Key findings from TransUnion report: Nearly one-in-five Canadians improved their credit score over the past yearCanadian consumer credit delinquencies remained stable as consumers and lenders have adjusted to the evolving economic landscapeCanada’s credit market poised for growth as economic conditions improve, and innovation creates opportunities for expanded credit access TORONTO, Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the fourth quarter of 2025, Canadian household debt reached $2.6 trillion across all cred ...

%3.8 %December 2025$1,123.93.1 %4.1 %Student Loans BalancesMonthStudent Loan Debt ($B)MoM Change %YoY Change (%)October 2025$1,3490.6 %-0.2 %November 2025$1,344-0.4 %-0.3 %December 2025$1,330-0.3 %-1.4 %Equifax has been tracking U.S. National Consumer Credit Trends for more than 20 years. Monthly reports can be found on [Equifax.com]. These reports track originations, balances and delinquencies on U.S. consumer mortgages, auto loans and leases, student loans, bankcards and private label credit cards, and pe ...

Core Insights - Financial stress in Canada increased in Q4 2025, but at a slower rate compared to previous years, with older consumers showing resilience while younger consumers and those in Ontario and Western provinces exhibited financial weakening [1] Consumer Debt Trends - Total consumer debt reached $2.65 trillion in Q4 2025, marking a 3.13% year-over-year increase, driven by a $50.26 billion rise in mortgage balances and a 4.50% increase in non-mortgage debt [2] - Delinquency rates for non-mortgage debt rose, with 90+ day delinquency increasing from 1.64% to 1.73%, a year-over-year increase of 5.43% [2] Age Group Analysis - Consumers aged 26 to 35 experienced the highest credit stress, with a delinquency rate of 2.55% and an 8.39% year-over-year decline in credit health [3] Regional Divergence - A "two Canadas" scenario emerged, with Ontario experiencing the fastest growth in non-mortgage delinquency at 10.31% compared to Q4 2024, while regions with better housing affordability like Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia saw decreases in delinquency rates [4] Credit Card Spending - Credit card spending during the 2025 holiday season decreased by 0.7% year-over-year to $2,297, with younger consumers (aged 26-35) reducing their holiday spending by 2.0% [5] - Despite reduced spending, credit card balances reached a historic $131 billion, an increase of 4.04% [5] Borrowing Power and Credit Access - Lenders tightened access to credit for riskier borrowers, with non-mortgage debt for subprime consumers remaining stagnant, while super prime consumers saw a 6.1% increase in average non-mortgage debt to $20,818 [6] Mortgage Market Dynamics - Total mortgage debt reached $1.95 trillion in Q4 2025, a 2.6% year-over-year increase, with mortgage renewals dominating the market [7] - Average new loan amounts increased by 4.1% to $363,778, with first-time homebuyers facing an average new loan size of $441,301, up 5% [8] Interest Rate Impact - The Bank of Canada's 2.25% policy rate provided some relief, but housing affordability remained strained, particularly in high-priced regions like Ontario and British Columbia [8] - Rising missed payments on higher-value mortgages in Ontario indicated that post-renewal payment levels were too high for some consumers [9]

Key Takeaways Americans in their 40s and 50s average a credit score in the low 700s, which is “good” but could be better. Credit scores tend to increase with age as people establish longer track records of responsible borrowing. Small improvements can unlock lower rates and meaningful long-term savings. Curious how your credit score compares to others your age? One way to find out is by reviewing national averages published by the major credit bureaus. According to Experian, the average FICO scor ...

Core Insights - There has been a significant increase in borrowing due to high inflation, with new personal loans rising by 24% in Q3 2025 compared to the previous year, particularly among borrowers with low credit scores [1] - Credit card accounts also saw an increase of 11.7%, with growth observed in both subprime and superprime segments [1][2] - Despite signs of cooling inflation, prices remain approximately 26% higher than pre-pandemic levels, affecting consumer sentiment negatively [3] Borrowing Trends - The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that 12.7% of credit card balances were 90 days or more overdue in Q4 2025, the highest level since 2011 [4] - Credit card balances increased by 4.2% at the end of last year, maintaining this growth rate for four consecutive quarters [4] - Personal loan balances reached a record high of $276 billion, remaining stable at about $8,400 per account compared to 2024 levels [5] Future Outlook - Credit card origination volumes are expected to moderate in 2026, indicating a potential stabilization in borrowing activity [5] - The overall sentiment suggests that the borrowing environment is settling down, despite the previous spikes in credit demand [5]

Core Insights - TransUnion's 2026 credit originations forecast indicates continued growth in mortgage and unsecured personal loans, while other credit products show mixed performance [1][2] - The report highlights a normalization in the credit landscape, with slower growth rates expected compared to 2025 [2][4] Mortgage Insights - Mortgage originations are projected to continue their rebound, with both purchase and refinance activities contributing to growth [2][24] - In Q3 2025, mortgage originations rose 6.5% year-over-year to 1.34 million, driven by increased purchase demand and stronger refinance activity [24] - Home-equity originations have shown consistent growth, increasing 14.3% year-over-year in Q3 2025 [24][22] Unsecured Personal Loans Insights - Unsecured personal loans are expected to see significant growth, with an annual increase of 11.2% projected for 2026 [7] - In Q3 2025, originations reached a record 7.2 million, with subprime borrowers driving a 32.5% year-over-year increase [15] - Total unsecured personal loan balances climbed to a record $276 billion in Q4 2025, with 26.4 million consumers carrying a balance [15][18] Credit Card Insights - Credit card originations are expected to see a modest increase in 2026, following near-record growth in 2025 [3][9] - The total number of credit cards reached 581 million in Q4 2025, with total credit card balances at $1.15 trillion [10] - The borrower-level delinquency rate for credit cards was 2.58% in Q4 2025, reflecting a slight increase from previous years [10][14] Auto Loan Insights - Auto loan originations rose 6.2% year-over-year to 6.7 million in Q3 2025, with growth seen across all risk tiers [32] - Average monthly payments for new vehicles increased to $782, while used vehicle payments rose to $538 [30][32] - The account-level delinquency rate for auto loans reached 1.50% in Q4 2025, indicating a slight increase year-over-year [30][32] General Market Trends - The overall lending activity is expected to remain measured as lenders adopt a disciplined approach to growth, focusing on risk management [4][6] - Consumer demand for credit remains strong across various risk tiers, with potential for further strengthening if interest rates decline [4][6]

Core Insights - Experian has launched a high-yield savings account called the Experian Smart Money™ Digital Savings Account, offering up to 4% APY, which is among the highest rates available today [1][2]. Product Overview - The account features a tiered interest rate system based on Experian membership status, with premium members earning up to 4% APY, while other tiers earn 2% or 3% APY [3]. - There is no minimum deposit required to open the account, although a balance of at least $0.01 is needed to earn interest, and there are no monthly fees [4]. - Interest compounds daily and is credited monthly [4]. - Banking services are provided by Community Federal Savings Bank, with funds insured up to $250,000 per account ownership category [5]. Market Comparison - Experian's high-yield savings account offers competitive APY rates compared to the national average savings account rate of 0.39%, allowing customers to earn 5-10 times this average depending on their membership tier [6]. - Other high-yield savings accounts may offer similar rates and features without requiring a membership, making them potentially more appealing to some customers [7]. Considerations for Consumers - When selecting a high-yield savings account, consumers should evaluate factors beyond just the interest rate, including fees, minimum balance requirements, and convenience features such as mobile tools and transfer speed [8].

Equifax Delivers Optimal Pathâ"¢ Directly to U.S. Consumers via the myEquifax Mobile App [Accessibility Statement] Skip NavigationLeveraging the Advanced Equifax Cloud-native Platform and Patented EFX.AI Capabilities, Optimal Path Gives Consumers More Control Over Their Financial Journeys at No Additional CostATLANTA, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- [Equifax]® (NYSE: EFX) is leveraging its advanced cloud- native platform and patented EFX.AI capabilities to deliver [Optimal Path]â"¢, the company's interactive ...

Core Insights - Experian has launched a new savings account called the Smart Money Digital Savings Account, offering an annual percentage yield (APY) ranging from 2% to 4% based on membership levels [1][2] Membership and APY Structure - The APY is tiered according to the Experian membership level, with the following structure: - 4.00% for memberships costing $24.95 monthly or $249.99 annually and above - 3.00% for memberships costing between $0.01 to $249.99 annually - 2.00% for free memberships [3] Banking and Insurance - Experian is not a bank; its banking services are provided by Community Federal Savings Bank (CFSB), which is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), protecting deposits up to $250,000 per depositor [4] Membership Eligibility - Memberships that qualify for the savings account include Experian CreditWorks, Experian IdentityWorks, Experian Premium, or Experian CreditCheck, all of which provide credit monitoring and alerts [5] Additional Features - Savings account holders with a connected Smart Money Digital Checking account can round up debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and transfer the difference to their savings account, available only to paid members [6] Competitive Comparison - The highest APY offered by Experian is competitive with leading high-yield savings accounts from banks or credit unions, many of which also charge no monthly fees [7] Considerations for Users - When selecting a savings account, factors beyond APY and fees should be considered, such as deposit and withdrawal methods, as Experian's options are limited to bank transfers or direct deposits [8]

Core Viewpoint - TransUnion reported strong fourth-quarter earnings, exceeding analyst expectations in both earnings per share and sales figures [1][2]. Financial Performance - The company posted quarterly earnings of $1.07 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.02 per share [1]. - Quarterly sales reached $1.171 billion, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $1.134 billion [1]. - For FY2026, TransUnion projects adjusted EPS between $4.63 and $4.71, compared to market estimates of $4.82 [1]. - The company anticipates sales of $4.946 billion to $4.981 billion, slightly above estimates of $4.927 billion [1]. Revenue Growth - TransUnion achieved a revenue growth of 13%, driven by strong performance in U.S. Markets [2]. - Financial Services segment grew by 19%, while Emerging Verticals accelerated to a 16% growth [2]. - The growth was broad-based, with credit, marketing, and fraud solutions each experiencing healthy double-digit growth [2]. Stock Performance - Following the earnings announcement, TransUnion shares increased by 4.6%, trading at $74.09 [2]. Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Needham analyst Kyle Peterson maintained a Buy rating but lowered the price target from $115 to $95 [4]. - Wells Fargo analyst Jason Haas maintained an Overweight rating and reduced the price target from $100 to $90 [4]. - Stifel analyst Shlomo Rosenbaum also maintained a Buy rating, lowering the price target from $103 to $88 [4].