In this articleEFXTRUFICOMorsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesThere's a line item in homebuyers' closing costs that's causing a clash in the mortgage industry: the fee for lenders to check borrowers' credit.While the charges — typically in the tens or hundreds of dollars — represent a tiny slice of the amount that buyers pay when a home purchase is finalized, the cost has risen sharply in recent years. Costs in 2026 could rise an average 40% to 50%, according to a Dec. 12 letter from the Mortgage Bank ...

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ____________________________________ FORM 10-K ☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 OR ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File Number 001-06605 ____________________________________ EQUIFAX INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its chart ...

With a market cap of $23.6 billion, Equifax Inc. (EFX) is a global data, analytics, and technology company that provides information solutions to businesses, governments, and consumers across Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions, and International segments. It operates in multiple countries worldwide, offering services such as credit information and scoring, identity verification, fraud prevention, workforce verification, and human resources process automation. Shares of the credit reporting c ...

Equifax Delivers Optimal Pathâ"¢ Directly to U.S. Consumers via the myEquifax Mobile App [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationLeveraging the Advanced Equifax Cloud-native Platform and Patented EFX.AI Capabilities, Optimal Path Gives Consumers More Control Over Their Financial Journeys at No Additional CostATLANTA, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- [Equifax]® (NYSE: EFX) is leveraging its advanced cloud- native platform and patented EFX.AI capabilities to deliver [Optimal Path]â"¢, the company's interactive ...

Core Insights - Equifax's growth is driven by sustained revenue momentum from diverse offerings and innovations in AI and analytics [1][11] - The company is expected to see significant earnings growth in the coming years, with a projected increase of 14.4% in Q1 2026 and 20% in 2027 [2][11] Revenue and Earnings Growth - Earnings are expected to rise by 13.5% in 2026 and 20% in 2027, while revenues are projected to grow by 10.7% in 2026 and 8.5% in 2027 [2][11] Business Model and Data Assets - Equifax generates revenue through proprietary datasets, including consumer credit files and alternative credit assets [4] - The company serves a wide range of industries, which helps mitigate sector-specific vulnerabilities and supports sustained revenue growth [5] AI Innovations - Equifax is enhancing its services with advanced AI-driven solutions, including the Agentic AI platform and Ignite AI Advisor for improved customer insights [6][7][11] Market Position and Liquidity - Despite strong growth prospects, Equifax has a current ratio of 0.61, indicating potential challenges in meeting short-term obligations [8]

Core Insights - Artificial intelligence (AI) is identified as the greatest investment opportunity of the current era, with a strong emphasis on the urgency to invest now [1][13] - The energy demands of AI technologies are significant, with data centers consuming as much energy as small cities, leading to concerns about power grid capacity and rising electricity prices [2][3] Investment Opportunity - A specific company is highlighted as a critical player in the AI energy sector, owning essential energy infrastructure assets that are poised to benefit from the increasing energy demands of AI [3][7] - This company is not a chipmaker or cloud platform but is positioned as a "toll booth" operator in the AI energy boom, collecting fees from energy exports and benefiting from the onshoring trend driven by tariffs [5][6] Financial Position - The company is noted for being debt-free and holding a significant cash reserve, amounting to nearly one-third of its market capitalization, which provides a strong financial foundation [8] - It also has a substantial equity stake in another AI-related company, offering investors indirect exposure to multiple growth opportunities without the associated premium costs [9][10] Market Trends - The article discusses the broader trends of AI, energy, tariffs, and onshoring, indicating that this company is well-positioned to capitalize on these interconnected developments [6][14] - The influx of talent into the AI sector is expected to drive continuous innovation and advancements, reinforcing the importance of investing in AI-related companies [12] Future Outlook - The potential for significant returns is emphasized, with projections suggesting a possible 100% return within 12 to 24 months for investors who act quickly [15][19] - The company is described as undervalued, trading at less than seven times earnings, which presents a compelling investment opportunity in the context of the AI and energy sectors [10][11]

Market Overview - Stock futures are mixed, showing signs of stabilization after a downturn in software and AI-related technology stocks, leading some investors to view the selloff as a buying opportunity [1] - Defensive sectors and commodity-linked assets are gaining interest, particularly as gold prices have risen above $5,000 per ounce, indicating strong demand for safe havens amid market uncertainty [1] Pre-Market Trading - In pre-market trading, S&P 500 futures rose by 0.11%, Nasdaq futures fell by 0.34%, and Dow futures increased by 0.22% [2] Company Movements - Silicon Labs (SLAB) shares surged by 49% following a definitive agreement for acquisition by Texas Instruments (TXN) at $231 per share in an all-cash transaction [3] - Texas Instruments (TXN) shares declined by 3% after announcing the acquisition of Silicon Labs [6] - Other notable stock movements include Eli Lilly (LLY) up 9%, Johnson Controls (JCI) up 5%, and AMD (AMD) down 10% [6]

Core Viewpoint - Equifax Inc. has demonstrated strong financial performance in the fourth quarter of 2025, with significant revenue growth and earnings surpassing estimates, despite facing margin pressures and a challenging industry environment [2][3][4]. Financial Performance - Equifax reported fourth-quarter revenues of $1.6 billion, exceeding consensus estimates by 1.3% and reflecting a 9.2% year-over-year increase [3]. - The company's earnings per share (EPS) for the fourth quarter were $2.09, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.5% [2]. - Revenue growth was driven by Workforce Solutions and USIS segments, with respective year-over-year increases of 9% and 12% [3]. Market Position and Outlook - Morgan Stanley set a price target of $244 for Equifax, indicating a potential price increase of approximately 34.78% from its current price of $181.04 [2][6]. - Equifax's market capitalization is approximately $22.3 billion, with a trading volume of 4,826,833 shares on the NYSE [5]. Industry Context - Over the past year, Equifax shares have declined by 34.7%, which is less severe than the 41.6% drop experienced by the industry [4]. - The Zacks S&P 500 composite has seen an 18.5% increase, indicating a challenging environment for the credit reporting industry [4].

Core Insights - Gen Digital and Equifax have expanded their partnership to enhance consumer financial management and digital security solutions [1] - The collaboration aims to leverage Equifax's differentiated data and Gen's AI-powered platform to provide personalized financial products and recommendations [1] Group 1: Partnership Overview - The partnership will enable Gen to strengthen its identity protection and financial wellness offerings through its brands, including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, and MoneyLion [1] - Equifax will utilize the Engine by Gen platform to offer personalized financial products to myEquifax customers in the U.S. [1] Group 2: Leadership Statements - Vincent Pilette, CEO of Gen, emphasized the importance of providing simple and trusted solutions for consumers to make informed financial decisions [1] - Mark W. Begor, CEO of Equifax, highlighted that more data leads to better decision-making, which can create greater opportunities for consumers [1] Group 3: Company Backgrounds - Gen Digital is focused on empowering digital freedom through its consumer brands, serving nearly 500 million users across over 150 countries [1] - Equifax operates globally, providing data, analytics, and technology solutions to help various organizations make informed decisions, supported by nearly 15,000 employees [1]

Core Insights - Equifax Inc. (EFX) reported strong fourth-quarter 2025 results, with earnings and revenues exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate [1] - The company posted an EPS of $2.09, beating estimates by 2.5%, although this represents a 1.4% decline from the previous year [1] - Total revenues reached $1.6 billion, surpassing the consensus estimate by 1.3% and increasing by 9.2% year-over-year [1] Financial Performance - The workforce solutions segment achieved 9% year-over-year revenue growth, totaling $652.2 million, exceeding the estimate of $628 million [3] - The USIS segment generated $526.9 million in revenues, a 12% increase year-over-year, surpassing the projection of $513.8 million [4] - International revenues rose by 7% year-over-year to $371.5 million, exceeding the estimated $367.1 million [5] Segment Analysis - Within the workforce solutions segment, verification services revenues were $557 million, up 10% year-over-year, while employer services revenues increased by 2% to $95.2 million [3] - Online Information Solutions in the USIS segment generated $447.9 million, a 13% year-over-year increase, while Financial Marketing Services revenues rose by 2% to $79 million [4] - Revenues from Europe grew by 9% year-over-year to $108.7 million, while Latin America revenues increased by 8% to $107.5 million [6] EBITDA and Margins - Adjusted EBITDA was $508.2 million, showing marginal year-over-year growth, but margins declined by 260 basis points [8] - The adjusted EBITDA margin for the workforce solutions segment was 51.3%, down 60 basis points from the previous year [8] - The USIS segment's adjusted EBITDA margin was 36.3%, a decline of 200 basis points year-over-year [8] Cash Position and Debt - Equifax ended the fourth quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $180.8 million, down from $189 million at the end of the third quarter [9] - The company maintained a long-term debt of $4.1 billion, unchanged from the previous quarter [9] Future Outlook - For Q1 2026, management expects revenues between $1.597 billion and $1.627 billion, below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.57 billion [12] - EPS guidance for Q1 is set at $1.63 to $1.73, lower than the consensus estimate of $1.78 [12] - For the full year 2026, revenues are projected to be between $6.66 billion and $6.78 billion, above the consensus mark of $6.6 billion, while EPS guidance is $8.3 to $8.7, below the consensus estimate of $8.66 [13]