EFX

Omnicom OMC reported strong third-quarter 2026 results, with earnings and revenues topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate. OMC's earnings of $2.73 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.9% and increased 21.9% from the year-ago quarter. Revenues of $6.42 billion topped the consensus estimate by 4.5% and rose 59.1% year over year. The increase primarily reflected the Interpublic Group acquisition. Core Operations delivered 7.2% organic revenue growth, led by Integrated Media and Experiential businesses. Omnicom Group Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Omnicom Group Inc. Quote Core Operations revenues increased 7.3% year over year to $6.01 billion. Organic growth contributed $400.8 million, while favorable foreign-currency translation added $3.4 million. Acquisitions contributed another $3.2 million. Core Operations exclude businesses already divested or classified as held for sale. Management attributed the performance to stronger competitive positioning, expanded client relationships and integrated service offerings. Omnicom secured assignments from Novo Nordisk, U.S. Bank, L'Oréal and CVS Health. The company extended its Mercedes contract through 2029 and secured an integrated assignment for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Integrated Media generated $3.19 billion, representing 53% of Core Operations revenues. The discipline recorded organic growth exceeding 10%, supported by demand for media, commerce, data, customer relationship management, consulting and content automation services. Advertising revenues were $935.4 million, accounting for 15.6% of the total. The discipline declined organically by a mid-single-digit percentage, although its performance improved from the first half of 2026. Public Relations contributed $678.3 million, representing 11.3% of Core Operations revenues, and recorded low-single-digit organic growth. Experiential & Other generated $644.3 million, accounting for 10.7%, with double-digit organic growth supported by FIFA World Cup-related activities. Health revenues totaled $566.6 million, representing 9.4% of Core Operations revenues, and declined marginally organically. Management does not expect Experiential & Other to grow in the fourth quarter, indicating that the recent boost from major sporting events could moderate. The United States generated $3.62 billion, representing 60.2% of Core Operations revenues, and delivered 10% organic growth. Latin America contributed $226.8 million, expanding organically at a mid-single-digit rate. Euro Markets & Other Europe generated $721.1 million, while the United Kingdom contributed $555.7 million. Asia-Pacific revenues reached $573.1 million. Europe and Asia-Pacific recorded mid-single-digit organic growth, while the United Kingdom declined by a low-single-digit percentage. Middle East & Africa revenues totaled $145.7 million, with organic growth declining by a mid-single-digit percentage amid regional conflict. Adjusted EBITA from Core Operations increased 21.1% to $1.10 billion. The related margin expanded 200 basis points to 18.2%, primarily reflecting cost-reduction synergies and organic revenue growth, partially offset by investments in technology platforms and talent. On a consolidated basis, adjusted EBITA surged 73.6% to $1.13 billion, while the adjusted EBITA margin improved to 17.6% from 16.1%. Reported operating income rose to $991.7 million from $530.1 million, supported by revenue growth and the Interpublic acquisition. Operating expenses increased to $5.43 billion from $3.51 billion, primarily due to the Interpublic acquisition. The quarter included $40.4 million in integration and transaction costs and $84.7 million in severance and repositioning expenses. A $106.8 million gain from a subsidiary disposition partly offset these charges. Net interest expense rose to $104.2 million from $43.2 million, mainly reflecting acquired debt and refinancing activities. The adjusted effective tax rate declined to 25% from 26% a year earlier. Management expects approximately 5% organic revenue growth from Core Operations in 2026. Omnicom remains on track to deliver $900 million in cost-reduction synergies during the year, with 75-85% expected to flow through to the bottom line. Free cash flow totaled $2.35 billion during the first nine months of 2026. Cash and equivalents stood at $3.80 billion at quarter-end, while gross debt totaled $10.24 billion. The company repurchased approximately $3.21 billion in shares during the first nine months. Management expects to complete its $5 billion repurchase authorization by April 2027, while continuing investments in artificial intelligence, technology platforms and strategic growth initiatives. Omnicom currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Equifax EFX reported better-than-expected third-quarter 2026 results. EFX's adjusted earnings per share of $2.26 outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.2% and increased 10.8% from the year-ago quarter. EFX's revenues of $1.69 billion marginally surpassed the consensus estimate and improved 9.6% year over year. ManpowerGroup MAN posted mixed third-quarter 2026 results. MAN's adjusted earnings of $1.01 per share matched the consensus mark and rose 21.7% from the year-ago quarter. MAN's total revenues of $4.84 billion missed the consensus mark by 1.4% but increased 4.4% year over year. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC) : Free Stock Analysis Report ManpowerGroup Inc. (MAN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Equifax, Inc. (EFX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Rollins, Inc. ROL reported unimpressive third-quarter 2026 results, with both earnings and revenues missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. ROL's adjusted earnings of 34 cents per share missed the consensus estimate by 2.9% and declined 2.9% year over year. Total revenues of $1.09 billion fell short of the consensus mark by 3.2% but increased 6.2% from the year-ago quarter. Organic revenues grew 4.4%, supported by commercial and termite operations, while residential customer acquisition challenges and higher costs weighed on profitability. Rollins, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Rollins, Inc. Quote Residential revenues increased 4.9% year over year to $499.7 million. Organic residential revenues rose 2.3% to $487.4 million, reflecting continued pressure on customer acquisition despite overall revenue growth. Management noted that consumer-initiated demand remained weak during the quarter as traditional search, digital media and inbound channels faced challenges. The evolving customer acquisition landscape continued to affect residential performance, prompting the company to reassess its marketing approach and improve the effectiveness of customer acquisition spending. Commercial revenues climbed 7.7% year over year to $360.7 million. Organic commercial revenues increased 6.6% to $357.1 million, demonstrating resilience in this part of the business despite challenges affecting residential demand. Termite and ancillary revenues rose 6.5% to $217.9 million, with organic growth of 5.3%. Franchise and other revenues increased 11.4% to $11.4 million. The stronger performance of commercial and termite operations helped support overall growth, while acquisitions contributed $18.3 million to quarterly revenues. Operating income declined 1% year over year to $222.9 million. The operating margin contracted 140 basis points to 20.5%, reflecting cost pressures despite higher revenues. Gross profit increased 4.3% to $582.9 million, while the gross margin declined 90 basis points to 53.5%. Adjusted operating income decreased 0.6% to $230.7 million, with the adjusted operating margin shrinking 140 basis points to 21.2%. Adjusted EBITDA declined 0.7% to $256.6 million, while the adjusted EBITDA margin contracted 170 basis points to 23.5%. Total cost of services provided increased to $506.8 million from $467.5 million a year ago. Insurance and claims expenses within service costs more than doubled to $23 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses also increased to $326.8 million from $301.4 million. Net income declined 3.4% to $157.9 million, while adjusted net income fell 3.1% to $163.3 million. The results underscore the impact of rising operating expenses on earnings growth. Management expressed disappointment with third-quarter performance and emphasized the need to address challenges affecting customer acquisition. The company is implementing changes to improve marketing efficiency and adapt to evolving consumer behavior. Rollins is shifting resources away from traditional digital marketing approaches toward channels offering stronger returns. These initiatives include strengthening visibility through artificial intelligence and large language model-driven discovery platforms. Management also highlighted the company's recurring customer relationships and diversified brand portfolio as important foundations for sustainable growth. Rollins completed its 100th consecutive quarter of revenue growth, reflecting the durability of its business amid changing market conditions. Rollins generated operating cash flow of $241.9 million during the quarter, increasing 26.4% year over year. Free cash flow totaled $235.5 million, reflecting a 28.8% improvement from the prior-year period. Cash generation benefited from a $63 million tax refund associated with the company's tax credit planning strategy. Free cash flow conversion improved to 149.1% from 111.8% a year earlier, indicating stronger cash generation relative to reported net income. During the quarter, Rollins invested $27.4 million in acquisitions and spent $6.4 million on capital expenditures. The company also repurchased approximately $120.1 million of shares and paid dividends totaling $87.2 million, maintaining its focus on business investments and shareholder returns. Rollins exited the quarter with $129.1 million of cash and cash equivalents, up from $100 million at year-end 2025. Long-term debt totaled $487.6 million compared with $486.1 million in the aforesaid period. Short-term debt increased to $239.6 million from $123.7 million at year-end 2025. The company's leverage ratio stood at 1.0 times compared with 0.9 times at the end of 2025. Management reiterated its capital allocation priorities, including pursuing accretive acquisitions, maintaining a sustainable dividend and opportunistically repurchasing shares. The company continues to emphasize financial flexibility while investing in employees, service quality and initiatives supporting long-term growth. Rollins currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Equifax EFX reported better-than-expected third-quarter 2026 results. EFX's adjusted earnings per share of $2.26 outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.2% and increased 10.8% from the year-ago quarter. EFX's revenues of $1.69 billion marginally surpassed the consensus estimate and improved 9.6% year over year. ManpowerGroup MAN posted mixed third-quarter 2026 results. MAN's adjusted earnings of $1.01 per share matched the consensus mark and rose 21.7% from the year-ago quarter. MAN's total revenues of $4.84 billion missed the consensus mark by 1.4% but increased 4.4% year over year. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Rollins, Inc. (ROL) : Free Stock Analysis Report ManpowerGroup Inc. (MAN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Equifax, Inc. (EFX) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Equifax just dropped its Q3 2026 scorecard and the market is cheering first, asking questions later. The stock jumped about 6.6% in Thursday trading, a big move for a data and analytics heavyweight. That surge is riding on adjusted earnings per share beating the high end of guidance and on clean profit execution in a tough credit cycle. The key story is margin power. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation margins, excluding the FICO contract, expanded on the back of cost control and artificial intelligence driven productivity. Price action today looks less like a sugar rush and more like a vote that this profitability trend is real. Like Equifax's margin strength and AI driven efficiency but want a wider bench of resilient balance sheets to compare it with? Check out the list of solid balance sheet and fundamentals stocks (25 results) - Revenue (Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025): US$1,692.5m vs. US$1,544.9m (up 9.6%) - Net Income, Excl. Extra Items (Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025): US$211.7m vs. US$160.2m (up 32.1%) - Basic EPS (Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025): US$1.80 vs. US$1.30 (up 38.7%) - EBITDA Margin ex FICO Contract (Q3 2026 vs Q3 2025): Expanded by approximately 130 basis points year over year, reflecting tighter cost control and AI driven productivity Ask Charlie what Equifax's AI savings target jump really means. Bulls argue Equifax can steadily build earnings power by turning AI, cloud and new data sets into a leaner cost base and more resilient mix. "Equifax is rolling out AI tools on top of its cloud platform and has doubled its 2026 to 2028 AI productivity target to US$150m of run rate savings. This can widen ex FICO EBITDA margins and increase earnings capacity if a greater share of the US$2b of gross labor spend is automated." Q3 results point in that direction. EBITDA margin ex the FICO contract widened about 130 basis points and management explicitly tied that to AI productivity and cost control. Government verification also moved from story to execution, with more than US$550m of contract value won and much of that structured as subscription style revenue. The price and this Narrative do not agree. → Uncover what this Narrative says Equifax is actually worth. Bearish investors worry Equifax's mortgage exposure and regulatory load will quietly eat the AI and cloud gains now showing up in margins. "Although Equifax is rolling out EFX.AI products and targeting US$150m of AI driven spending reductions through 2028, there is a risk that these savings are offset by rising compliance, technology and remediation costs linked to regulatory and political scrutiny of mortgage credit structures, which could cap EBITDA margin expansion and earnings." Q3 ex FICO EBITDA margin improved about 130 bps and adjusted EPS topped guidance, so the feared offset is not visible yet. The missed milestone sits elsewhere. Equifax cut full year 2026 revenue outlook by about US$80m, largely mortgage related, which shows the mortgage drag that the bear case highlights, even as cost savings currently outrun it. Equifax highlights how consistent execution can still stand out when conditions are complex. The real opportunity is finding stocks that appear undervalued before deeper research narrows that potential gap. - Company 1 - 49% below our estimate - uses a digital lending platform and modern business checking tools to deepen small business relationships while keeping credit and cost controls aligned. - Company 2 - 40% below our estimate - expands from solar trackers into storage and inverter offerings so a richer margin mix can help balance timing risks in large projects. - Company 3 - 33% below our estimate - ramps high horsepower engine capacity and data center focused power systems while concentrating on limiting losses in its newer clean power segment. That is three of the list. See all 33 potentially undervalued companies → This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include EFX. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected]

MIAMI, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Stock Preachers News Commentary - Tuesday's session showed how quickly market leadership can change hands. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 529.85 points, or 1.02%, to 52,495.88, and the small-cap Russell 2000 rose 1.65%, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.02% to 26,424.82 and the S&P 500 added 0.28% to 7,712.57. Some of the day's sharpest moves came from third-quarter reports at companies well outside the megacap technology names: a credit data company, a toy and game maker, an industrial manufacturer and a Cleveland-based bank. Active Companies from around the markets with current developments this week include: 3M Company (NYSE: MMM), Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX), Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY). Those four stocks gained between 4.47% and 11.33% on Tuesday, according to Stock Analysis data, and no two of them moved for the same reason. One paired a solid quarter with a new data center partnership. One jumped even after trimming its full-year revenue outlook. One raised its outlook on the strength of a single trading card game. And one posted record quarterly revenue. That spread is a useful reminder of how earnings season works. Index levels tell investors where the market closed, but the reaction to each individual report shows what investors were actually paying for, and with more companies reporting through the rest of the week, those reactions are worth watching one stock at a time. When a stock gaps higher on earnings, the chart is where traders look to see whether the move holds. The free Knowledge is Power guide from Stock Preachers shows how to read the news and the charts together, and it comes with The Roadmap market reports at stockpreachers.com. In other industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: 3M Company (NYSE: MMM) 3M reported third-quarter GAAP sales of $6.6 billion, up 1.0%, organic growth of 3.3% on adjusted sales of $6.6 billion, and adjusted EPS of $2.50 on a new basis, up 12% year over year, and it raised its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $9.10 to $9.15, incorporating that new basis. The company also entered an expanded strategic commercial relationship with a major cloud and e-commerce company to deploy and scale 3M's optical connectivity and other data center related products, and issued that company a warrant to purchase up to 3.2 million shares of 3M common stock based upon the achievement of $6 billion in cumulative sales of those products over the next seven years and other event-based milestones. 3M shares rose 5.78% to $171.37. "We delivered another quarter of strong results, including solid sales growth, continued margin expansion, double-digit EPS growth, and robust free cash flow," said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) Equifax reported third-quarter revenue of $1.693 billion, up 10%, with 9% local currency revenue growth, and adjusted EPS of $2.26, up 11%. U.S. Mortgage revenue grew 15%, although the company said the mortgage market weakened in the latter half of the quarter as mortgage interest rates increased substantially, and it reduced the midpoint of its 2026 revenue guidance to $6.661 billion. Its adjusted EPS guidance of $8.50 per share is a reduction of only $0.04 per share at the midpoint and well within its previous range, according to the company. The shares rose 11.33% to $176.54. "Equifax delivered a strong third quarter performance executing on our EFX2028 Strategic Priorities with reported revenue of $1.693 billion, up 10% on a reported basis, with 9% local currency revenue growth," said Mark W. Begor, Equifax Chief Executive Officer. Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) Hasbro reported a 15% increase in third-quarter revenue, driven by growth in Wizards and Digital Gaming, up 31%, Consumer Products, up 4%, and Entertainment, up 9%. Magic: The Gathering revenue rose 34% and surpassed $600 million in a quarter for the first time. Adjusted operating profit was $541 million, up 52%, and adjusted net earnings were $2.90 per diluted share. Hasbro raised its 2026 outlook for total revenue growth to 7% to 9% in constant currency, from 5% to 7%, and for adjusted EBITDA to $1.575 billion to $1.625 billion, from $1.45 billion to $1.50 billion. The shares rose 11.20% to $109.52. "Inspiring a lifetime of play is our superpower, and this quarter showed what it can do," said Chris Cocks, Hasbro Chief Executive Officer. "We delivered a fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth, and Magic: The Gathering topped $600 million in quarterly revenue for the first time." KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) KeyCorp reported third-quarter net income of $537 million, or $0.51 per diluted common share, with diluted EPS up 24% year over year. Revenue reached a record $2.04 billion, up 8% from a year earlier and 4% from the prior quarter, net interest margin widened to 2.95%, up 20 basis points year over year, and the bank repurchased $320 million of common shares during the quarter. The shares rose 4.47% to $20.81. "Our third quarter results reflect the strength of Key's relationship-driven franchise, the disciplined execution of our strategy, and the momentum we are building across the business," said Chris Gorman, Chairman and CEO of KeyCorp. Earnings can move a stock 10% or more in a single session, in either direction. Learn to spot the setups before and after reports like these with the free Stock Preachers guide, plus The Roadmap market reports, at stockpreachers.com. Contact Information: stockpreachers.com Media Contact: [email protected] DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is not a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. This article is independent news commentary. Stock Preachers is wholly owned and operated by Market Equities Limited ("MEL"), a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland. MEL has not been paid by any company mentioned in this article. MEL and its owners, operators, directors, and affiliates do not currently own any shares of the companies mentioned in this article, but reserve the right to, and will, buy and sell shares of those companies at any time without further notice. Daily price changes are from the October 19, 2026 close to the October 20, 2026 close based on Stock Analysis data. Company guidance is as stated by the companies and may change. Information is drawn from company news releases and filings, government and industry data, published reporting and third-party data believed to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. Investing in securities carries risk, including the loss of some or all of your investment. This document is governed by the laws of Ireland. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outside-big-tech-tuesdays-earnings-winners-jumped-as-much-as-11-302915344.html View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2026/21/c5057.html

Equifax (NYSE:EFX) stock, owner of one of the nation's three major consumer credit reporting agencies, exploded 11.5% higher through 11:25 a.m. ET Tuesday after beating earnings this morning. Analysts had forecast Equifax to earn $2.20 per share, adjusted for one-time items, on $1.69 billion in Q3 sales. In fact, Equifax earned $2.26 per share (adjusted) on sales that met expectations. Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue » Image source: Getty Images. Equifax grew its revenue 10% in the third quarter, boosted especially by its U.S. mortgage segment, where revenue grew 15%, and its talent solutions (employee background checks) business, where sales soared 20%. Net income surged ahead 32%, and GAAP earnings per share rose 39%. GAAP profit didn't quite reach the high levels noted for adjusted profit. Still, those fully-diluted GAAP earnings per share were $1.79, a significant improvement over Q3 2025. Turning to guidance, Equifax warned that high interest rates are dampening mortgage demand, impacting its revenue in that crucial segment, and forcing it to cut its full-year revenue guidance. At the midpoint, management projects revenue of about $6.66 billion this year -- which is still a respectable 9.6% growth rate and not that much worse than Q3's result. Adjusted earnings per share should be about $8.50 this year, which works out to a valuation of about 21.5 times current-year earnings. Similarly, free cash flow so far this year is $763 million -- about 33% ahead of reported net income. If Equifax can maintain this pace, it might close out the year with more than $1 billion in FCF, and a price-to-free cash flow ratio also of 21x. At a long-term earnings growth rate projected at 12%, that seems a bit expensive to me. I won't be chasing today's rally to buy Equifax stock. Before you buy stock in Equifax, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Equifax wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $376,696!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,333,920!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 925% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 212% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of October 20, 2026. Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Equifax. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Equifax Stock Popped After Earnings was originally published by The Motley Fool

Equifax's EFX third-quarter 2026 earnings and revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. EFX's adjusted earnings were $2.26 per share, up 10.8% year over year. The figure topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.19 by 3.2%. Revenues increased 9.6% year over year to $1.69 billion, beating the consensus estimate by a slight margin. Growth in U.S. Information Solutions ("USIS"), verification services and international operations supported the results despite mortgage market weakness. Diversified Markets revenues advanced 8%, while the new-product Vitality Index exceeded 17%. Equifax, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Equifax, Inc. Quote Workforce Solutions revenues increased 7% year over year to $693.9 million. Verification Services revenues advanced 9% to $603.2 million, supported by diversified market demand. Employer Services revenues declined 5% to $90.7 million. Diversified Markets revenues grew 9%, led by a 13% increase in Verification Services. Talent Solutions revenues climbed more than 20%, while Consumer Lending recorded high-double-digit growth. Government revenues advanced in the mid-single digits. However, Workforce Solutions mortgage revenues remained flat amid weaker market conditions. The segment's operating margin expanded to 44.1% from 43.8% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 51.4% from 51.2%, reflecting modest profitability gains. USIS revenues increased 13% year over year to $599.1 million. Online Information Solutions revenues rose 13% to $529.7 million, while Financial Marketing Services revenues climbed 11% to $69.4 million. USIS mortgage revenues jumped 28% despite challenging market conditions. Diversified Markets revenues advanced 6%, supported by Financial Institutions and Auto. Total U.S. mortgage revenues increased 15%, highlighting growth despite a weaker market environment. The segment's operating margin improved to 24.3% from 23.2% in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 35.4% from 35.2%, indicating improved operating profitability alongside revenue expansion. International revenues rose 9% on a reported basis and 7% in local currency to $399.5 million. Asia Pacific delivered the strongest reported growth, with revenues increasing 20% to $107.7 million. Local-currency growth was 12%, supported by double-digit growth in Australia. Latin America revenues increased 12% on a reported basis and 8% in local currency to $114.1 million. Europe revenues advanced 3% to $105.5 million, with local-currency growth of 4%. Canada revenues grew 2% to $72.2 million, representing 4% growth in local currency. The segment's operating margin remained unchanged at 15.8%. However, adjusted EBITDA margin contracted to 30.9% from 31.3%, indicating that revenue growth did not translate into higher adjusted profitability margins. Adjusted EBITDA increased 11% year over year to $560.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded to 33.1% from 32.7%, reflecting improved consolidated profitability. Operating income climbed to $355.3 million from $264.3 million. Total operating expenses jumped to $1.34 billion from $1.28 billion. The cost of services rose to $752.4 million from $663.2 million, while selling, general and administrative expenses declined to $390.4 million from $434.1 million. Net income attributable to Equifax increased 32% to $211.7 million. GAAP earnings improved to $1.79 per share from $1.29, benefiting from higher profitability and a lower share count. Equifax continued deploying EFX.AI across product development and internal operations to support innovation and productivity improvements. Management reiterated its $150-million AI productivity goal, emphasizing operating efficiencies and cost optimization. The company returned $158 million to shareholders during the quarter, comprising $92 million in repurchases of 0.5 million shares and $66 million in dividends. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $192.9 million at September-end compared with $180.8 million at 2025-end. Cash provided by operating activities totaled $1.14 billion during the first nine months of 2026, while capital expenditures amounted to $378.9 million. Equifax also expects its acquisition of Mexico-based Círculo de Crédito to close in the fourth quarter. For the fourth quarter of 2026, management expects revenues between $1.605 billion and $1.635 billion, indicating growth of 3.5-5.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pinned at $1.69 billion. Adjusted earnings are projected between $2.07 and $2.17 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pinned at $2.19 billion. Equifax lowered its full-year revenue guidance midpoint to $6.661 billion, with revenues now projected between $6.646 billion and $6.676 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pinned at $6.73 billion. The revised outlook implies growth of 9.4-9.9%, reflecting weaker U.S. mortgage demand. Adjusted earnings are expected to be $8.45 to $8.55 per share, with the midpoint down 4 cents to $8.50. The Zacks Consensus Estimate meets the midpoint of the guided range. Management maintained its high-single-digit Diversified Markets revenue growth outlook and expects AI-driven efficiencies and expense management to help offset mortgage-related pressures. EFX carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. ABM ABM reported better-than-expected third-quarter fiscal 2026 results. ABM posted adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, which increased 27% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01 by 3%. Revenues rose 4.2% to $2.32 billion and beat the consensus mark of $2.30 billion by 0.7%. Fiserv FISV posted second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.84 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.89 by 2.6%. Adjusted earnings declined 26% from the year-ago quarter as profitability contracted sharply. GAAP revenues of $5.29 billion topped the consensus mark of $5.05 billion by 4.8% but decreased 4% year over year. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Equifax, Inc. (EFX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fiserv, Inc. (FISV) : Free Stock Analysis Report ABM Industries Incorporated (ABM) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com). Zacks Investment Research

Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) shares declined 1.01% in premarket trading on Tuesday after the credit reporting company issued fourth-quarter earnings and revenue guidance below analyst expectations, despite reporting third-quarter adjusted earnings above consensus forecasts. The company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.26 per share, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.06. Revenue increased 10% year over year to approximately $1.69 billion, in line with market expectations. Equifax attributed part of its operating environment during the quarter to a slowdown in the US mortgage market during the second half of the reporting period. Despite the weaker market conditions, the company's mortgage-related revenue increased 15%. For the fourth quarter, Equifax forecast adjusted earnings per share of $2.07 to $2.17, representing a midpoint of $2.12, compared with the analyst consensus estimate of $2.18. The company also projected fourth-quarter revenue between $1.605 billion and $1.635 billion. The midpoint of $1.620 billion was below the consensus forecast of $1.682 billion. For the full year 2026, Equifax expects earnings per share of $8.45 to $8.55, with the midpoint of $8.50 marginally above the market consensus of $8.49. Full-year revenue guidance was set at $6.646 billion to $6.676 billion, below analyst expectations. Chief Executive Officer Mark W. Begor commented on the company's quarterly performance and market outlook. "Equifax delivered a strong third quarter performance executing on our EFX2028 Strategic Priorities with reported revenue of $1.693 billion, up 10% on a reported basis, with 9% local currency revenue growth," said Mark W. Begor, Chief Executive Officer. "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." Across its operating divisions, Workforce Solutions reported a 7% increase in revenue to $693.9 million. The US Information Solutions segment recorded revenue growth of 13% to $599.1 million, while International revenue rose 9% on a reported basis to $399.5 million. Equifax also returned $158 million to shareholders during the third quarter, comprising $92 million in share repurchases and $66 million in dividend payments. The company's third-quarter results showed revenue growth across all three operating segments and adjusted earnings above analyst estimates. However, its fourth-quarter forecasts reflected management's expectations of continued weakness in the US mortgage market through the remainder of 2026. Equifax stock price

(Updates with market moves at the end of the day, and other changes, if any.) The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced Tuesday, snapping a two-day losing streak as strong corporate earnings provided support, while oil prices declined. The Dow rose 1% to close at 52,495.88, while the S&P 500 edged up 0.3% to 7,712.57. The Nasdaq Composite was virtually unchanged at 26,424.82. Except communication services and technology, all sectors ended in the green, led by healthcare's 2.3% gain. Shares of 3M climbed 5.8%, the best performer on the Dow. The industrial conglomerate raised its full-year earnings outlook as its third-quarter bottom line topped market estimates. Hasbro (HAS) upgraded its full-year sales outlook after third-quarter results topped Wall Street's expectations, boosted by rising demand for its gaming portfolio. The toymaker's shares jumped 11.2%, the second-biggest gain on the S&P 500 after Equifax's (EFX) 11.3% surge. Equifax released its third-quarter results on Tuesday. Northrop Grumman (NOC) rose 4.6% after the defense contractor upgraded its full-year profit outlook. General Motors (GM) slumped 6.8%, the worst performer on the S&P 500. The Detroit automaker's updated 2026 profit guidance fell short of Wall Street's projections at the midpoint, overshadowing a third-quarter beat. Among healthcare stocks, Moderna (MRNA) was up 6.7%, among the notable movers on the S&P 500. Amgen (AMGN), Merck (MRK), UnitedHealth (UNH), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) also logged increases. Rocket and satellite company SpaceX (SPCX) and streaming giant Netflix (NFLX) released their latest quarterly results after the market close Tuesday. More reports are due later this week, with tech giants Meta Platforms (META) and Tesla (TSLA) scheduled to release their earnings on Wednesday. "The spotlight is on corporate earnings," D.A. Davidson said in a Tuesday note. "Investors will be looking for evidence that consumers and the broader economy remain resilient, but chiefly, that the vast amount of capital pouring into the (artificial intelligence) buildout is showing signs of paying off." West Texas Intermediate crude oil was down 1.8% at $101.79 a barrel in Tuesday afternoon trade, while Brent dropped 0.4% to $109.13. Iran told Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir on Tuesday Tehran would not negotiate with Washington until its demands were met, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing Iranian media. Pakistan is a key intermediary between the US and Iran. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels said Monday they launched several strikes at Saudi Arabia, targeting the Kingdom's energy, airport and military infrastructure, Reuters reported. Saudi authorities didn't immediately confirm the Houthi claims, the report showed. Treasury yields were mixed, with the two-year rate gaining 2.2 basis points to 4.78% while the 10-year rate was off 2.1 basis points to 5.12%. In economic news, US housing starts dropped to a four-month low in September amid declines in both single and multi-family units, while permits continued to trend downwards. Spot gold lost 0.4% to $4,123.23 per troy ounce, while silver gained 1.1% to $57.92 per ounce.

Our analysts just identified a stock with the potential to be the next Nvidia. Tell us how you invest and we'll show you why it's our #1 pick. Tap here. - Diversified markets revenue grew over 8%, exceeding guidance and helping mitigate a $20 million revenue headwind from a weakening U.S. mortgage market in September. - EBITDA margins expanded 130 basis points (excluding FICO) driven by operating leverage, AI-driven productivity, and disciplined cost management. - Workforce Solutions (EWS) saw 13% growth in verified diversified markets, led by Talent Solutions outperforming a soft white-collar hiring market through new product penetration. - The EWS Government vertical signed agreements totaling over $550 million in annual contract value, including $150 million in new business, positioning for strong 2027 growth. - Management attributes margin resilience to the 'AI for EFX' strategy, which is delivering efficiencies across technology, operations, and G&A functions following the completion of cloud transformation. - USIS mortgage revenue outperformed the underlying market by high single digits through share gains in prequalification products and the rollout of the Twin Indicator solution. - Full-year 2026 EBITDA margin guidance raised to 100 basis points expansion (ex-FICO), double the long-term framework, despite an $80 million mortgage revenue headwind. - 2027 mortgage market transaction volumes are projected to decline by high single-digit percentages if current interest rate run rates persist, with the heaviest impact in the first eight months. - Management expects the 'AI for EFX' productivity goal to reach $150 million in net cost savings, with potential to exceed this target as AI agents are deployed across the enterprise. - The acquisition of Círculo de Crédito is expected to close in Q4 2026, providing entry into the high-growth Mexican market and becoming accretive to adjusted EPS in the first full year. - Equifax projects over $1 billion in free cash flow for 2026, supporting both the Círculo acquisition and continued share repurchases while maintaining a 3x leverage ratio. - Management addressed potential FHFA shifts to 'bi-merge' credit reports, estimating a manageable $80 million annual revenue impact, noting that 60% of originations are non-GSE related. - The suspension of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program resulted in a 5% revenue decline for the Employer Services segment. - VantageScore adoption is accelerating, with over 2,000 lenders now using the score; Equifax committed to maintaining the $1 price point through 2028 to drive further conversion from FICO. - A $20 million revenue shortfall in Q3 was directly attributed to the 75-basis-point increase in 30-year fixed mortgage rates since July, which suppressed transaction volumes. One stock. Nvidia-level potential. 30M+ investors trust Moby to find it first. Get the pick. Tap here. - Management confirmed that the $150 million AI productivity goal is a multi-year target impacting both OpEx and CapEx, with 'early innings' momentum providing confidence for 2027. - Efficiency gains are being realized in coding, product development, and back-office functions like HR and Finance, enabled by the recently completed cloud infrastructure. - The product was launched to provide lenders flexibility to pull credit files without a score or select a specific score (Vantage or FICO) later in the process. - This initiative aims to lower lender costs during the pre-qualification phase and accelerate the industry's transition to the lower-priced VantageScore model. - Management noted that while new entrants exist, the $5 billion TAM remains largely manual, providing significant 'white space' for Equifax's automated solutions. - New federal requirements for SNAP and Medicaid (OB3) are driving increased state engagement for automated income verification to reduce improper payments.

Credit reporting giant Equifax (NYSE:EFX) met Wall Street's revenue expectations in Q3 2026, with sales up 9.6% year on year to $1.69 billion. On the other hand, next quarter's revenue guidance of $1.62 billion was less impressive, coming in 3.8% below analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $2.26 per share was 2.8% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy Equifax? Find out in our full research report. - Revenue: $1.69 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.69 billion (9.6% year-on-year growth, in line) - Adjusted EPS: $2.26 vs analyst estimates of $2.20 (2.8% beat) - Adjusted EBITDA: $560.2 million vs analyst estimates of $553 million (33.1% margin, 1.3% beat) - Revenue Guidance for Q4 2026 is $1.62 billion at the midpoint, below analyst estimates of $1.68 billion - Management reiterated its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance of $8.50 at the midpoint - Operating Margin: 21%, up from 17.1% in the same quarter last year - Market Capitalization: $18.63 billion Holding detailed financial records on over 800 million consumers worldwide and dating back to 1899, Equifax (NYSE:EFX) is a global data analytics company that collects, analyzes, and sells consumer and business credit information to lenders, employers, and other businesses. Reviewing a company's long-term sales performance reveals insights into its quality. Any business can have short-term success, but a top-tier one grows for years. With $6.59 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, Equifax is one of the larger companies in the business services industry and benefits from a well-known brand that influences purchasing decisions. As you can see below, Equifax grew its sales at a decent 6.6% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years. This shows its offerings generated slightly more demand than the average business services company, a useful starting point for our analysis. We at StockStory place the most emphasis on long-term growth, but within business services, a half-decade historical view may miss recent innovations or disruptive industry trends. Equifax's annualized revenue growth of 8.6% over the last two years is above its five-year trend, suggesting its demand recently accelerated. We can better understand the company's revenue dynamics by analyzing its most important segments, Workforce Solutions and U.S. Information Solutions, which are 41% and 35.4% of revenue. Over the last two years, Equifax's Workforce Solutions revenue (HR services) averaged 6.9% year-on-year growth while its U.S. Information Solutions revenue (credit services) averaged 12.9% growth. This quarter, Equifax grew its revenue by 9.6% year on year, and its $1.69 billion of revenue was in line with Wall Street's estimates. Company management is currently guiding for a 4.5% year-on-year increase in sales next quarter. Looking further ahead, sell-side analysts expect revenue to grow 7.4% over the next 12 months, similar to its two-year rate. Despite the slowdown, this projection is admirable and indicates the market is forecasting success for its products and services. ONE MORE THING: The $21 AI Application Stock Wall Street Forgot. While Wall Street obsesses over who's building AI, one company is already using it to print money. And nobody's paying attention. AI chip stocks trade at ridiculous valuations. This company processes a trillion consumer signals monthly using AI and trades at a third of the price. The gap won't last. The institutions will figure it out. You need to see this first. Read the FREE Report Before They Notice. Equifax has been a well-oiled machine over the last five years. It demonstrated elite profitability for a business services business, boasting an average adjusted operating margin of 20.8%. Looking at the trend in its profitability, Equifax's adjusted operating margin decreased by 3 percentage points over the last five years. This raises questions about the company's expense base because its revenue growth should have given it leverage on its fixed costs, resulting in better economies of scale and profitability. This quarter, Equifax generated an adjusted operating margin profit margin of 21%, in line with the same quarter last year. This indicates the company's overall cost structure has been relatively stable. We track the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) for the same reason as long-term revenue growth. Compared to revenue, however, EPS highlights whether a company's growth is profitable. Equifax's EPS grew at a weak 1.6% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years, lower than its 6.6% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded due to non-fundamental factors such as interest expenses and taxes. We can take a deeper look into Equifax's earnings to better understand the drivers of its performance. As we mentioned earlier, Equifax's adjusted operating margin was flat this quarter but declined by 3 percentage points over the last five years. This was the most relevant factor (aside from the revenue impact) behind its lower earnings; interest expenses and taxes can also affect EPS but don't tell us as much about a company's fundamentals. Like with revenue, we analyze EPS over a shorter period to see if we are missing a change in the business. For Equifax, its two-year annual EPS growth of 10.1% was higher than its five-year trend. Accelerating earnings growth is almost always an encouraging data point. In Q3, Equifax reported adjusted EPS of $2.26, up from $2.04 in the same quarter last year. This print beat analysts' estimates by 2.8%. Over the next 12 months, Wall Street expects Equifax's full-year EPS to grow 10.4% from $8.46 to $9.34. It was good to see Equifax beat analysts' EPS expectations this quarter. On the other hand, its revenue guidance for next quarter missed and its EPS guidance for next quarter fell short of Wall Street's estimates. Overall, this was a softer quarter. The stock traded up 2.2% to $162.06 immediately following the results. Is Equifax an attractive investment opportunity right now? When making that decision, it's important to consider its valuation, business qualities, as well as what has happened in the latest quarter. We cover that in our actionable full research report which you can read here, it's free.