Investors interested in Consulting Services stocks are likely familiar with Information Services Group (III) and Equifax (EFX) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive ...

My previous investment thought on Equifax ( EFX ) in February was a downgrade to hold rating because I was worried about the near-term outlook, especially with mortgage rates still high and Analyst's Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I ...

Demand for data used in hiring, consumer lending and mortgages drove growth that was stronger than expected in the first quarter at Equifax. The global data, analytics and technology company saw its first-quarter revenue come in at $37 million above the midpoint of the guidance it provided in February, executives said Tuesday (April 22) during Equifax's quarterly earnings call. Two-thirds of the outperformance came from the company's non-mortgage business and one-third from its mortgage business, Equifax CE ...

Financial Performance - Operating revenue for Q1 2025 was $1,442.0 million, a 3.8% increase from $1,389.4 million in Q1 2024[13] - Consolidated net income attributable to Equifax for Q1 2025 was $133.1 million, up from $124.9 million in Q1 2024, representing a 1.6% increase[13] - Basic earnings per share increased to $1.07 in Q1 2025 from $1.01 in Q1 2024, reflecting a 5.9% growth[13] - Consolidated income before income taxes for Q1 2025 was $185.4 million, up from $166.6 million in Q1 2024, representing an 11.8% increase[86] - Operating income for Q1 2025 was $395.2 million, a 4.8% increase from $379.6 million in Q1 2024[86] Assets and Liabilities - Total assets as of March 31, 2025, were $11,854.8 million, compared to $11,759.4 million at the end of 2024, indicating a 0.8% increase[19] - Total liabilities decreased to $6,742.3 million as of March 31, 2025, from $6,839.8 million at the end of 2024, a reduction of 1.4%[19] - The total equity for Equifax as of March 31, 2025, was $4,999.8 million, up from $4,814.4 million at the end of 2024, indicating a growth of about 3.8%[26] - Total debt outstanding as of March 31, 2025, was $4,989.7 million, a decrease from $5,037.7 million at December 31, 2024[61] Cash Flow and Expenditures - Cash and cash equivalents rose to $195.2 million at the end of Q1 2025, up from $169.9 million at the end of 2024, a 15.4% increase[19] - Cash provided by operating activities for Q1 2025 was $223.9 million, down from $252.7 million in Q1 2024, a decline of 11.4%[22] - Capital expenditures for Q1 2025 were $107.2 million, compared to $131.9 million in Q1 2024, a decrease of 18.8%[22] - Total capital expenditures for Q1 2025 were $101.2 million, down 18.9% from $124.7 million in Q1 2024[87] Shareholder Returns - Dividends paid to Equifax shareholders remained stable at $0.39 per share for both Q1 2025 and Q1 2024[13] - Equifax's cash dividends paid were $48.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, consistent with the previous year, maintaining a dividend of $0.39 per share[26] Foreign Currency and Adjustments - The company reported a foreign currency translation adjustment of $65.4 million in Q1 2025, compared to a loss of $95.4 million in Q1 2024[17] - The effect of foreign currency translation on redeemable noncontrolling interests was a gain of $7.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025[50] Segment Performance - Verification Services revenue increased by 5% to $502.2 million, while Employer Services revenue decreased by 8% to $116.4 million[54] - The company operates through three reportable segments: Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions, and International[81] Other Financial Metrics - The allowance for doubtful accounts increased to $18.2 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $16.4 million at the end of March 2024, representing a rise of approximately 10.9%[43] - The fair value of Equifax's long-term debt was reported at $4.6 billion as of March 31, 2025, compared to $4.5 billion at the end of 2024[38] - The accumulated other comprehensive loss decreased to $657.3 million as of March 31, 2025, from $722.7 million at the end of 2024, showing an improvement of approximately 9.1%[29] Legal and Regulatory Matters - The company entered into a consent order with the CFPB, resulting in a $15 million civil money penalty related to consumer disputes[64] - The company is involved in legal and regulatory matters, with accruals recorded for probable losses that can be reasonably estimated[73] Restructuring and Charges - The company recorded $1.4 million in restructuring charges during the three months ended March 31, 2025, related to contract terminations[78] - Total restructuring charges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, amounted to $48.0 million, primarily for technology transformation efforts[79] - The company reported a liability balance of $10.7 million related to restructuring charges as of March 31, 2025[80] Market and Risk Exposure - There were no material changes to the company's market risk exposure during the three months ended March 31, 2025[164]

Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) Q1 2025 Results Conference Call April 22, 2025 8:30 AM ET Company Participants Trevor Burns - Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Investor Relations Mark Begor - Chief Executive Officer John Gamble - Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Jeff Muller - Baird Andrew Steinerman - JPMorgan Brendan Popson - Barclays Toni Kaplan - Morgan Stanley Kyle Peterson - Needham Shlomo Rosenbaum - Stifel Andrew Nicholas - William Blair Jason Haas - Wells Fargo David Paige - RBC C ...

Equifax Inc. (EFX) has reported impressive first-quarter 2025 results, wherein earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate.EFX’s adjusted earnings were $1.53 per share, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 9.3% and increasing 2% from the year-ago quarter. Total revenues of $1.4 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by 1.9% and grew 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. (Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.)Equifax shares have declined 19.8% over the past ...

Equifax (EFX) reported $1.44 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.8%. EPS of $1.53 for the same period compares to $1.50 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.89% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.42 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.40, the EPS surprise was +9.29%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expect ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Equifax reported Q1 2025 revenue of $1,442,000,000, an increase of 4% reported and 5% in constant dollars, exceeding the midpoint of February guidance by $37,000,000 [8] - Adjusted EPS was $1.53 per share, which was $0.15 above the midpoint of February guidance due to higher revenue growth and improved margins [9] - Adjusted EBITDA margins were 29.3%, up 20 basis points from last year and about 80 basis points better than expected [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - USIS revenue grew by 7%, with non-mortgage growth at about 6%, aligning with their long-term growth framework of 6% to 8% [12][29] - EWS revenue increased by 3%, with talent solutions revenue up 12% due to better hiring volumes [25] - Mortgage revenue was up 7%, driven by stronger performance in mortgage pre-qualification and pre-approval products [21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - International revenue grew by 7% in constant currency, with strong growth in Latin America, particularly in Brazil and Argentina [33] - The U.S. mortgage market is expected to decline by 12% for the remainder of 2025, consistent with previous guidance [24][43] - The government business is projected to grow low double digits, benefiting from a new $50,000,000 SSA amendment [28][86] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Equifax is focusing on leveraging its cloud capabilities to drive innovation and new product growth, transitioning from building the cloud to utilizing it [9][54] - The company aims to maintain a strong investment-grade balance sheet while prioritizing high-return capital investments and executing a bolt-on M&A strategy [17][18] - A new capital allocation plan includes a 28% increase in the quarterly dividend and a $3,000,000,000 share repurchase program [18][53] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth model despite maintaining 2025 guidance due to economic uncertainty [15][51] - The company is well-positioned to weather economic events, with a significant portion of revenue from recession-resilient businesses [36][38] - Management highlighted the potential for growth in government services due to increased demand for social services during economic downturns [70] Other Important Information - The company plans to return about $1,000,000,000 annually to shareholders over the next four years through dividends and share repurchases [19] - Equifax is entering a new phase of innovation, leveraging unique data assets to develop solutions that only it can deliver [54] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more color on the twin federal government discussions or opportunities? - Management noted a positive environment in Washington regarding improper payments, with significant opportunities for the Twin solution to address these issues [58][61] Question: How did you come up with the recession estimate? - The estimate was based on historical performance during past economic events and the increasing share of subscription-based revenue, which is less impacted by recessions [64][66] Question: What percentage of U.S. mortgage revenues was reported in the quarter? - U.S. mortgage revenues accounted for 21% of total revenue in the quarter [76] Question: What visibility do you have for the second quarter trends? - Management indicated good visibility in most business lines, with mortgage activity being the exception due to interest rate fluctuations [80] Question: Is the low double-digit growth in government revenue expected for 2Q? - Yes, the low double-digit growth reflects expectations for the second quarter, with the SSA amendment contributing to this growth [84][86]

Equifax (EFX) came out with quarterly earnings of $1.53 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.40 per share. This compares to earnings of $1.50 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non- recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 9.29%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this credit reporting company would post earnings of $2.10 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.12, delivering a surprise of 0.95%. Over the last four quarters, the ...

Revenue Performance - First quarter 2025 revenue was $1.442 billion, up 4% on a reported basis and 5% on a local currency basis, exceeding guidance by $37 million[4] - U.S. Mortgage revenue grew 7% in the first quarter despite a decline in the underlying mortgage market[4] - Workforce Solutions revenue increased by 3%, with Verification Services revenue up 5% and Non-Mortgage revenue growth of 6%[4] - USIS revenue grew 7%, driven by 11% growth in Mortgage revenue and 6% growth in Non-Mortgage revenue[4] - International revenue increased by 7% on a local currency basis, with Latin America showing a 16% increase[11] - Total operating revenue for 2025 was $1,442.0 million, an increase of $52.6 million or 4% compared to 2024[30] - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was $1,442.0 million, an increase from $1,389.4 million in Q1 2024, representing a growth of 3.8%[38] Earnings and Profitability - Adjusted EPS for the first quarter was $1.53, up 2% compared to the same period in 2024[18] - Basic earnings per share for Q1 2025 was $1.07, compared to $1.01 in Q1 2024, reflecting a 5.9% increase[27] - Adjusted net income attributable to Equifax for Q1 2025 was $191.4 million, a 2% increase from $187.0 million in Q1 2024[33] - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q1 2025 was $1.53, up from $1.50 in Q1 2024, reflecting a 2% increase[33] - Operating income for Q1 2025 was $235.8 million, up from $224.7 million in Q1 2024, indicating a growth of 4.9%[39] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2025 was $423.1 million, representing a 5% increase from $404.6 million in Q1 2024[37] - The adjusted EBITDA margin for Q1 2025 was 29.3%, slightly up from 29.1% in Q1 2024[37] Cash Flow and Capital Management - Cash provided by operating activities for Q1 2025 was $223.9 million, down from $252.7 million in Q1 2024, a decline of 11.4%[29] - Capital expenditures for Q1 2025 were $107.2 million, compared to $131.9 million in Q1 2024, a decrease of 18.8%[29] - Dividends paid to Equifax shareholders remained stable at $48.5 million in Q1 2025, slightly up from $48.2 million in Q1 2024[29] - The company reported a cash and cash equivalents balance of $195.2 million at the end of Q1 2025, an increase from $169.9 million at the beginning of the period[29] Assets and Liabilities - Total current assets increased to $1,475.7 million as of March 31, 2025, from $1,360.6 million at the end of 2024, marking an 8.5% growth[28] - Total assets reached $11,854.8 million as of March 31, 2025, compared to $11,759.4 million at the end of 2024, indicating a 0.8% increase[28] - Total liabilities decreased to $6,742.3 million as of March 31, 2025, from $6,839.8 million at the end of 2024, a reduction of 1.4%[28] Shareholder Returns - A new $3 billion share repurchase program was authorized, expected to be completed over approximately 4 years[3] - The quarterly cash dividend was increased by 28% to $0.50 per share, payable on June 13, 2025[14] Market Outlook - The company anticipates a decline of approximately 12% in total U.S. mortgage market credit inquiries for the full year 2025[31] - The company recorded a decline of 9% in U.S. mortgage hard pull credit inquiries in Q1 2025 compared to the previous year[31] Other Financial Metrics - The company incurred a foreign currency loss of $0.5 million in Q1 2025 due to Argentina's highly inflationary economy, compared to a loss of $0.1 million in Q1 2024[45] - Restructuring charges related to resource realignment in Q1 2025 amounted to $1.4 million, reflecting ongoing efforts in cloud technology transformation[46] - The company recorded acquisition-related costs of $11.6 million in Q1 2025, down from $18.1 million in Q1 2024, a decrease of 35.9%[43] - Depreciation and amortization expenses for Q1 2025 totaled $174.6 million, compared to $164.4 million in Q1 2024, an increase of 6.6%[39]