019-04: CHF 103.27 per share - 2019-05: CHF 97.36 per share - 2019-06: CHF 95.51 per share - 2019-07: CHF 94.48 per share - 2019-08: CHF 93.33 per share - 2019-09: CHF 95.02 per share - 2019-10: CHF 98.63 per share - 2019-11: CHF 99.93 per share - 2019-12: CHF 101.81 per share - 2020-01: CHF 107.19 per share - 2020-02: CHF 92.10 per share - 2020-03: CHF 86.11 per share - 2020-04: CHF 83.92 per share - 2020-05: CHF 86.60 per share - 2020-06: CHF 88.91 per share - 2020-07: CHF 91.83 per share - 2020-08: CHF 89.79 per share - 2020-09: CHF 94.82 per share - 2020-10: CHF 87.99 per share - 2020-11: CHF 99.43 per share - 2020-12: CHF 102.54 per share - 2021-01: CHF 104.04 per share - 2021-02: CHF 99.66 per share - 2021-03: CHF 102.97 per share - 2021-04: CHF 103.70 per share - 2021-05: CHF 107.65 per share - 2021-06: CHF 109.61 per share - 2021-07: CHF 112.64 per share - 2021-08: CHF 110.53 per share - 2021-09: CHF 104.69 per share - 2021-10: CHF 104.00 per share - 2021-11: CHF 106.65 per share - 2021-12: CHF 117.02 per share - 2022-01: CHF 100.81 per share - 2022-02: CHF 101.20 per share - 2022-03: CHF 98.93 per share - 2022-04: CHF 96.86 per share - 2022-05: CHF 91.41 per share - 2022-06: CHF 83.92 per share - 2022-07: CHF 88.91 per share - 2022-08: CHF 82.80 per share - 2022-09: CHF 81.61 per share - 2022-10: CHF 84.84 per share - 2022-11: CHF 84.49 per share - 2022-12: CHF 82.57 per share - 2023-01: CHF 85.45 per share - 2023-02: CHF 82.88 per share - 2023-03: CHF 77.23 per share - 2023-04: CHF 77.35 per share - 2023-05: CHF 77.62 per share - 2023-06: CHF 81.19 per share - 2023-07: CHF 81.07 per share - 2023-08: CHF 77.18 per share - 2023-09: CHF 73.95 per share - 2023-10: CHF 71.03 per share - 2023-11: CHF 71.34 per share - 2023-12: CHF 69.65 per share - 2024-01: CHF 76.85 per share - 2024-02: CHF 81.42 per share - 2024-03: CHF 84.01 per share - 2024-04: CHF 81.06 per share - 2024-05: CHF 84.00 per share - 2024-06: CHF 80.00 per share - 2024-07: CHF 96.10 per share - 2024-08: CHF 94.64 per share - 2024-09: CHF 94.34 per share - 2024-10: CHF 91.50 per share - 2024-11: CHF 87.48 per share - 2024-12: CHF 90.88 per share - 2025-01: CHF 88.52 per share - 2025-02: CHF 92.60 per share - 2025-03: CHF 87.92 per share - 2025-04: CHF 80.72 per share - 2025-05: CHF 85.78 per share - 2025-06: CHF 80.50 per share - 2025-07: CHF 82.80 per share - 2025-08: CHF 81.56 per share - 2025-09: CHF 82.48 per share - 2025-10: CHF 90.62 per share - 2025-11: CHF 92.16 per share - 2025-12: CHF 90.86 per share - 2026-01: CHF 92.80 per share - 2026-02: CHF 97.00 per share - 2026-03: CHF 84.10 per share - 2026-04: CHF 84.64 per share - 2026-05: CHF 88.88 per share - 2026-06: CHF 93.72 per share - 2026-07: CHF 95.78 per share - 2026-08: CHF 92.76 per share - 2026-09: CHF 95.32 per share - 2026-10: CHF 97.50 per share ## Annual estimated value (CHF per share) - FY2016: low CHF 41.30 per share, central CHF 49.43 per share, high CHF 56.86 per share - FY2017: low CHF 46.60 per share, central CHF 55.74 per share, high CHF 63.87 per share - FY2018: low CHF 45.96 per share, central CHF 51.12 per share, high CHF 58.00 per share - FY2019: low CHF 45.57 per share, central CHF 52.28 per share, high CHF 59.65 per share - FY2020: low CHF 40.95 per share, central CHF 45.36 per share, high CHF 51.24 per share - FY2021: low CHF 44.38 per share, central CHF 49.50 per share, high CHF 56.32 per share - FY2022: low CHF 45.24 per share, central CHF 50.45 per share, high CHF 57.39 per share - FY2023: low CHF 45.02 per share, central CHF 50.23 per share, high CHF 57.18 per share - FY2024: low CHF 43.69 per share, central CHF 48.94 per share, high CHF 55.91 per share - FY2025: low CHF 58.33 per share, central CHF 72.56 per share, high CHF 82.98 per share Historical values use today's bond yield for every fiscal year Historical values use today's FX rate into trading currency for every fiscal year Historical values use current restated fundamentals and current commodity classification; they are not point-in-time estimates ## Sources Estimates depend on assumptions and are not guarantees or investment advice. Underlying data remains subject to its source licenses; public reading does not grant bulk redistribution rights.
SGSN · SW
STOXX Europe 600
A wonderful business at too high a price
Passes the quality tests.
Margins varied 6.1% around their average (limit 35%), and no loss years were recorded (limit 2).
Capital return excluding acquisitions: median 40.9% (minimum 15%), and the second-worst year 39.5% (minimum 10%).
Each $1 of profit left $1.12 for owners over five years (minimum $0.80).
Per-share value rose from 2.89 to 3.08, comparing three-year medians at each end (must rise and stay positive).
Profits were backed by cash: accruals were -7% of assets (limit 10%).
Profit record · pass 0 loss years in 10 (at most 2), mean operating margin 14.5%, three-year average owner earnings per share 3.67 CHF.
| Value range | CHF 51.40 – CHF 75.48 |
|---|---|
| Buy at or below | Central value CHF 65.30 |
| Discount to value | 1 − 98.70 / 65.30 = -51.1% |
| Return / year | About 7.5% a year at today's price (required return 10.0%) |
| Cash-flow inputs | Owner cash CHF 3.54/share; 6.4% growth fades over 10 years to 3.0%; excess cash CHF 5.47/share today. |
| Required return | 10.0% / year, earned by construction at the central value |