BCS vs RELX Stock Comparison
Compare BCS and RELX across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between BCS and RELX?
BCS leads the current stock comparison as Barclays PLC, with the clearest separation coming from risk resilience and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Barclays PLC vs RELX Plc
BCS leads
BCS leads by 3 AIQ points, primarily on Risk Resilience and Momentum, having only recently taken the lead back from RELX.
Fragile: 5 of 6 evidence groups support BCS, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors BCS over RELX, 52 versus 49 as of Sep 11, 2026. BCS's advantage is driven primarily by stronger risk resilience and momentum, while RELX holds the stronger quality profile. BCS also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor BCS today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. BCS lead: Reversed — RELX led by 3 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; BCS now leads by 3.
Compare Barclays PLC and RELX Plc across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare BCS and RELX against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Risk Resilience67 vs 33BCS +34
- Quality44 vs 68RELX +24
- Momentum45 vs 34BCS +11
- Value60 vs 50BCS +10
5 of 6 evidence groups favor BCS. BCS’s edge is concentrated in risk resilience and momentum; RELX keeps a meaningful quality edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum +2
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum -3
No new signals fired.
BCS's lead widened by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — BCS and RELX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
BCS (Barclays PLC): the stronger current systematic profile, led by risk resilience and momentum.
RELX (RELX Plc): the counter-case, on quality — but at materially higher volatility, 32% against 18.4%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
BCSBCS on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
BCSBCS on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
BCSBCS on the peer-relative Value factor, by 10 points.
Momentum
BCSBCS on the Momentum factor, by 11 points.
Lower downside
BCSBCS on Risk Resilience, by 34 points.
Analyst upside
BCSBCS on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | BCS | RELX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +21.3% | -17.2% | BCS has more room |
| Target dispersion | +132.7% | 0% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Hold | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 1 | 1 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor BCS. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 52 vs 49 |
| Fundamentals | BCSon balance | TTM ROE 10.1% vs 125.5%; gross margin 98.3% vs 62.7%; operating margin 34.6% vs 31.6% — BCS takes 2 of 3 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | BCS | Value 60 vs 50 |
| Technicals | BCS | Price vs 50-day -2.6% vs -2.6%; vs 200-day 4.9% vs -4.4% |
| Risk Resilience | BCS | Risk Resilience 67 vs 33 |
| Analyst expectations | BCS | Target upside 21.3% vs -17.2% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of BCS and RELX and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- 5 of 6 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on BCS.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10BCS lead: Reversed — RELX led by 3 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; BCS now leads by 3.
- Today
- BCS +3
- 52 vs 49
- 7 sessions ago
- RELX +6
- 52 vs 58
- 30 sessions ago
- RELX +3
- 49 vs 52
- 90 sessions ago
- BCS +6
- 58 vs 52
The lead changed hands 8 times in this window, most recently on Sep 9 when BCS moved ahead of RELX.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (9.70%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- MACD Bearish Crossover — bearish, momentum, short horizon
0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (1.90%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
BCS leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +1.87%, AIQ 0 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -0.06%, AIQ -1 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1RELX closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 34 points behind, the largest single contributor to BCS's edge.
- 2RELX's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3BCS's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
BCS leads on balance| Metric | BCS | RELX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 122.4% | 0% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 14.3% | 0% |
| Gross margin | 98.3% | 62.7% |
| Operating margin | 34.6% | 31.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 10.1% | 125.5% |
| Debt to equity | 1.74 | 7.19 |
Performance
BCS leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | BCS | RELX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 0% | -3.8% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -6.5% | -2.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 10.9% | -0.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 18.1% | -2.7% |
| Year to date | 3% | -16.3% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 31.4% | -28.5% |
Technicals
BCS has the stronger structure| Metric | BCS | RELX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 46 | 41.3 |
| ADX (14) | 17.6 | 13.8 |
| Price vs 50-day | -2.6% | -2.6% |
| Price vs 200-day | 4.9% | -4.4% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 18.4% | 32% |
Risk
BCS is the more resilient| Metric | BCS | RELX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.55 | 0.29 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | -0.93 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.41 | -1.27 |
| Max drawdown | -27.1% | -41.9% |
| Current drawdown | -8.2% | -29.2% |
| Annualized volatility | 31.1% | 33.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.9% | -3.2% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, BCS or RELX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, BCS is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 52 against RELX's 49. The edge comes from risk resilience and momentum. RELX is not without a case — it holds the better quality profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is BCS or RELX the better buy right now?
BCS carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 5 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor BCS over RELX?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. BCS leads Risk Resilience by 34 points; RELX leads Quality by 24 points; BCS leads Momentum by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, BCS or RELX?
Analyst price targets imply +21.3% upside for BCS and -17.2% for RELX, so the Street currently favors BCS. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, BCS or RELX?
BCS is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. BCS on the peer-relative Value factor, by 10 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, BCS or RELX?
BCS on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, BCS or RELX?
BCS on the Momentum factor, by 11 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, BCS or RELX?
BCS is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. BCS on Risk Resilience, by 34 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is BCS more profitable than RELX?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 98.3% vs 62.7%; operating margin 34.6% vs 31.6%; ttm roe 10.1% vs 125.5%. BCS leads on two measures and RELX on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is BCS's lead over RELX getting stronger or weaker?
BCS lead: Reversed — RELX led by 3 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; BCS now leads by 3. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 8 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-09, when BCS moved ahead of RELX.
What would change the BCS vs RELX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: RELX closes the Risk Resilience gap — currently 34 points behind, the largest single contributor to BCS's edge; RELX's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; BCS's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about BCS and RELX?
BCS: 1 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. RELX: 0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on BCS is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On RELX it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare BCS and RELX with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.