Equifax (NYSE:EFX) Shares Gap Down - Here's Why

Key Points

• Shares gapped down at the open (prior close $198.45 to an open of $190.50), with the stock trading below its 200‑day moving average amid muted volume.
• Q1 beat: Equifax reported $1.86 EPS and $1.65B revenue (up ~14% YoY), topping estimates and beating the midpoint of guidance, while issuing Q2 EPS guidance of $2.15–2.25 and FY26 EPS of $8.34–8.74 that sits near or slightly below some Street forecasts.
• Management warned of mortgage‑market headwinds tied to Iran tensions and recent rate moves, and several analysts pared targets (e.g., Jefferies $240→$220), dampening near‑term upside despite the quarter's beat.

Shares of Equifax, Inc. (NYSE:EFX - Get Free Report) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $198.45, but opened at $190.50. Equifax shares last traded at $196.1370, with a volume of 340,517 shares changing hands.

More Equifax News

Here are the key news stories impacting Equifax this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — Equifax reported $1.86 EPS and $1.649B revenue (up ~14% YoY), coming in above consensus and $37M above the midpoint of February guidance, supporting the company’s growth narrative. PR Newswire: Equifax Delivers Record First Quarter Revenue
• Positive Sentiment: Beating consensus on both EPS and revenue reinforces operating momentum (EPS $1.86 vs. Street ~ $1.70; revenue beat ~ $40M), which supports longer‑term earnings power. Zacks: Equifax Surpasses Q1 Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Company issued updated guidance: Q2 EPS 2.15–2.25 and FY26 EPS 8.340–8.740 (revenue band roughly $6.7B–$6.8B). The FY range sits slightly around/just below some Street forecasts, making the update a near-term focal point for analysts. Company Press Release / Slide Deck
• Negative Sentiment: Management flagged mortgage-market headwinds tied to recent Iran tensions and a rate spike that could weigh on mortgage originations and related revenue, a macro risk that likely trimmed investor appetite despite the beat. Blockonomi: Iran Tensions Cloud Mortgage Market
• Negative Sentiment: Jefferies trimmed its price target from $240 to $220 (still a buy), a signal that some analysts are moderating upside expectations after guidance and macro commentary. MarketScreener: Jefferies Lowers PT
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/flow context: trading volume was below average on the move and shares are between the 50‑day (~$189.6) and 200‑day (~$206.3) averages, which can amplify short‑term downside when guidance is perceived as cautious.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on EFX. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Equifax from $265.00 to $240.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Equifax in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. They set a "buy" rating and a $250.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Equifax from $269.00 to $244.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada set a $220.00 target price on shares of Equifax in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Oppenheimer cut their price target on shares of Equifax from $271.00 to $266.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 12th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $235.75.

Equifax Stock Performance

The firm has a market cap of $23.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $189.64 and its 200-day simple moving average is $206.32.

Equifax (NYSE:EFX - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 21st. The credit services provider reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.70 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $1.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.61 billion. Equifax had a net margin of 10.87% and a return on equity of 19.27%. The company's revenue was up 14.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.53 EPS. Equifax has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.150-2.250 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 8.340-8.740 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Equifax, Inc. will post 8.62 earnings per share for the current year.

Equifax Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 17th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 9th were given a $0.56 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 9th. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. This is a positive change from Equifax's previous quarterly dividend of $0.50. Equifax's dividend payout ratio is 42.11%.

Insider Transactions at Equifax

In other news, EVP John W. Gamble, Jr. sold 4,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $195.72, for a total value of $880,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 58,921 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $11,532,018.12. This trade represents a 7.10% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Mark W. Begor sold 37,791 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $201.89, for a total transaction of $7,629,624.99. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 230,506 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $46,536,856.34. This represents a 14.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 49,671 shares of company stock valued at $9,960,181. Company insiders own 1.70% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Equifax

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of EFX. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its position in Equifax by 12.5% during the 3rd quarter. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 458 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $117,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares during the period. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC lifted its position in Equifax by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. HighPoint Advisor Group LLC now owns 1,971 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $506,000 after acquiring an additional 53 shares during the period. Spire Wealth Management lifted its position in Equifax by 82.9% during the 3rd quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 128 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the period. True Wealth Design LLC lifted its position in Equifax by 64.4% during the 4th quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 148 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the period. Finally, Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted its position in Equifax by 16.9% during the 2nd quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 401 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $104,000 after acquiring an additional 58 shares during the period. 96.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Equifax Company Profile

Equifax Inc NYSE: EFX is a global data, analytics and technology company that specializes in consumer and commercial credit reporting, decisioning tools and identity solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax is one of the three major consumer credit reporting agencies in the United States and provides credit information and related services to lenders, employers, governments and consumers worldwide.

The company's offerings include consumer credit reports and scores, credit monitoring and identity protection services, and a range of business-oriented products for risk management, fraud detection and compliance.

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