On Thursday, Equifax Inc . (NYSE:EFX) received a stock price target increase from Evercore ISI, with the firm setting the new target at $305.00, up from the previous $290.00, while maintaining an Outperform rating on the stock.
The firm's adjustment follows Equifax's updated financial guidance for 2024, which narrows its revenue expectations to a range of $5.690 to $5.750 billion, centering on the previously provided spectrum. This updated forecast hovers close to the consensus estimate of $5.72 billion.
Equifax also revised its organic local currency growth projections, maintaining an 8.5% increase at the midpoint of expectations. However, there was a slight reduction in the 2024 adjusted EBITDA margin guidance, now anticipated to be 32.6% instead of the former 33.3%.
Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) for 2024 are now guided to range between $7.22 and $7.47, slightly adjusted from the earlier $7.20 to $7.50 range, with the consensus at $7.42.
The company has projected an 11% decline in US mortgage credit inquiries for 2024. For the third quarter of 2024, management expects revenue to be between $1.425 and $1.445 billion, which is less than the anticipated $1.474 billion and consensus estimate of $1.451 billion.
Despite the lower projection, mortgage revenue is expected to grow over 12%, and non-mortgage revenue is forecasted to increase by 10%. Adjusted EPS for the third quarter is guided at $1.75 to $1.85, notably below the consensus estimate of $2.02.
Evercore ISI has accordingly adjusted its 2024 earnings per share estimate for Equifax downward by $0.10 to $7.35, citing the lower revenue and margin outlook. Nevertheless, the firm maintains its EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 at $9.90 and $12.00, respectively.
The rationale behind the raised price target to $305 from $290 is attributed to a 31 times multiple on projected 2025 earnings per share, which has been influenced by lower interest rates potentially boosting the mortgage growth outlook.
In other recent news, Equifax has been the subject of multiple developments. BofA Securities recently reaffirmed a Buy rating for Equifax, anticipating a potential rebound in the mortgage market. However, this optimism was tempered by a slight reduction in the firm's 2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimate for Equifax due to a more cautious view of the mortgage market's trajectory.
Equifax also announced the appointment of Chad Borton as the new Executive Vice President and President of Workforce Solutions. This move is expected to drive growth and innovation within the division, particularly with the integration of the Equifax Cloud.
In addition, Equifax expanded its board of directors with the election of Barbara Larson, former CFO of Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY). Her financial expertise is expected to support the company's strategic initiatives.
Citi revised its stock price target for Equifax and decreased its estimated adjusted EBITDA for the company in 2024. Despite this, Citi maintains its Buy rating on the company's shares, expressing confidence in a potential improvement in the mortgage market by 2025.
Lastly, Equifax introduced Forms HQ, a feature within its PeopleHQ™ portal designed to streamline HR processes by automating the delivery, completion, and tracking of essential employee documents. These are some of the recent developments surrounding Equifax.
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