Equifax reported record first-quarter revenue of $1.65 billion, up 14% from the same period a year earlier, driven by a 38% increase in U.S. mortgage revenue concentrated in January and February, the company said April 21.
The result came in $37 million above the midpoint of Equifax's February guidance. Net income attributable to the company rose 29% to $171.5 million, while diluted earnings per share climbed to $1.42 from $1.06 a year earlier. Adjusted EPS was $1.86, up 22%.
U.S. Information Solutions, which includes credit data products sold to lenders, posted revenue of $605.6 million, a 21% increase. Within that segment, mortgage revenue rose 60%. Workforce Solutions, which provides employment and income verification services, generated $683.1 million in revenue, up 10%, while its Verification Services unit grew 14%. International revenue rose 11% on a reported basis and 4% in local currency terms.
Mortgage activity concentrated in January and February, before interest rates climbed following the outbreak of the Iran conflict, was credited by CEO Mark Begor as the primary engine behind the quarterly outperformance. For the full year 2026, the company left its local-currency revenue growth target of roughly 10% unchanged at the midpoint, pointing to softening U.S. mortgage demand as borrowing costs rose and to broader uncertainty in global macroeconomic conditions.
The company is projecting second-quarter reported revenue of $1.68 billion to $1.71 billion. Full-year reported revenue guidance stands at $6.685 billion to $6.805 billion, an increase of $25 million from the prior forecast due to foreign exchange effects. Full-year adjusted EPS guidance was raised by $0.04 per share for the same reason.
Higher oil and gas prices stemming from Middle East hostilities have introduced fresh inflation risk, Reuters noted, making it harder for the Federal Reserve to proceed with expected cuts to benchmark lending rates.
Equifax returned $327 million to shareholders during the quarter, including $260 million in share repurchases covering 1.3 million shares, and $67 million in dividends. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 29.0%, down slightly from 29.3% in the first quarter of 2025.