London, Feb 24, 2026, 09:01 GMT — Regular session
- Experian shares slipped at the open in London on Tuesday.
- The company announced a fresh round of share buybacks, along with news of an identity-data acquisition.
- Investors now look ahead to May, when the company posts its full-year results.
Experian (EXPN.L) dropped 0.5% to 2,511 pence just after 0900 GMT, pulling back from an earlier high of 2,520 pence. Over the past year, the stock has fallen around 34%, according to data. (Investing)
Just a day earlier, shares of the credit-data group slid 2.62% to 25.24 pounds while the FTSE 100 edged down 0.02%. Experian wrapped up Monday trading roughly 38% shy of its 52-week peak—41.01 pounds, logged July 18, according to MarketWatch data. (MarketWatch)
Experian has picked up AtData, the email identity firm, in a deal announced Monday. With the acquisition, Experian gains access to a base of over 10 billion email addresses globally and folds AtData’s network—which handles upwards of 150 billion signals each month—into its own. Jeff Softley, head of Experian North America, pointed to “real-time identity signals” as a critical need “in the age of AI.” (Experian)
Experian disclosed on Tuesday that it repurchased 399,019 shares at 16:34 on Monday, paying a volume-weighted average of 2,571.2535 pence. Trades ranged from 2,520 to 2,605 pence. The company plans to cancel the shares, continuing its buyback program aimed at reducing the share count. (Investegate)
Experian rolled out a fresh $1 billion share buyback plan on Jan. 30, keeping its medium-term financial framework, approach to capital allocation, and dividend policy intact. The capital return remains a key theme for investors, with the stock still looking for its footing after a rocky stretch. (Reuters)
On Tuesday, Experian put out research highlighting a surge in demand for anti-fraud tech. According to a Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Experian, 64% of surveyed businesses in EMEA and Asia Pacific reported year-on-year increases in fraud losses, while 68% said their existing technology just isn’t keeping up with the wave of increasingly advanced, AI-driven attacks. Regional COO Shail Deep said criminals are leveraging generative AI tools for “unprecedented speed and sophistication,” using them to create everything from text to images. (Experian)
The AtData deal, plus the fraud report, hit as investors wrestle with just how much upside there is in identity and fraud products—distinct from anything tied to credit-cycle volumes.
Experian’s rivals, Equifax and TransUnion, are also pouring money into analytics and identity verification. What sets players apart: data coverage, how fast they deliver results, and privacy safeguards.
Even so, integrating bolt-on acquisitions isn’t without risk. Stricter data privacy regulations can restrict how companies use and share datasets. If the economy softens, appetite for marketing and lending products may drop, dampening the buyback-driven upside investors have in mind.
Eyes turn now to Experian’s full-year numbers set for May 20, which should shed light on revenue growth and the trajectory of buybacks. Investors will also be watching for the first-quarter trading update slated for July 16, before the annual general meeting comes up on July 22. (Experian)
