Goldman Sachs (GS)
Goldman Sachs is a global financial powerhouse that helps big companies raise money, manages investments for the wealthy, and trades in financial markets.
Is Goldman Sachs a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Goldman Sachs is a global financial powerhouse that helps big companies raise money, manages investments for the wealthy, and trades in financial markets.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Successful expansion into new consumer and digital banking markets.
Significant loss of market share to new financial technology competitors.
What does Goldman Sachs do?
Goldman Sachs acts as a high-level middleman for the world's biggest businesses, helping them merge, acquire other firms, or raise cash by selling shares. They also manage vast sums of money for wealthy individuals and institutions, earning fees for their expertise and trading services. Everything tends to track the global economy, since the firm thrives when companies feel confident enough to do big deals.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and income, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.0% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 42% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 31% of sales into profit
- !Carries a lot of debt - roughly 6.5x its equity
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 17%)
- Growth screens high (88/100)
- A dominant, well-recognised brand in global finance.
- Strong profit margins compared to many other industries.
- Diverse income streams from trading, advisory, and asset management.
- A sharp drop in corporate mergers and acquisitions would hurt revenue.
- Market volatility can lead to unpredictable trading losses.
- Reputational damage can have a significant impact on client trust.
What do Goldman Sachs's numbers mean?
How much money does Goldman Sachs make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Goldman Sachs pay a dividend?
Yes - Goldman Sachs currently pays a dividend of about 2.0% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Goldman Sachs report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Goldman Sachs is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-13 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-14 | $14.54 | $20.98 | Beat +44% |
| 2026-04-13 | $16.24 | $17.55 | Beat +8% |
| 2026-01-15 | $11.76 | $14.01 | Beat +19% |
| 2025-10-14 | $11.09 | $12.25 | Beat +10% |
| 2025-07-16 | $9.62 | $10.91 | Beat +13% |
| 2025-04-14 | $12.29 | $14.12 | Beat +15% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Goldman Sachs came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Financial Services
What are the scenarios for Goldman Sachs?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Goldman Sachs?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- A dominant, well-recognised brand in global finance.
- Strong profit margins compared to many other industries.
- Diverse income streams from trading, advisory, and asset management.
- Highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the global economy.
- Complex business model that can be difficult for outsiders to track.
- Subject to heavy regulation which can limit how they operate.
- A sharp drop in corporate mergers and acquisitions would hurt revenue.
- Market volatility can lead to unpredictable trading losses.
- Reputational damage can have a significant impact on client trust.
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A permanent shift away from traditional investment banking models.
- Major regulatory changes that force the bank to break up its core divisions.
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.