• 2024 Revenue: Up almost 8% on a reported and organic constant currency basis.
• Adjusted EPS: $7.29 per share, up over 8.5% versus last year.
• Cash Conversion: 89%, with free cash flow of $813 million, up 58%.
• Debt Leverage: Reduced to target levels of under 3 times.
• Fourth Quarter Revenue: $1.419 billion, up 7% reported, 9% organic constant currency.
• Fourth Quarter Adjusted EBITDA: $502 million, with a margin of 35.4%.
• Fourth Quarter Adjusted EPS: $2.12 per share.
• Workforce Solutions Revenue: Up 7% in the quarter.
• USIS Revenue: Up over 10% in the quarter.
• International Revenue: Up 11% in constant currency.
• 2025 Revenue Guidance: Expected to be about $5.95 billion, up 4.7% reported, 6% constant currency.
• 2025 Adjusted EPS Guidance: Expected to be $7.45 per share, up 2% over last year.
• 2025 Free Cash Flow Guidance: About $900 million, with cash conversion at about 95%.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with EFX.

Release Date: February 06, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) achieved a strong financial performance in 2024, with revenue up almost 8% and adjusted EPS increasing by over 8.5%.
• The company successfully completed significant portions of its cloud transformation, with close to 85% of revenue now in the new Equifax Cloud.
• Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) reduced its debt leverage to target levels, achieving under 3 terms.
• The company signed 15 new strategic partnerships in 2024, including a notable partnership with Workday, expected to fuel future revenue growth.
• Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) delivered a record fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA of over $500 million, marking a significant milestone for the company.

Negative Points

• Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) faced challenges in the US hiring and mortgage markets, which negatively impacted revenue growth.
• The company's fourth-quarter revenue was below October guidance due to weaker-than-expected performance in the mortgage and hiring sectors.
• USIS non-mortgage revenue growth was slightly below guidance, with declines in identity and fraud services.
• The company anticipates a 12% decline in US mortgage revenue credit inquiries in 2025 due to high mortgage rates.
• Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) expects a challenging environment in the US hiring market, forecasting an 8% decline in 2025 compared to 2024.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you explain the factors impacting EWS margins despite 7% revenue growth? A: Mark Begor, CEO, explained that the mortgage market decline and onboarding costs for new partners are impacting margins. John Gamble, CFO, added that growth in lower-margin products and continued investments in EWS are also factors. There is no change in payout ratios for TWN Record partners.

Q: Without the mortgage and hiring headwinds, how would growth and EPS be affected? A: Mark Begor noted that without these headwinds, growth would be 200 basis points higher, assuming flat markets. John Gamble added that EPS would benefit from variable margins if the markets were flat.

Q: What is the impact of the SSA contract extension on government revenue? A: Mark Begor stated that the SSA contract is a federal contract used for disability benefits eligibility, with higher prices impacting 2025 positively. The contract is separate from state-level CMS contracts.

Q: How are you balancing capital allocation between dividends and buybacks? A: Mark Begor emphasized the focus on returning cash to shareholders through growing dividends and a multiyear buyback program, contingent on economic visibility, particularly in mortgage and hiring markets.

Q: What are the expectations for TWN record growth in 2025? A: Mark Begor highlighted strong record additions in 2024 and expects continued growth in 2025, aligned with EWS's growth framework. The focus is on onboarding new partners and leveraging existing relationships.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.