FACTSET RESEARCH SYSTEMS INC
11-K, 2000-02-28
COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, DATA PROCESSING, ETC.
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                       ----------------------------------


                                    FORM 11-K


               (X) ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
                 SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (FEE REQUIRED)

                    For the fiscal year ended August 31, 1999

                                       or

               ( ) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF
              THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (NO FEE REQUIRED)

               For the transition period from ___________________

                         Commission File Number: 1-11869


           FactSet Research Systems Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan
           -----------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)


                          FactSet Research Systems Inc.
                               One Greenwich Plaza
                          Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
                      -------------------------------------
                              (Address of the plan)



                          FactSet Research Systems Inc.
                   -------------------------------------------
          (Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan)

                               One Greenwich Plaza

                          Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
                          ----------------------------
                (Address of issuer's principal executive office)

<PAGE>

FactSet Research Systems Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan


                                     INDEX
                                                                            Page

Report of Independent Accountants                                              3


Financial Statements:

Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
at August 31, 1999 and 1998                                                    4

Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
for the Year Ended August 31, 1999                                             5

Notes to Financial Statements                                              6 - 8

Supplemental Schedule:

Schedule I - Line 27a Form 5500 - Schedule of Assets Held for
Investment Purposes at August 31, 1999                                         9


Signature                                                                     10

<PAGE>

Report of Independent Accountants



To the Participants and Administrator
of the FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan:


In our opinion,  the  accompanying  statement of net assets  available  for plan
benefits and the related  statement of changes in net assets  available for plan
benefits present fairly, in all material respects,  the net assets available for
benefits of the FactSet Research Systems Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the
"Plan") at August 31, 1999 and 1998, and the changes in net assets available for
benefits  for the year ended  August 31,  1999,  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted   accounting   principles.   These   financial   statements   are   the
responsibility  of the Plan's  management;  our  responsibility is to express an
opinion on these  financial  statements  based on our audits.  We conducted  our
audits of these  statements  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  auditing
standards which require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain  reasonable
assurance   about  whether  the  financial   statements  are  free  of  material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements,   assessing  the
accounting  principles  used and significant  estimates made by management,  and
evaluating the overall  financial  statement  presentation.  We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for the opinion expressed above.


Our audits  were  performed  for the  purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental  schedule of assets held
for investment  purposes (Schedule I) is presented for the purpose of additional
analysis and is not a required  part of the basic  financial  statements  but is
supplemental  information  required  by the  Department  of  Labor's  Rules  and
Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure  under the Employee  Retirement  Income
Security Act of 1974. This  supplemental  schedule is the  responsibility of the
Plan's management.  The supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing
procedures  applied in the audits of the basic financial  statements and, in our
opinion,  is fairly  stated in all  material  respects  in relation to the basic
financial statements taken as a whole.


PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
New York, New York
February 4, 2000
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits




ASSETS:                                At  August 31,            1999          1998

<S>                                                       <C>           <C>
Investment at fair value:
Common stock of FactSet Research Systems Inc.             $56,863,460   $26,644,079

Receivables from FactSet Research Systems Inc.:
Employer contributions                                      1,000,000       750,000
Dividends                                                      60,698             -
                                                            ---------       -------

Total assets                                               57,924,158    27,394,079

LIABILITIES:                                                        -             -
                                                          -----------   -----------
Net assets available for plan benefits                    $57,924,158   $27,394,079
                                                          ===========   ===========




The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>

FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits
For the Year Ended August 31, 1999


ADDITIONS:

<S>                                                                     <C>
Contributions from FactSet Research Systems Inc.                        $ 1,000,000

Dividends on common stock                                                   185,733

Appreciation in fair value of common stock                               31,500,623
                                                                         ----------

Total additions                                                          32,686,356


DEDUCTIONS:

Distributions to participants                                             2,156,277


INCREASE IN NET ASSETS DURING THE PLAN YEAR                              30,530,079

Net assets available for plan benefits:

Beginning of the year                                                    27,394,079
                                                                         ----------
Ending of the year                                                      $57,924,158
                                                                        ===========



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements

Note 1 - DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAN

GENERAL

The FactSet Research  Systems Inc.  Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the "Plan" or
"ESOP")  was  established  effective  September  1, 1985 and is  subject  to the
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"). The
Plan is intended to constitute a "qualified plan" within the meaning of Sections
401(a) and 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
and ERISA,  as amended,  and to qualify as an "employee  stock  ownership  plan"
under Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code. During the latest plan year, amendments to
the Plan were made.  Such  amendments  were for the purpose of updating the Plan
for compliance with recently enacted tax and/or ERISA provisions.

The Plan is funded by optional annual  contributions by FactSet Research Systems
Inc.  ("FactSet" or the "Company") as designated by its Board of Directors.  The
funds held under the Plan are invested in the Common Stock of FactSet.  The Plan
owned 2,455,643 and 2,478,519 shares of the Company's common stock at August 31,
1999 and 1998, respectively.

Effective  August  31,  1999  and  1998,  the  Board  of  Directors   authorized
contributions  of  $1,000,000  and  $750,000,  respectively,  to the Plan.  Such
amounts were used to purchase shares of the Company's  common stock on September
1, 1999 and 1998,  respectively,  and are reflected as a receivable from FactSet
on the Statement of Net Assets Available for Plan Benefits.

Employees  of the Company at fiscal year end (August 31) who have  performed  at
least  1,000  hours of service  during the plan year are  generally  eligible to
participate  in the Plan.  When  employee work records are not kept on an hourly
basis,  employees are credited with 190 hours of service for each month in which
one hour of service was performed.

Contributions  in the  form of the  Company's  common  stock  are  allocated  to
participant  accounts  in  the  proportion  that  each  eligible   participant's
compensation bears to the aggregate  compensation of all participants during the
plan year.  Eligible  compensation for participants is capped at $120,000 during
any one plan year. Contributions begin to vest upon completion of the employee's
third  year  of  service  at a rate  of 20% and  continue  at that  rate in each
successive  year of service.  Forfeited,  non-vested  interests  in the Plan are
allocated to the other  participants'  accounts upon meeting certain criteria as
defined in the Plan. There were 2,424 shares forfeited and reallocated in 1999.

The vested  interests of plan  participants  are  distributed in a lump sum upon
such participant reaching the age of 65. A participant who reaches the age of 65
but remains employed by the Company may elect to receive the distribution of his
or her vested interest as of the last day in any subsequent plan year,  provided
that in the case of a five percent  shareholder the distribution  shall begin no
later than April 1, following the calendar year in which the participant attains
the age of 70 1/2.  When  employment  is  terminated,  distributions  of  vested
interests  are made  according  to the  election  of the former  employee.  Such
distributions are generally payable in a lump sum and are initiated upon receipt
of written  notification  from the  former  employee.  The  vested  balance of a
participant's  account may be distributed  in the form of cash,  common stock of
the Company or a combination thereof.

The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Company.  The  adjudication of the
Company as a bankrupt entity,  an assignment for the benefit of the creditors of
the Company,  the  dissolution or  liquidation of the Company,  or the permanent
discontinuance  of  contributions by the Company shall effect the termination of
the Plan.
<PAGE>

ADMINISTRATION AND EXPENSES

The Plan is  administered  by the  ESOP  Plan  Committee,  which  has  appointed
officials  of FactSet to act as trustees and assist in  administering  the Plan.
The  assets  of the Plan  are  held in  custody  by The  Bank of New  York.  USI
Consulting Group has been retained to act as record keeper for the Plan.

All expenses of the Plan including administrative costs are paid by the Company.
Such costs include record keeping, participants reports,  communications,  audit
fees and transfer agent fees.

Note 2 - SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The  accompanying  financial  statements  have been  prepared  according  to the
accrual basis of accounting.

The preparation of financial  statements in conformity  with generally  accepted
accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amount of assets,  liabilities and changes therein,  and the
disclosures of contingent  assets and  liabilities.  Actual results could differ
from these estimates.

VALUATION OF INVESTMENT IN COMMON STOCK

The Plan's only investment is the common stock of FactSet. It is carried at fair
value at August 31, 1999 and 1998 based on the closing market price of FactSet's
common stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

UNREALIZED APPRECIATION

Unrealized  appreciation  is the difference  between the fair value and original
cost basis of the Plan  investment in the  Company's  common stock at August 31,
1999 and 1998 based on a weighted average share basis.  Unrealized  appreciation
at August 31, 1999 and 1998 was $52,828,888 and $ 23,324,079 respectively.

DIVIDENDS

Dividend income is accrued on the  ex-dividend  date. Upon receipt of dividends,
the Plan purchases  additional shares of FactSet common stock and allocates such
shares to participant  accounts in the proportion of each participant's  account
to the total.

Note 3 - Income Taxes

The Plan is qualified under the  appropriate  section of the Code and received a
favorable determination letter from the IRS on April 18, 1995. The Plan has been
amended  since   receiving  the   determination   letter.   However,   the  Plan
Administrator  believes  the  Plan  is  designed  to be and is  currently  being
operated  in  compliance   with  the  applicable   requirements   of  the  Code.
Accordingly, a provision for federal income taxes has not been made.

Note 4 - Stock Splits

On February 5, 1999,  the Company  declared a 3-for-2 stock split  effected as a
stock  dividend.  Subsequent  to the Plan's most  recent  year end,  the Company
announced  a 2-for-1  stock  split.  The stock  split  was  effected  as a stock
dividend  and was  distributed  on  February 4, 2000 to common  stockholders  of
record on January 21, 2000. Consistent with treatment by the Company,  shares of
common  stock held by the Plan and  related  amounts  (including  dividends  per
share) have been retroactively adjusted for both stock splits.

Note 5 - Dividends

In March 1999,  FactSet  initiated  payment of a regular  quarterly  dividend of
$0.025 per common share. In accordance  with the Plan terms,  dividends are used
to purchase additional shares of FactSet common stock based on the closing price
of a share of the  Company's  common stock on dividend  payment  dates.  Regular
quarterly  dividends  of $ 0.025  per  common  share  were also paid in June and
September 1999.

Note 6 - Subsequent Events

On November 16, 1999 the Board of Directors  declared a cash dividend of $ 0.025
per common  share  payable on December  21, 1999 to all common  stockholders  of
record at the close of business on  November  30, 1999 and on January 13,  2000,
declared a cash dividend of $ 0.03 per common share payable on March 21, 2000 to
all common stockholders of record at the close of business on February 29, 2000.

The Board of Directors of FactSet Research Systems Inc. approved the termination
of the ESOP for all employees of FactSet Limited and FactSet Pacific,  Inc. (the
"international participants").  Effective January 1, 2000, the ESOP accounts for
all  international  participants  became  100%  vested and are  scheduled  to be
distributed to participants on or before August 31, 2000.

<PAGE>
<TABLE>

Supplemental Schedule

                                                                         Schedule I
FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
Line 27a Form 5500-Schedule of Assets Held for Investment Purposes
At August 31, 1999



<S>            <C>                                        <C>                                       <C>               <C>
(a)                         (b)                                          (c)                            (d)               (e)
               Identity of Issue, borrower,               Description of investment including
                lessor, or similiar party                   maturity date, rate of interest,                            Current
                                                           collateral, par or maturity value           Cost              Value
- ---            ----------------------------               -----------------------------------          ----             -------
 **            FactSet Research Systems                      Common Stock 2,445,643* shares         $4,039,572        $56,863,460
                                                                      $23.25/Share


</TABLE>
*Shares of common  stock and  related  amounts  give  retroactive  effect to the
3-for-2  stock split that  occurred  on  February 5, 1999 and the 2-for-1  stock
split that was declared on January 13, 2000 and was  distributed  on February 4,
2000.

**Indicates an identified person known to be a party-in-interest to the Plan.

<PAGE>

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the Plan
Committee  and the Trustee  have duly caused this annual  report to be signed by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


FactSet Research Systems Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan

By: /s/ Ernest S. Wong                                   Date: February 28, 2000

Senior Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary



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