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Equifax Inc (EFX) Stock

Equifax Inc Stock Details, Movements and Public Alerts

Equifax Inc (EFX): The Credit Bureau Rebuilt After the 2017 Data Breach Disaster

The 2017 Equifax data breach—exposing 147 million Americans' personal information—represented one of the worst corporate cybersecurity failures in history. When Mark Begor took over as CEO in 2018, Equifax faced existential threats: regulatory fines, litigation, reputational collapse, and questions about the business model's viability. Seven years later, Begor has executed a remarkable turnaround: $1.5B+ invested in cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity, new growth engines in identity verification and workforce solutions, and margin expansion driven by operating leverage. The credit bureau oligopoly (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) faces minimal competition—lenders and employers require credit data, and only three providers exist. Trading at reasonable valuations post-turnaround, EFX offers exposure to secular trends in credit, identity verification, and data analytics, all while Wall Street remains skeptical about management's ability to avoid another breach.

52-Week Range

$279.24 - $198.71

-22.29% from high · +9.21% from low

Avg Daily Volume

1,999,525

Latest volume

Fundamentals

Valuation Metrics

P/E Ratio (TTM)

40.63

Above market average

Forward P/E

24.94

Earnings expected to grow

PEG Ratio

1.02

Reasonably valued

Price to Book

5.47

EV/EBITDA

17.41

EPS (TTM)

$5.43

Price to Sales

4.57

Beta

1.59

More volatile than market

How is EFX valued relative to its earnings and growth?
Equifax Inc trades at a P/E ratio of 40.63, which is above the market average of approximately 20. This premium valuation suggests investors expect above-average growth or the company has competitive advantages justifying the higher multiple. Looking ahead, the forward P/E of 24.94 is lower than the current P/E, indicating analysts expect earnings to grow over the next year. The PEG ratio of 1.02 indicates reasonable value when growth is considered.
What is EFX's risk profile compared to the market?
With a beta of 1.59, Equifax Inc is significantly more volatile than the market. For every 10% market move, this stock tends to move 16% in the same direction. Higher beta stocks offer greater potential returns but with increased risk. The price-to-book ratio of 5.47 shows investors value the company above its book value, which often reflects intangible assets or growth prospects.

Performance & Growth

Profit Margin

11.10%

Operating Margin

20.00%

EBITDA

$1.86B

Return on Equity

13.10%

Return on Assets

5.91%

Revenue Growth (YoY)

7.20%

Earnings Growth (YoY)

14.20%

How profitable and efficient is EFX's business model?
Equifax Inc achieves a profit margin of 11.10%, meaning it retains $11.10 from every $100 in revenue after all expenses. This represents a solid margin typical of well-run businesses, showing the company can effectively balance revenue generation with cost control. The operating margin of 20.00% reveals how efficiently the company runs its core business operations before interest and taxes. With ROE at 13.10% and ROA at 5.91%, the company achieves moderate returns on invested capital.
What are EFX's recent growth trends?
Equifax Inc's revenue grew by 7.20% year-over-year, showing steady progress in growing the business. This positive trajectory indicates the company maintains competitive positioning in its markets. Earnings increased by 14.20% year-over-year, outpacing revenue growth through improved margins. These growth metrics should be evaluated against CONSULTING SERVICES industry averages for proper context.

Dividend Information

Dividend Per Share

$1.78

Dividend Yield

0.83%

Ex-Dividend Date

Nov 24, 2025

Dividend Date

Dec 15, 2025

What dividend income can investors expect from EFX?
Equifax Inc offers a dividend yield of 0.83%, paying $1.78 per share annually. This modest yield below 2% suggests the company prioritizes growth investments over current income. While the dividend provides some return, investors are likely attracted more by capital appreciation potential than income generation. To receive the next dividend, shares must be purchased before the ex-dividend date of Nov 24, 2025.
How reliable is EFX's dividend for long-term investors?
The dividend sustainability can be assessed through the payout ratio - Equifax Inc pays $1.78 per share in dividends against earnings of $5.43 per share, resulting in a payout ratio of 32.78%. This balanced payout between 30-60% suggests a sustainable dividend policy that allows both shareholder returns and business reinvestment. The dividend appears well-covered by earnings. The next dividend payment is scheduled for Dec 15, 2025.

Company Size & Market

Market Cap

$27.2B

Revenue (TTM)

$5.94B

Revenue/Share (TTM)

$48.01

Shares Outstanding

122.39M

Book Value/Share

$40.28

Asset Type

Common Stock

What is EFX's market capitalization and position?
Equifax Inc has a market capitalization of $27.2B, classifying it as a large-cap stock ($10B-$200B). Large-caps are typically industry leaders with established business models, offering a balance of stability and growth potential. They often provide dividend income and are core holdings in institutional portfolios. With 122.39M shares outstanding, the company's ownership is relatively concentrated. As a participant in the CONSULTING SERVICES industry, it competes with other firms in this sector.
How does EFX's price compare to its book value?
Equifax Inc's book value per share is $40.28, while the current stock price is $217.01, resulting in a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 5.39. This high P/B ratio indicates significant intangible assets, strong brand value, or high growth expectations. Technology and consumer brand companies often trade at elevated P/B ratios due to intellectual property and competitive advantages not reflected on the balance sheet. As a common stock, this represents equity ownership with voting rights.

Analyst Ratings

Analyst Target Price

$267.25

23.15% upside potential

Analyst Recommendations

Strong Buy

4

Buy

10

Hold

9

Sell

0

Strong Sell

0

How reliable are analyst predictions for EFX?
23 analysts cover EFX with 61% recommending buy/strong buy ratings. Analyst predictions have mixed reliability - studies show consensus rarely beats market returns consistently. The mixed views reflect uncertainty about the outlook. The consensus target of $267.25 implies 23.2% upside, but targets are often adjusted to follow price moves rather than predict them.
What is the Wall Street consensus on EFX?
Current analyst recommendations:4 Strong Buy, 10 Buy, 9 Hold, 00The bullish tilt suggests optimism about future prospects, though investors should conduct independent research.Remember that analyst opinions often lag price movements and can be influenced by investment banking relationships.

Fundamentals last updated: Dec 13, 2025, 08:24 AM

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Equifax Inc (EFX) Stock Analysis 2025: Complete Investment Guide

From Data Breach Crisis to Digital Transformation

September 2017: Equifax disclosed hackers accessed 147 million Americans' Social Security numbers, birth dates, and addresses. The stock cratered 35%, CEO Richard Smith resigned in disgrace, and regulators circled. Fast forward to 2025, and Mark Begor—appointed CEO in 2018—has rebuilt Equifax into a stronger business than pre-breach: cloud-native infrastructure replacing legacy systems, double-digit revenue growth in identity verification, and operating margins expanding 500+ basis points as operating leverage kicks in. The turnaround validates a contrarian thesis: oligopolies are extraordinarily resilient, and catastrophic failures can catalyze transformations that create long-term value.

Equifax's business model is simple but powerful: collect credit data on 800+ million consumers globally, sell access to lenders (mortgage, auto, credit cards), employers (background checks), and consumers (credit monitoring subscriptions). The oligopoly structure—only Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion provide comprehensive U.S. credit data—creates barriers to entry so high that no new competitor has emerged in 50 years. Lenders cannot function without credit reports, and data network effects strengthen as more lenders report—creating a flywheel competitors cannot replicate.

Business Model & Competitive Moat

Equifax operates four segments: Workforce Solutions (36% of revenue) verifies income/employment for lending and HR; U.S. Information Solutions (30%) provides credit reports to lenders; International (20%) delivers credit services in 25+ countries; Global Consumer Solutions (14%) sells credit monitoring to consumers. Revenue is 70%+ recurring from subscriptions and per-query fees.

The competitive moat is structural: data network effects and regulatory barriers. Credit bureaus require lenders to report data in exchange for access—a closed loop new entrants cannot penetrate without existing relationships. Fair Credit Reporting Act compliance creates regulatory complexity favoring incumbents. The "Big 3" oligopoly (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) maintains pricing discipline—all three raise prices annually without meaningful pushback because lenders have no alternatives. Mark Begor's cloud transformation adds a technology moat: modern API-based platforms enable faster innovation than competitors stuck on legacy systems.

Financial Performance

  • •Revenue Growth: Mid-single-digit organic growth accelerating to high-single-digits with identity verification
  • •Margin Expansion: Operating margins improving 500+ bps since 2018 via cloud efficiency and scale
  • •Recurring Revenue: 70%+ from subscriptions creates predictable cash flow
  • •FCF Generation: Strong free cash flow supports debt paydown and growth investments
  • •Capital Allocation: Debt reduction prioritized post-breach, now pivoting to M&A and buybacks
  • •Segment Mix: Workforce Solutions highest growth, Consumer lowest growth but highest margin

Growth Catalysts

  • •Identity Verification Explosion: KYC regulations and fintech growth drive demand for digital identity services
  • •Workforce Solutions Expansion: Gig economy and income verification needs fuel high-margin employment data services
  • •International Growth: Underpenetrated markets (Latin America, Asia) adopting Western credit infrastructure
  • •Cloud Migration Benefits: API-based platforms enable faster product development and upsell opportunities
  • •Mortgage Market Recovery: Housing market normalization benefits mortgage-related queries
  • •Pricing Power: Oligopoly structure allows 3-5% annual price increases without customer attrition

Risks & Challenges

  • •Cybersecurity Breach Risk: Another major breach would devastate stock, regulatory, and reputational standing
  • •Regulatory Scrutiny: Politicians targeting credit bureau practices (accuracy, consumer rights, pricing)
  • •Economic Sensitivity: Recession reduces lending activity and credit query volumes
  • •Competition Intensifies: Experian and TransUnion investing heavily in identity/fraud prevention
  • •Technology Execution: Cloud transformation requires flawless execution to realize margin benefits
  • •Consumer Trust: Lingering brand damage from 2017 breach constrains consumer segment growth

Competitive Landscape

Equifax competes primarily with Experian and TransUnion in the credit bureau oligopoly. All three maintain similar pricing, product offerings, and market shares, avoiding destructive competition. In identity verification, Equifax faces LexisNexis (RELX), Experian, and fintech players like Plaid. In workforce solutions, competitors include ADP and Paychex, though Equifax's employment database creates differentiation.

Mark Begor's strategy focuses on technology differentiation and adjacent market expansion. The cloud-native platform (Equifax Cloud) enables faster API development, attracting fintech customers requiring instant credit decisions. Workforce Solutions leverages the employment database (built over decades) to serve new use cases: income verification for gig workers, employment background checks, and talent analytics. This expansion beyond core credit reporting reduces dependence on cyclical lending volumes while capturing higher-margin adjacent revenue streams.

Who Is This Stock Suitable For?

Perfect For

  • ✓Turnaround investors believing Mark Begor's transformation creates long-term value
  • ✓Quality investors seeking oligopoly economics with pricing power
  • ✓Growth-at-reasonable-price investors comfortable with mid-single-digit revenue growth
  • ✓Long-term holders (5+ years) willing to look past data breach reputational overhang

Less Suitable For

  • ✗Risk-averse investors uncomfortable with cybersecurity breach risk
  • ✗ESG investors concerned about credit bureau practices and consumer privacy
  • ✗Short-term traders (limited near-term catalysts, execution-driven story)
  • ✗Investors requiring high dividend yields (EFX pays minimal dividend)

Investment Thesis

Equifax represents a contrarian bet on oligopoly resilience and turnaround execution. The 2017 data breach was catastrophic, but Mark Begor's response—$1.5B technology investment, margin expansion, new growth engines in identity verification—has positioned Equifax stronger than pre-breach. The oligopoly structure remains intact: lenders need credit data, only three providers exist, and switching costs are prohibitive. This creates pricing power (3-5% annual increases) and recurring revenue (70%+ of sales) that few businesses enjoy.

The valuation reflects lingering skepticism about cybersecurity risks and management execution. However, fundamentals are improving: revenue growth accelerating, margins expanding 500+ bps, and cloud transformation enabling new product velocity. Identity verification—the fastest-growing segment—serves secular trends in digital KYC and fraud prevention. For investors comfortable with breach risk and willing to trust Begor's execution, Equifax offers quality oligopoly economics at reasonable valuations—a combination rarely available in high-quality data businesses.

Conclusion

Equifax is a BUY for quality-focused investors seeking oligopoly economics with turnaround optionality. The combination of credit bureau barriers, identity verification growth, and margin expansion creates compelling long-term value. While cybersecurity breach risk remains (and another incident would devastate the stock), Mark Begor's $1.5B technology investment and operational improvements reduce this probability. For investors comfortable with residual breach risk and willing to look past 2017's crisis, Equifax offers oligopoly pricing power and data network effects at reasonable valuations—a rare opportunity to buy quality business models post-crisis when skepticism creates entry points unavailable during smooth sailing.
Bull Case
$320 (25% upside) - Identity verification accelerates, margins expand to 35%+, no breach incidents
Base Case
$280 (10% upside) - Steady execution, mid-single-digit growth, margin expansion continues
Bear Case
$220 (14% downside) - Another data breach, recession crushes lending volumes, regulatory backlash

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