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Equifax Inc. EFX stock fell Tuesday after the credit reporting company narrowed its full-year guidance and issued third-quarter forecasts that came in below Wall Street expectations, despite reporting second-quarter results that beat estimates.
Equifax Beats Second-Quarter Estimates
Adjusted earnings were $2.25 per share, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $2.20. Revenue rose 11% year over year to $1.70 billion, ahead of the $1.696 billion consensus estimate. On a local currency basis, revenue increased 10%.
Adjusted EBITDA margin was 32.5%, unchanged from a year earlier.
Equifax also doubled its 2026-2028 AI-driven cost reduction target to $150 million and returned $366 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends during the quarter.
Mortgage Business Drives Growth
Diversified Markets revenue increased 7% year over year, or 6% in local currency, supported by Workforce Solutions and U.S. Information Solutions (USIS).
Workforce Solutions revenue rose 7%, with Verification Services also increasing 7%, driven by high-double-digit growth in Talent Solutions and Consumer Lending.
USIS revenue climbed 17%. U.S. Mortgage revenue surged 40%, while total Mortgage revenue increased 25%.
International revenue rose 8% on a reported basis and 4% in local currency, led by high-single-digit growth in Asia Pacific and mid-single-digit growth in Canada.
Equifax Narrows 2026 Outlook
Equifax narrowed its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $8.39 to $8.69 from a previous range of $8.34 to $8.74. The midpoint remains in line with the analyst consensus estimate of $8.60.
The company also tightened its full-year revenue outlook to $6.71 billion-$6.78 billion from $6.685 billion-$6.805 billion. The midpoint is broadly in line with the consensus estimate of $6.764 billion.
For the third quarter, Equifax forecast adjusted EPS of $2.15 to $2.25, below the analyst estimate of $2.26. It expects revenue of $1.68 billion to $1.71 billion, compared with the consensus estimate of $1.711 billion.
Separately, Equifax said it agreed to acquire Círculo de Crédito, Mexico’s fastest-growing credit bureau, for an enterprise value of $750 million. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Earnings Call Highlights
Equifax executives said the macroeconomic backdrop remains challenging as elevated interest rates continue to weigh on the U.S. housing market.
CEO Mark Begor said the ongoing Middle East conflict has kept inflation elevated, disproportionately affecting lower-income and subprime consumers.
However, he noted that low unemployment has continued to support overall consumer credit health, with lenders showing no signs of tightening credit lines or increasing portfolio reviews.
Begor added that higher mortgage rates have weakened industry origination activity in recent months, and the company expects the mortgage market to remain soft in the second half as borrowing costs stay elevated.
EFX Price Action: Equifax shares were down 7.10% at $167.29 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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This article Equifax Says Inflation Is Hitting Lower-Income Consumers originally appeared on Benzinga.com.
