NEW YORK, Feb 10, 2026, 10:38 AM EST — Regular session
- S&P Global shares dropped in early trading following a 2026 adjusted profit forecast that missed expectations.
- The company reported an uptick in quarterly revenue, yet earnings per share fell slightly short.
- Attention now turns to how quickly debt is being issued, the growth of fees in indices, and when the Mobility spin will happen.
S&P Global shares dropped roughly 7% Tuesday following a profit forecast for 2026 that missed Wall Street expectations, deepening a steep decline that started in premarket trading. The stock slid to $412.15, hitting a session low of $360 earlier.
The outlook is crucial now as investors swiftly penalize information-services firms at the first hint of shaky growth. S&P Global, positioned at the heart of credit markets and benchmark indexing, holds the power to shift expectations throughout the sector.
The company’s stock had fallen roughly 15% year-to-date by Monday’s close, and Tuesday’s forecast miss only gave sellers more reasons to sell. S&P Global is also caught up in a larger debate on whether emerging AI tools could undermine pricing power in segments of the analytics and data industry. (Reuters)
S&P Global projects adjusted earnings per share for 2026 between $19.40 and $19.65, falling short of the analysts’ consensus estimate of $19.94, according to data from LSEG. These adjusted figures exclude deal-related expenses and other one-time items.
The latest quarter showed more stability. S&P Global reported a 9% rise in fourth-quarter revenue, reaching $3.916 billion, with adjusted earnings per share climbing to $4.30. The board approved a quarterly dividend of $0.97 and confirmed plans to spin off its Mobility division by mid-2026. “The scale of innovation and pace of AI integration … was a leap forward,” CEO Martina Cheung said.
Other names in the group also dropped. Moody’s tumbled nearly 6%, MSCI slipped about 3%, and FactSet lost roughly 2%, with investors pricing in greater guidance risk for financial data and ratings companies.
During the earnings call, Cheung emphasized the business’s resilience, noting that “over 95% of our revenue” comes from proprietary benchmarks, unique data, and workflow tools. CFO Eric Aboaf highlighted AI’s potential to “transform how we operate” by boosting productivity, which could then be funneled back into growth. (Investing)
A U.S. securities filing revealed the company submitted its earnings release and 2026 guidance in a Form 8-K on Tuesday. (SEC)
Still, the guide warns of potential setbacks if market activity slows once more. Ratings transaction revenue usually tracks debt issuance and deal flow, while index-linked fees fluctuate with assets under management and market levels — both factors investors might hesitate to pay for in a jittery market.
Investors are closely eyeing updates on the Mobility spin timeline and additional details about growth projections for 2026. S&P Global also announced it will release monthly billed issuance and exchange-traded derivatives data on the 15th—or the following business day—offering traders a timely snapshot to act on.
