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what it is
Equifax sells data lenders, employers, and governments use to check jobs, credit, and identity.
how it gets paid
Last year Equifax made $6.1B in revenue. Workforce verification and HR outsourcing was the main engine at $2.3B, or 38% of sales.
why it's growing
Revenue grew 6.9% last year. The key number was $2.09 EPS, because it showed Equifax can still beat consensus by a hair while carrying premium expectations.
what just happened
Equifax posted $2.09 in EPS on $1.55B of revenue, topping the ~$2.05 consensus.
At a glance
B++ balance sheet — above average — nothing keeping you up at night
90/100 earnings predictability — you can trust these numbers
26.0x trailing p/e — priced about right
1.2% dividend yield — cash in your pocket every quarter
11.0% return on capital — nothing to write home about
xvary composite: 62/100 — average
What they do
Equifax sells data lenders, employers, and governments use to check jobs, credit, and identity.
Switching costs mean leaving is painful. If your payroll, verification, and fraud checks are wired into Equifax, moving is a project, not a click. That shows up in 18.0% operating margins and 11.0% return on capital.
How they make money
$6.1B
annual revenue · their business grew +6.9% last year
Workforce verification and HR outsourcing
$2.3B
+8.0%
U.S. credit data
$1.8B
+4.5%
Fraud and identity tools
$0.7B
+12.0%
International data services
$1.0B
+7.0%
Mortgage and marketing services
$0.3B
+3.0%
The products that matter
employment and income verification
Workforce Solutions
$2.8B · 46% of sales
this $2.8B segment is 46% of company revenue. when employers and lenders need income and employment data, this is the engine they are paying for.
46% of sales
consumer credit reporting and scores
U.S. Information Solutions
$2.3B · 38% of sales
it's still a $2.3B business and 38% of sales. credit files may be the legacy story, but legacy at this scale still matters.
38% of sales
credit and verification services outside the U.S.
International
$1.0B · 16% of sales
the $1.0B international segment is 16% of sales. it gives you geographic diversification, just not enough to drive the whole thesis.
16% of sales
Key numbers
27%
target upside
The stock has room to run if earnings keep tracking the plan.
18.0%
operating margin
You are looking at a business that keeps almost one-fifth of sales after operating costs.
1.2%
dividend yield
The payout is small, so this is mainly a growth-and-quality story, not an income story.
$4.1B
long-term debt
Debt is manageable, but it still matters if growth slows or litigation gets expensive.
Financial health
B++
strength
- balance sheet grade B++ — above average financial health
- risk rank 3 — safer than 50% of stocks
- price stability 60 / 100
- long-term debt $4.1B (14% of capital)
- net profit margin 16.8% — keeps 17 cents of every dollar in revenue
- return on equity 16% — $0.16 profit for every $1 investors have put in
B++ — functional but not a standout on the balance sheet.
Total return vs. market
You invested $10,000 in EFX 3 years ago → it's now worth $8,820.
The index would have given you $13,880.
source: institutional data · total return
What just happened
beat estimates
Equifax posted $2.09 in EPS on $1.55B of revenue, topping the ~$2.05 consensus.
Revenue was reported at $1.55B, +7% vs. prior year. EPS came in at $2.09 versus $2.05 expected, roughly a 2% beat.
$1.55B
revenue
$2.09
eps
18.0%
operating margin
the number that mattered
The key number was $2.09 EPS, because it showed Equifax can still beat consensus by a hair while carrying premium expectations.
source: company earnings report, 2026
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What could go wrong
the #1 risk is tighter rules around consumer credit data and employment verification.
med
data privacy and credit-file regulation
Equifax lives inside regulated consumer and payroll data. rule changes can slow products, raise compliance costs, or limit how some data gets used.
Workforce Solutions and U.S. Information Solutions make up 84% of revenue, so regulation hits the heart of the model.
med
slower hiring, mortgage, and lending activity
this is not a pure subscription story. when employers verify fewer paychecks and lenders pull fewer files, volumes soften.
The first place you feel it is the $2.8B Workforce Solutions segment, which is 46% of sales.
med
technology modernization has to earn its keep
management keeps pointing to technology and system modernization. if the spend runs ahead of the payoff, margins will tell you before the story does.
With net margin at 16.1%, there is room for slippage, but not room to ignore it.
A hit to regulation or verification volumes would pressure the 84% of revenue tied to Workforce Solutions and U.S. Information Solutions.
source: institutional data · regulatory filings · risk analysis
Pay attention to
earnings
next earnings print
watch whether quarterly revenue stays near or above the current $1.5B run rate.
metric
Workforce Solutions mix
it is 46% of revenue today. if that share keeps rising, the business keeps moving away from plain credit reporting.
trend
lending and hiring activity
Equifax gets paid when employers and lenders need fresh data. weaker volume shows up here before it shows up in the narrative.
risk
regulatory headlines
watch for rule changes on payroll data, credit files, or consumer consent. that is the risk with teeth.
Analyst rankings
short-term outlook
average
momentum score 3 — in human-speak, analysts see a stock acting normal, not one breaking out.
risk profile
average
stability score 3 — neither unusually defensive nor unusually fragile.
chart momentum
average
technical score 3 — the chart is sending a neutral message, which fits the rest of the story.
earnings predictability
90 / 100
management's numbers usually come in close to plan. you are not buying surprise here. you are buying consistency.
source: institutional data
Institutional activity
institutions have been net buying for 3 consecutive quarters — 404 buyers vs. 337 sellers in 3q2025. total institutional holdings: 0.1B shares. net buying for 3 quarters.
source: institutional data
Price targets
3-5 year target range
$168
$335
$199
current price
$252
target midpoint · +27% from current · 3-5yr high: $360 (+80% · 16% ann'l return)
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