Equifax: Data for Hiring and Mortgage Refis Drive Stronger-Than-Expected Growth

Core Insights - Equifax experienced stronger-than-expected growth in the first quarter, driven by demand for data in hiring, consumer lending, and mortgages, with revenue exceeding guidance by $37 million [1] Group 1: Revenue Performance - Two-thirds of the revenue outperformance came from the non-mortgage business, while one-third was attributed to the mortgage business [2] - Non-Mortgage revenue grew by 6%, supported by strong performance in Talent Solutions and Consumer Lending, along with better-than-expected gains in the Government sector [2] - The U.S. Mortgage business reported a 7% revenue growth during the quarter [2] Group 2: Factors Driving Growth - Growth in the mortgage sector was linked to increased penetration and performance of mortgage pre-qualification and pre-approval products, with market conditions being about 400 basis points better than expected [3] - A decline of approximately 30 basis points in mortgage rates in late February and March contributed to higher refinancing activity [3] - Talent Solutions revenue increased by 12%, attributed to improved hiring volumes and easier year-over-year comparisons [4] Group 3: Future Outlook - The company sees growth opportunities in the Government sector due to the new administration's focus on efficiency [4] - Despite outperforming guidance, Equifax maintained its full-year 2025 guidance due to macroeconomic uncertainties, particularly related to tariffs [5][6] - The company indicated that under normal circumstances, it would have increased its 2025 revenue and adjusted EPS guidance, but chose to maintain current levels due to economic uncertainties [6]