LONDON, March 25, 2026, 12:44 GMT
Experian was off 1.6% at 2,524.5 pence by 11:40 GMT in London on Wednesday, landing among the FTSE 100’s losers despite the credit-data firm announcing fresh share buybacks. The wider UK market pushed higher.
Buybacks usually help stocks by cutting the number of shares and pushing up earnings per share, or EPS—just a straightforward profit-per-share metric. But for Experian, attention is shifting ahead of its full-year results set for May 20. Investors are zeroing in on pricing pressure in U.S. credit scores. North America accounts for 68% of group revenue, anchored to credit checks, mortgage activity, and fraud screening.
Experian disclosed in a Wednesday filing that it picked up 594,700 shares on March 24, paying a weighted average of 2,620.4899 pence per share, with plans to cancel the lot. The day before, the company reported buying 581,708 shares at 2,667.3455 pence. That brings the tally for the two days of announced repurchases to roughly 1.18 million shares.
Experian kicked off its $1 billion buyback program on Jan. 30. Back then, the company stated there were no adjustments to its medium-term financial targets, capital-allocation strategy, or dividend policy.
Credit-reporting and scoring stocks have come under strain. Alliance News reported that Fair Isaac dropped 6.4% in New York trading on Tuesday, with Equifax down 5.7% and TransUnion off 4.1%. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte called for “more affordable” credit-score and credit-bureau pricing, while Senator Josh Hawley announced a probe into Fair Isaac. Morningstar, Inc.
Trading at Experian hasn’t dazzled, but it’s held its ground. In the Jan. 21 third-quarter report, organic revenue climbed 8%, with the company sticking to its full-year outlook. Chief Executive Brian Cassin described “continued strong momentum,” highlighting how Experian is leveraging both its data and tech to “crystallise exciting new AI opportunities.” Experian plc
Analysts were already warning about multiple headwinds before this week’s action. Back in January, Andrew Ripper at Panmure Liberum pointed to a softening dollar, risks from U.S. policy, uncertainty tied to AI, and Fair Isaac’s move to start selling scores straight to mortgage lenders—all factors dragging on Experian shares.
The real threat now? U.S. mortgage-market reforms are still putting the squeeze on bureau earnings. Back in October, Reuters flagged that Fair Isaac’s push to sell FICO scores directly could sidestep bureau markups—Jefferies analysts think bureau profits might drop 10% to 15% on average because of it. Meanwhile, VantageScore—the Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion joint venture—is making headway with mortgage lenders too.
The buyback isn’t changing the story for now. Shares slid on Wednesday, but they remain stuck well under the 12-month peak of 4,101 pence, and only just above the recent low at 2,353 pence. That latest repurchase notice hasn’t marked any real shift for the stock.
