Equifax(US:EFX)2025-10-21 13:32Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Equifax reported revenue of $1.54 billion for Q3 2025, representing a 7% increase in constant currency and reported dollars, exceeding the midpoint of July guidance by $25 million [6][10] - Adjusted EPS was $2.04 per share, which was $0.12 above the midpoint of July guidance, reflecting stronger revenue growth and solid operating leverage [8][10] - Adjusted EBITDA margins improved to 32.7%, up 20 basis points sequentially [8][10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - USIS mortgage revenue increased by 26%, significantly outperforming expectations, while EWS mortgage revenue grew by only 2% against a market decline of 7% in hard inquiries [21][68] - EWS revenue grew by 5%, driven by strong performance in government and consumer lending, with government revenue growing in high single digits [9][12] - USIS non-mortgage revenue grew by 11%, exceeding the long-term framework of 6% to 8% [9][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total U.S. mortgage revenue was up 13% in the quarter, with mortgage hard credit inquiries down about 7%, better than the expected decline of over 12% [6][7] - International revenue increased by 7% in constant currency, with Canada showing strong growth of 11% [29][30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Equifax is focusing on leveraging its new cloud capabilities and EFX.AI™ to drive innovation and new product development [51][52] - The company is expanding its VantageScore 4.0 mortgage credit score offerings to provide competitive pricing and drive conversions from FICO scores [24][28] - The strategy includes enhancing government solutions in response to the OB3 legislation, which is expected to create significant growth opportunities in 2026 and beyond [16][21] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the long-term recovery of mortgage activity as inflation stabilizes and rates decrease [7][10] - The company anticipates ongoing discussions with federal and state agencies regarding new solutions to comply with stricter income and work requirements, which could positively impact revenue [16][62] - Management highlighted the strong performance in Q3 and raised full-year revenue guidance by $40 million, reflecting confidence in continued momentum [10][50] Other Important Information - Equifax returned approximately $360 million to shareholders in Q3 through share repurchases and dividends, with plans to continue this in Q4 [10][51] - The company incurred a restructuring charge of about $44 million for cost reduction actions, expected to yield annual savings of about $30 million starting in late 2026 [4][10] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you go into more detail on the mortgage pricing changes? - Management noted a groundswell of interest in VantageScore 4.0 due to FICO's price increase, with active conversations and some clients already in production [54][55] Question: Can you elaborate on the margin guidance and the reduction in USIS margin guidance? - Management explained that higher variable compensation due to better-than-expected performance is impacting margins, alongside a higher mix of mortgage revenue [56][58] Question: Do you expect the government discussions to ramp up after the fiscal year end? - Management indicated a mix of both immediate engagement and longer-term revenue opportunities, with an uptick in conversations post-OB3 signing [60][62] Question: What is driving the increase in general corporate expenses? - The increase is primarily due to higher variable compensation linked to stronger performance and revenue growth [65][67] Question: What are the different factors affecting USIS and EWS mortgage revenue growth? - Management clarified that USIS benefits from earlier mortgage activity due to its position in the pre-qualification stage, while EWS reflects pricing and product performance against a declining market [68][69]