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Equifax Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 20 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 lowered, 5 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue up 10% on reported basis: Revenue was $1,692.5 million, up 10% reported and 9% in local currency, from $1,544.9 million a year earlier. Net income attributable to Equifax was $211.7 million, up 32%. Source
  • Full-year revenue guidance lowered: Full-year revenue guidance midpoint was reduced to $6.661 billion for lower U.S. Mortgage revenue, while Diversified Markets guidance was kept. Source
  • Vitality Index above 17%: Products built on the EFX Cloud, EFX.AI and proprietary data posted a Vitality Index above 17%, compared with the company's 10% long-term goal. Source
  • U.S. Mortgage revenue up 15%: U.S. Mortgage revenue grew 15% even as the mortgage market slowed in the latter half of the quarter, when mortgage interest rates rose substantially. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 33.1%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 33.1%, against 32.7% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA excluding listed items was $560.2 million, up 11%. Source
  • $158 million returned in quarter: Returned $158 million including 0.5 million shares repurchased for $92 million and $66 million of quarterly dividends. Source

“However, we expect the much weaker U.S. mortgage market that we saw in the latter half of the third quarter to continue through the remainder of 2026.”

Mark W. Begor, Equifax Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Full-year 2026 reported revenue SourceFY 2026$6.646 billion to $6.676 billionLowered from $6.710 billion to $6.780 billion
Full-year 2026 reported revenue growth SourceFY 20269.4% to 9.9%Lowered from 10.5% to 11.6%
Full-year 2026 local currency revenue growth SourceFY 20268.5% to 9.0%Lowered from 9.8% to 10.9%
Full-year 2026 organic local currency revenue growth SourceFY 20268.4% to 8.9%Lowered from 9.7% to 10.8%
Full-year 2026 adjusted EPS SourceFY 2026$8.45 to $8.55 per shareLowered from $8.39 to $8.69 per share
Fourth-quarter 2026 reported revenue SourceQ4 2026$1.605 billion to $1.635 billionNew
Fourth-quarter 2026 reported revenue growth SourceQ4 20263.5% to 5.4%New
Fourth-quarter 2026 local currency revenue growth SourceQ4 20263.1% to 5.0%New
Fourth-quarter 2026 organic local currency revenue growth SourceQ4 20263.0% to 4.9%New
Fourth-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS SourceQ4 2026$2.07 to $2.17 per shareNew
Diversified Markets revenue growth SourceFY 2026high single-digit percentKept
AI productivity goal Source2026 to 2028$150 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year reported revenue midpoint cut to $6.661 billion, from the $6.745 billion midpoint of the prior range, on lower U.S. Mortgage revenue. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year adjusted EPS midpoint reduced by $0.04 per share to $8.50. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter 2026 guidance given for the first time, with reported revenue of $1.605 billion to $1.635 billion. Source
  • Guidance kept: Diversified Markets revenue growth guidance maintained at high single-digit percent. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue up 10% on reported basis: Revenue was $1,692.5 million, up 10% reported and 9% in local currency, from $1,544.9 million a year earlier. Net income attributable to Equifax was $211.7 million, up 32%. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose 39%: Diluted EPS attributable to Equifax was $1.79, against $1.29 a year earlier. Diluted weighted-average shares were 118.1 million, against 124.1 million. Source
  • Adjusted EPS up 11%: Adjusted EPS was $2.26, against $2.04 a year earlier. The adjusted figure excludes acquisition-related amortization and the other items listed in the reconciliation. Source
  • Full-year revenue guidance lowered: Full-year revenue guidance midpoint was reduced to $6.661 billion for lower U.S. Mortgage revenue, while Diversified Markets guidance was kept. Source

Segments and regions

  • Workforce Solutions revenue up 7%: Workforce Solutions revenue was $693.9 million. Verification Services rose 9% to $603.2 million, while Employer Services fell 5% to $90.7 million. Source
  • Workforce diversified lines grew: Workforce Diversified Markets grew 9%. Talent Solutions rose above 20%, Consumer Lending rose high double digits and Government rose mid-single digits. Workforce Solutions Mortgage was flat. Source
  • USIS revenue up 13%: USIS revenue was $599.1 million. Financial Marketing Services rose 11% to $69.4 million. USIS Diversified Markets grew 6%, led by Financial Institutions and Auto. Source
  • International revenue up 9%: International revenue was $399.5 million, up 9% reported and 7% in local currency. Latin America rose 8% and Canada 4% in local currency, while Europe rose 4%. Source
  • Asia Pacific grew 12% locally: Asia Pacific revenue was $107.7 million, up 20% reported and 12% in local currency. Management cited low double-digit growth in Australia. Source

“We are confident in the future of the New Equifax.”

Mark W. Begor, Equifax Chief Executive Officer

Products and customers

  • Vitality Index above 17%: Products built on the EFX Cloud, EFX.AI and proprietary data posted a Vitality Index above 17%, compared with the company's 10% long-term goal. Source
  • Diversified Markets up 8% across units: Diversified Markets revenue rose 8% reported and 7.5% in local currency, with growth in every business unit. Source
  • EFX.AI moving into new products: Management said it continues to deploy EFX.AI to build higher-performing products and solutions for customers, and to expand AI use inside the company. Source
  • Proprietary data as AI moat: Management described its scale proprietary data as the base of its AI data moat and a competitive advantage in its products. Source

Demand and the mortgage market

  • U.S. Mortgage revenue up 15%: U.S. Mortgage revenue grew 15% even as the mortgage market slowed in the latter half of the quarter, when mortgage interest rates rose substantially. Source
  • USIS mortgage revenue up 28%: USIS Mortgage revenue rose 28% in the quarter, which management said came despite the mortgage market slowdown. Source
  • Workforce mortgage revenue flat: Workforce Solutions Mortgage revenue was about flat, which management attributed to the mortgage market slowdown. Source

“Equifax is fundamentally a different company on how we go to market from Technology to Data & Analytics, EFX.AI capabilities, product focus, and AI-driven Operations all leveraging our differentiated data assets”

Mark W. Begor, Equifax Chief Executive Officer

Costs and margins

  • Adjusted EBITDA margin 33.1%: Adjusted EBITDA margin was 33.1%, against 32.7% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA excluding listed items was $560.2 million, up 11%. Source
  • Operating margin rose to 21.0%: Operating income was $355.3 million, against $264.3 million. The year-earlier period included $43.9 million of restructuring charges for resource realignment and headcount reduction. Source
  • Segment operating margins mostly higher: USIS operating margin was 24.3%, against 23.2%. Workforce Solutions was 44.1%, against 43.8%. International was 15.8%, flat. Source
  • Cost of services increased: Cost of services rose to $752.4 million from $663.2 million, while selling, general and administrative expenses fell to $390.4 million from $434.1 million. Source
  • Interest and tax charges higher: Interest expense was $62.3 million, against $52.2 million. The tax provision was $83.4 million, against $53.8 million. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • $158 million returned in quarter: Returned $158 million including 0.5 million shares repurchased for $92 million and $66 million of quarterly dividends. Source
  • Nine-month buybacks and dividends rose: Treasury stock purchases were $652.0 million for nine months, against $427.4 million. Dividends paid were $199.4 million, against $172.0 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow flat, capex higher: Cash provided by operating activities was $1,142.1 million for nine months, against $1,144.9 million. Capital expenditures were $378.9 million, against $351.4 million. Source
  • Short-term debt fell sharply: Short-term debt and current maturities of long-term debt were $157.7 million, against $1,038.0 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Share count lower on repurchases: Shares outstanding were 117.1 million at September 30, 2026, against 120.4 million at December 31, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Círculo de Crédito bolt-on acquisition: Management said free cash flow funds shareholder returns and bolt-on acquisitions, including the Círculo de Crédito deal, which the July release valued at $750 million enterprise value. Source
  • Non-public data and agentic AI: Management said it is expanding use of its non-public data with EFX.AI and agentic AI to build higher-performing scores, models and multi-market products. Source
  • AI cost goal being pursued: Management said AI deployment inside the company is intended to deliver against the $150 million AI productivity goal. Source

Coming up, as management said on 20 October 2026

  • Círculo de Crédito closing in Q4: Management expects the Círculo de Crédito acquisition to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. Source
  • Higher growth and cash returns expected: Management said it expects to deliver higher growth, margins, accelerating free cash flow and more cash returned to shareholders in the future. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
New product Vitality Index Sourceover 17%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management expects the mortgage market slowdown to continue through the rest of 2026, which reduced full-year revenue guidance. Source
  • Financial: Management said cost efficiencies are expected to principally recover the gross margin impact of lower Mortgage revenue. Source
  • Regulatory: The company recorded $0.8 million of costs in the quarter for antitrust litigation pertaining to its Workforce Solutions business unit. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the team is managing cost and expenses as it did in the second quarter. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the adjusted EPS guidance sits well within the previous guidance range. Source
  • Not stated: Management said the AI productivity goal of $150 million is being pursued through AI deployment inside the company. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.