In an economy increasingly driven by data and digital decision-making, Equifax Inc. (EFX) has carved out a central role in helping businesses, lenders, employers, and government agencies assess risk and make informed choices. The global data analytics and technology company combines large-scale consumer and commercial data with cloud-based tools and advanced analytics to deliver insights across a wide range of industries. Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates across 24 countries and is supported by a workforce of nearly 15,000 employees worldwide.
Even with its established position in the industrial landscape, Equifax has been under intense pressure on Wall Street. The company, now valued at roughly $19.8 billion, has watched its shares sink nearly 37.7% over the past year, dramatically underperforming the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which surged 28% during the same stretch. The selling hasn’t eased in 2026 either, with the stock down another 24.4% year-to-date, while the broader market has advanced 9.2%.
More Top Stocks Daily: Go behind Wall Street’s hottest headlines with Barchart’s Active Investor newsletter.
The underperformance becomes even more noticeable when stacked against industrial peers. Over the last 52 weeks, the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLI) has climbed about 21.6%, while adding another 10.7% so far in 2026, highlighting just how sharply the company’s shares have lagged both the broader market and the industrial sector alike.
www.barchart.com Despite the stock’s prolonged struggles, investors got a rare dose of optimism on May 20, when shares of Equifax climbed roughly 2.5% following the company’s announcement of an expanded partnership with GBG, the global identity and location technology firm. The deal extends the companies’ collaboration into the U.S. market while also deepening their global identity verification and fraud prevention capabilities.
Under the expanded agreement, Equifax’s identity and fraud solutions will be integrated into GBG’s adaptive identity platform, GBG Go, giving businesses broader access to proprietary Equifax data and tools designed to combat the growing threat of fraud. The move comes at a time when synthetic identity fraud alone is projected to cause more than $23 billion in losses by 2030, making stronger verification and fraud detection systems increasingly critical for businesses worldwide.
Looking ahead, Wall Street expects Equifax to deliver stronger profitability, with analysts projecting fiscal 2026 earnings to rise 11.9% year over year to $8.56 per share. Adding to the optimism, the company has built a solid track record of outperforming expectations, beating consensus earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters.
Wall Street remains cautiously optimistic on Equifax, with the stock currently carrying a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating among 26 analysts. The breakdown includes 13 “Strong Buy” ratings, three “Moderate Buys,” and 10 “Holds.” Notably, sentiment has edged slightly more bullish compared to two months ago, when the stock had one fewer “Strong Buy” recommendation, a subtle sign that confidence in the company may be starting to improve.
www.barchart.com In late February, Bank of America upgraded EFX to “Buy” from “Neutral” and lifted its price target to $250, citing expectations for a multi-year acceleration in Equifax’s Workforce Solutions business. The firm pointed to favorable regulatory catalysts and expanding market adoption as key drivers behind the more bullish outlook.
Meanwhile, Wall Street’s broader price targets suggest analysts still see substantial recovery potential ahead. The average target price of $226.45 implies roughly 38.1% upside from current levels, while the Street-high target of $293 points to a possible rally of nearly 78.6%.
On the date of publication, Anushka Mukherjee did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
More news from Barchart
Qualcomm Stock Is the Sleeping Giant of the AI Revolution. It’s Starting to Wake Up. Wall Street Is Warming Back Up to CoreWeave Stock. Long-Term Demand Is Helping. Palantir’s AI Surge Meets Market Correction. Buy the PLTR Stock Dip Now. 1 Outstanding AI Stock You’ll Regret Ignoring 10 Years From Now