BlackRock, Inc. Expands Stake in Fair Isaac Corp with Strategic Acquisition

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Dec 07, 2024
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On November 30, 2024, BlackRock, Inc. (Trades, Portfolio) executed a notable transaction involving Fair Isaac Corp (FICO, Financial), a leader in the software industry. The firm increased its holdings by acquiring an additional 120,167 shares of FICO, marking a 5.09% increase in its position. The shares were purchased at a trade price of $2,375.03 each, reflecting BlackRock's strategic interest in the company's growth potential and business model. This acquisition brings BlackRock's total holdings in FICO to 2,479,028 shares.

BlackRock, Inc. (Trades, Portfolio): A Leading Investment Management Firm

BlackRock, Inc. (Trades, Portfolio), headquartered at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, is a prominent investment management firm with a substantial portfolio equity of $4,761.03 trillion. The firm is renowned for its focus on the technology and financial services sectors, managing a diverse range of investments. BlackRock's top holdings include major companies such as Apple Inc (AAPL, Financial), Amazon.com Inc (AMZN, Financial), Meta Platforms Inc (META, Financial), Microsoft Corp (MSFT, Financial), and NVIDIA Corp (NVDA, Financial), showcasing its strategic investment approach in leading technology firms.

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Fair Isaac Corp: A Pioneer in Credit Scoring

Founded in 1956, Fair Isaac Corp is a leading applied analytics company, best known for its FICO credit scores, which serve as a benchmark for assessing consumer creditworthiness. Operating in the software industry, FICO has a market capitalization of $57.75 billion and a current stock price of $2,371.83. The company's business model includes both business-to-business and business-to-consumer services, with a significant portion of its profits derived from its credit scores business. FICO also provides software solutions to financial institutions, focusing on analytics, decision-making, customer workflows, and fraud prevention.

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Impact of the Transaction on BlackRock's Portfolio

The recent acquisition of FICO shares had a 0.01% impact on BlackRock's extensive portfolio, with FICO now representing 10.20% of the firm's holdings. This strategic move underscores BlackRock's confidence in FICO's business model and its potential for future growth. Despite the stock being significantly overvalued with a GF Value of $965.39, BlackRock's decision to increase its stake highlights its belief in the company's long-term prospects.

Financial Metrics and Valuation of FICO

FICO's stock is currently considered significantly overvalued, with a price to GF Value ratio of 2.46. However, the company boasts strong financial metrics, including a [Profitability Rank](https://www.gurufocus.com/term/rank-profitability/FICO) and [Growth Rank](https://www.gurufocus.com/term/rank-growth/FICO) of 10/10, and a [GF-Score](https://www.gurufocus.com/term/gf-score/FICO) of 84/100, indicating good outperformance potential. These metrics suggest that despite its overvaluation, FICO remains a strong performer in the software industry.

Market Performance and Growth Indicators

FICO has demonstrated robust growth, with a 3-year revenue growth rate of 15% and an EBITDA growth rate of 18.10%. The stock's year-to-date price change is an impressive 109.68%, reflecting strong market momentum and investor confidence. These growth indicators highlight FICO's ability to maintain its competitive edge and continue delivering value to its shareholders.

Other Prominent Investors in FICO

In addition to BlackRock, other notable investors in FICO include Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio), Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio), and John Rogers (Trades, Portfolio). Baron Funds holds the largest share percentage of FICO among the gurus, indicating widespread interest and confidence in the stock's potential. This collective interest from prominent investors further underscores FICO's attractiveness as a long-term investment.

Conclusion: BlackRock's Strategic Confidence in FICO

BlackRock's recent addition of FICO shares underscores the firm's confidence in the company's long-term prospects. Despite its current overvaluation, FICO's strong financial performance and growth potential make it a noteworthy investment in the software industry. As BlackRock continues to strategically position itself in leading technology and financial services sectors, its increased stake in FICO reflects a calculated move to capitalize on the company's future growth opportunities.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

Disclosures

I/We may personally own shares in some of the companies mentioned above. However, those positions are not material to either the company or to my/our portfolios.