FAIR ISAAC CORP
For the period ended Sep 30, 2025. Filed Nov 7, 2025.
View on SEC.govAbout this filing
A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.
FY2025 · Filed Nov 7, 2025
What changed in Risk Factors?
Read the current filingPrevious report: 10-K
Period ended 2024-09-30; filed 2024-11-06.
0001628280-24-045719
Item 1A. Risk FactorsCurrent report: 10-K
Period ended 2025-09-30; filed 2025-11-07.
0000814547-25-000030
Item 1A. Risk FactorsThe baseline is this issuer’s latest earlier reporting period of the same form that was filed before the current report. A previous 10-Q is a different quarter, not a year-over-year comparison. Amendments are excluded.
Compared 199 previous paragraphs and 200 current paragraphs.
158 unchanged; 38 reworded; 4 added; 2 removed; 1 previous and 0 current paragraphs rearranged.
Tables are not compared: 0 previous and 0 current tables excluded. Dates, whitespace, punctuation and numbering changes are ignored; changes to financial figures remain significant.
A changed paragraph is not evidence that risk increased or decreased. An unchanged paragraph does not establish that risk stayed the same.
Added paragraphs (4)
Current report
•changes in technology, including increased use of artificial intelligence (“AI”);
Current report
•developers and providers of neural networks, machine learning, and AI systems;
Removed paragraphs (2)
Previous report
•neural network developers and artificial intelligence system builders;
Reworded paragraphs (38)
Previous wording
We have increasingly focused our Software segment’s business strategy on investing significant development resources to enable substantially all of our software to run on FICO® Platform, our modular software offering designed to enable advanced analytics and decisioning use cases. This business strategy is designed to enable us to increase our business by selling multiple connectable and extensible products to clients, as well as to enable the development of custom client solutions and to allow our clients to more easily expand their usage and the use cases they enable over time. The market may be unreceptive to our general business approach, including being unreceptive to our cloud-based offerings, unreceptive to purchasing multiple products from us, or unreceptive to our customized solutions. As we continue to pursue this business strategy, we may experience volatility in our Software segment’s revenues and operating results caused by various factors, including the differences in revenue recognition treatment and timing between our cloud-based offerings and on-premises software licenses, the timing of investments and other expenditures necessary to develop and operate our cloud-based offerings, and the adoption of new sales, delivery and distribution methods. If this business strategy is not successful, we may not be able to grow our Software segment’s business, growth may occur more slowly than we anticipate, or revenues and profits may decline.
Current wording
We have increasingly focused our Software segment’s business strategy on investing significant development resources to enable substantially all of our software to run on FICO® Platform, our modular software offering designed to enable advanced analytics and decisioning use cases. This business strategy is designed to enable us to increase our business by selling multiple connectable and extensible products to clients, and to allow our clients to more easily expand their usage and the use cases they enable over time. The market may be unreceptive to our general business approach, including being unreceptive to our cloud-based offerings and unreceptive to purchasing multiple products from us. As we continue to pursue this business strategy, we may experience volatility in our Software segment’s revenues and operating results caused by various factors, including the differences in revenue recognition treatment and timing between our cloud-based offerings and on-premises software licenses, the timing of investments and other expenditures necessary to develop and operate our cloud-based offerings, and the adoption of new sales, delivery and distribution methods. If this business strategy is not successful, we may not be able to grow our Software segment’s business, growth may occur more slowly than we anticipate, or revenues and profits may decline.
Previous wording
•the increasing availability of free or relatively inexpensive consumer credit, credit score and other information from public or commercial sources;
Current wording
•the increasing availability of free or relatively inexpensive consumer credit, credit score and other information from public or commercial sources, including those that use AI technologies;
Previous wording
Our ability to increase our revenues will depend to some extent upon introducing new products and services and upon introducing enhancements and improvements to existing products and services. If the marketplace does not accept these new, enhanced or improved products and services, our revenues may decline.
Current wording
Our ability to increase our revenues depends to some extent upon introducing new products and services, upon introducing enhancements and improvements to existing products and services and upon entering new markets for products and services. If we are unable to successfully develop, or if the marketplace does not accept, new, enhanced or improved products and services, or if we experience defects, failures or delays associated with the introduction of new, enhanced or improved products or services, our business could suffer serious harm.
Previous wording
Our growth and the success of our business strategy depend upon our ability to develop and sell new products and new versions of products, including the development and sale of our cloud-based product offerings and our scoring solutions. If we are unable to develop new or enhanced products, or if we are not successful in introducing new or enhanced products, we may not be able to grow our business or growth may occur more slowly than we anticipate. In addition, significant undetected errors or delays in new products or new versions of products may affect market acceptance of our products and could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. In the past, we have experienced delays while developing and introducing new products and product enhancements, primarily due to difficulties developing models, acquiring data, and adapting to particular software operating environments and certain client or other systems. We have also experienced errors or “bugs” in our software products, despite testing prior to release of the products. Software errors in our products could affect the ability of our products to work with other hardware or software products, could delay the development or release of new products or new versions of products, and could adversely affect market acceptance of our products. Errors or defects in our products that are significant, or are perceived to be significant, could result in rejection of our products, damage to our reputation, loss of revenues, diversion of development resources, an increase in product liability claims, and increases in service and support costs and warranty claims.
Current wording
Our revenue growth and the success of our business strategy depend upon our ability to enhance and improve existing products and services, and to continue to introduce new products and services that keep pace with technological developments, satisfy increasingly sophisticated customer requirements and achieve market acceptance. If we are unable to develop new, enhanced or improved products and services, including those that utilize AI technologies, or if we are not successful in introducing such products and services, we may not be able to grow our business or growth may occur more slowly than we anticipate. In addition, significant undetected errors or delays in new products or new versions of products may affect market acceptance of our products and could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. In the past, we have experienced delays while developing and introducing new products and product enhancements, primarily due to difficulties developing models, acquiring data, and adapting to particular software operating environments and certain client or other systems. We have also experienced errors or “bugs” in our software products, despite testing prior to release of the products. These errors could affect the ability of our products to work with other hardware or software products, could delay the development or release of new products or new versions of products, and could adversely affect market acceptance of our products. Errors or defects in our products that are significant, or are perceived to be significant, could result in rejection of our products, damage to our reputation, loss of revenues, diversion of development resources, an increase in product liability claims, and increases in service and support costs and warranty claims. Our use of AI in the development of our products and our incorporation of AI features into some of our products could introduce errors, defects, or delays impacting our ability to successfully develop new products.
Previous wording
To increase our revenues, we must enhance and improve existing products and services, and continue to introduce new products and services that keep pace with technological developments, satisfy increasingly sophisticated customer requirements and achieve market acceptance. We believe much of the future growth of our business and the success of our business strategy will rest on our ability to continue to expand into newer markets for our products and services. Such areas are relatively new to our product development and sales and marketing personnel. Products and services that we plan to market in the future are in various stages of development. We cannot assure you that the marketplace will accept these products and services. If our current or potential customers are not willing to switch to or adopt our new products and services, either as a result of the quality of these products and services or due to other factors, such as economic conditions, our revenues will decrease.
Current wording
We also believe that much of the future growth of our business and the success of our business strategy may depend on our ability to continue to expand into newer markets for our products and services. Such areas are relatively new to our product development and sales and marketing personnel. Products and services that we plan to market in the future are in various stages of development. If these newer markets are not willing to adopt our products and services, either as a result of the quality of these products and services or due to other factors, such as economic conditions, our revenues may decrease.
Previous wording
In addition, the U.S. and other key international economies have periodically experienced downturns in which economic activity is impacted by falling demand for a variety of goods and services, increased volatility of interest rates, fluctuating rates of inflation, restricted credit, poor liquidity, reduced corporate profitability, volatility in credit, equity and foreign exchange markets, bankruptcies and overall uncertainty with respect to the economy. The potential for economic disruption presents considerable risks to our business, including potential bankruptcies or credit deterioration of financial institutions with which we have substantial relationships. Economic disruption could result in a decline in the sales of new products to our customers and the volume of transactions that we execute for existing customers. In addition, the volume of our Scores sales depends heavily on macroeconomic conditions, including, for example, the volume of transactions in the U.S. mortgage and credit card markets, which account for a significant portion of the revenues in our Scores segment.
Current wording
In addition, the U.S. and other key international economies periodically experience downturns in which economic activity is impacted by falling demand for a variety of goods and services, increased volatility of interest rates, fluctuating rates of inflation, restricted credit, poor liquidity, reduced corporate profitability, volatility in credit, trade policies and tariffs, equity and foreign exchange markets, bankruptcies and overall uncertainty with respect to the economy. The potential for economic disruption presents considerable risks to our business, including potential bankruptcies or credit deterioration of financial institutions with which we have substantial relationships. Economic disruption could result in a decline in the sales of new products to our customers and the volume of transactions that we execute for existing customers. In addition, the volume of our Scores sales depends heavily on macroeconomic conditions, including, for example, the volume of transactions in the U.S. mortgage and credit card markets, which account for a significant portion of the revenues in our Scores segment.
Previous wording
During fiscal 2024, 92% of our revenues were derived from sales of products and services to the banking industry. Periods of global economic uncertainty experienced in the past have produced substantial stress, volatility, illiquidity and disruption of global credit and other financial markets, resulting in the bankruptcy or acquisition of, or government assistance to, several major domestic and international financial institutions. The potential for future stress and disruptions, including in connection with geopolitical tensions, military conflicts, the level of inflation and the volatility of interest rates, presents considerable risks to our businesses and operations. These risks include potential bankruptcies or credit deterioration of financial institutions, many of which are our customers. Such disruption would result in a decline in the revenue we receive from financial and other institutions. In addition, if consumer demand for financial services and products and the number of credit applications decrease, the demand for our products and services could also be materially reduced. These types of disruptions could lead to a decline in the volumes of products and services we provide our customers and could negatively impact our revenue and results of operations.
Current wording
During fiscal 2025, 92% of our revenues were derived from sales of products and services to the banking industry. Periods of global economic uncertainty experienced in the past have produced substantial stress, volatility, illiquidity and disruption of global credit and other financial markets, resulting in the bankruptcy or acquisition of, or government assistance to, several major domestic and international financial institutions. The potential for future stress and disruptions, including in connection with geopolitical tensions, military conflicts, trade policies and tariffs, the level of inflation and the volatility of interest rates, presents considerable risks to our businesses and operations. These risks include potential bankruptcies or credit deterioration of financial institutions, many of which are our customers. Such disruption would result in a decline in the revenue we receive from financial and other institutions. In addition, if consumer demand for financial services and products and the number of credit applications decrease, the demand for our products and services could also be materially reduced. These types of disruptions could lead to a decline in the volumes of products and services we provide our customers and could negatively impact our revenue and results of operations.
Previous wording
While we expand our sales into international markets, the risks are greater as these markets are also experiencing substantial disruption and we are less well-known in them.
Current wording
While we expand our sales into international markets, the risks are greater as some of these markets have experienced and may in the future experience substantial disruption and we are less well-known in them.
Previous wording
A significant portion of our revenues in our Scores segment is attributable to the U.S. mortgage market, which includes, for mortgages eligible for purchase by The Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), a requirement by those enterprises that U.S. lenders provide FICO® Scores for each mortgage delivered to them. However, their continued use of the FICO Score is subject to ongoing validation and approval by those enterprises and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”). If other credit score models are approved for use with mortgages delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or the FICO Score is not approved for continued use with those mortgages, it could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, results of operations and stock price. Other changes implemented by FHFA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac could also affect the demand for FICO Scores and thus could have similar adverse effects on our business, including, for example, a change permitting mortgage originators to underwrite loans using credit scores from only two of the three national consumer reporting agencies (a “bi-merge report”) rather than from all three (a “tri-merge report”).
Current wording
A significant portion of our revenues in our Scores segment is attributable to the U.S. mortgage market, which includes, for mortgages eligible for purchase by The Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), a requirement by those enterprises that U.S. lenders provide FICO® Scores for each mortgage delivered to them. However, their continued use of the FICO Score is subject to ongoing validation and approval by those enterprises and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”). If other credit score models are approved for use with mortgages delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or the FICO Score is not approved for continued use with those mortgages, it could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, results of operations and stock price. Other changes implemented by FHFA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac could also affect the demand for FICO Scores and thus could have similar adverse effects on our business, including, for example, the change announced by the FHFA Director in July 2025 permitting mortgage originators to choose the credit score they submit with mortgages delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or a potential future change permitting mortgage originators to underwrite loans using credit scores from fewer than three national consumer reporting agencies. The ability of our FICO Score to compete effectively in the U.S. mortgage market may be constrained by the pricing and other business practices of the consumer reporting agencies, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, results of operations and stock price.
Previous wording
•providers of credit reports and credit scores;
Current wording
•providers of credit reports and credit scores, including consumer reporting agencies;
Previous wording
Many of our products are sold by distributors or partners, and we intend to continue to market and distribute our products through these existing distributor and partner relationships, as well as invest resources to develop additional sales, distribution and marketing relationships. Our Scores segment relies on, among others, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Failure of our existing and future distributors to generate significant revenues or otherwise perform their expected services or functions, demands by such distributors to change the terms on which they offer our products, or our failure to establish additional distribution or sales and marketing alliances, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, certain of our distributors presently compete with us and may compete with us in the future, either by developing competitive products themselves or by distributing competitive offerings. For example, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax have developed a credit scoring product to compete directly with our products and are actively selling that product. Competition from distributors or other sales and marketing partners could significantly harm sales of our products and services.
Current wording
Many of our products are sold by distributors or partners, and we intend to continue to market and distribute our products through these existing distributor and partner relationships, as well as invest resources to develop additional sales, distribution and marketing relationships. For example, our Scores segment relies on, among others, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Failure of our existing and future distributors or partners to generate significant revenues or otherwise perform their expected services or functions, demands by such distributors or partners to change the terms on which they offer our products, or our failure to establish additional distribution or sales and marketing alliances, could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition. In addition, certain of our distributors and partners presently compete with us and may compete with us in the future, either by developing competitive products themselves or by distributing competitive offerings. For example, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax have developed a credit scoring product to compete directly with our products and are actively selling that product. Competition from distributors or other sales and marketing partners could significantly harm sales of our products and services.
Previous wording
Our success depends, in part, upon our proprietary technology and other intellectual property rights. To date, we have relied primarily on a combination of copyright, patent, trade secret, and trademark laws, and nondisclosure and other contractual restrictions on copying and distribution, to protect our proprietary technology. This protection of our proprietary technology is limited, and our proprietary technology could be used by others without our consent. In addition, patents may not be issued with respect to our pending or future patent applications, and our patents may not be upheld as valid or may not prevent the development of competitive products. Any disclosure, loss, invalidity of, or failure to protect our intellectual property could negatively impact our competitive position, and ultimately, our business. There can be no assurance that our protection of our intellectual property rights in the U.S. or abroad will be adequate or that others, including our competitors, will not use our proprietary technology without our consent. Furthermore, litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets, or to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others. Such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Current wording
Our success depends, in part, upon our proprietary technology and other intellectual property rights. To date, we have relied primarily on a combination of copyright, patent, trade secret, and trademark laws, and nondisclosure and other contractual restrictions on copying and distribution, to protect our proprietary technology. This protection of our proprietary technology is limited, and our proprietary technology could be used by others without our consent. In addition, patents may not be issued with respect to our pending or future patent applications, and our patents may not be upheld as valid or may not prevent the development of competitive products. Any disclosure, loss, invalidity of, or failure to protect our intellectual property could negatively impact our competitive position, and ultimately, our business. The extent to which our intellectual property rights can be protected differs by jurisdiction, and is rapidly evolving with respect to AI technologies. There can be no assurance that our protection of our intellectual property rights in the U.S. or abroad will be adequate or that others, including our competitors, will not use our proprietary technology without our consent. Furthermore, litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets, or to determine the validity and scope of the proprietary rights of others. Such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Previous wording
In our markets, technology changes rapidly, and there are continuous improvements in computer hardware, network operating systems, programming tools, programming languages, operating systems, database technologies, cloud-based technologies and the use of the Internet. For example, artificial intelligence technologies, including generative artificial intelligence, and their use are currently undergoing rapid change. If we fail to enhance our current products and develop new products in response to changes in technology or industry standards, or if we fail to bring product enhancements or new product developments to market quickly enough, our products could rapidly become less competitive or obsolete. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to:
Current wording
In our markets, technology changes rapidly, and there are continuous improvements in computer hardware, network operating systems, programming tools, programming languages, operating systems, database technologies, cloud-based technologies and the use of the Internet. For example, AI technologies, including generative AI, and their use are currently undergoing rapid change. If we fail to enhance our current products and develop new products in response to changes in technology or industry standards, or if we fail to bring product enhancements or new product developments to market quickly enough, our products could rapidly become less competitive or obsolete. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to:
Previous wording
•influence and respond to emerging industry standards and other technological changes.
Current wording
•influence and respond to emerging industry standards and other technological changes, including relating to AI.
Previous wording
•an acquisition may not further our business strategy as we expected, we may not integrate acquired operations or technology as successfully as we expected or we may overpay for our investments, or otherwise not realize the expected return, which could adversely affect our business or operating results;
Current wording
•an acquisition may not further our business strategy as we expected, we may not integrate acquired operations, systems or technology as successfully as we expected or we may overpay for our investments, or otherwise not realize the expected return, which could adversely affect our business or operating results;
Previous wording
•our operating results or financial condition may be adversely impacted by known or unknown claims or liabilities we assume in an acquisition or that are imposed on us as a result of an acquisition, including claims by government agencies or authorities, terminated employees, current or former customers, former stockholders or other third parties;
Current wording
•our operating results or financial condition may be adversely impacted by known or unknown contingent liabilities, other liabilities or claims we assume in an acquisition or that are imposed on us as a result of an acquisition, including claims by government agencies or authorities, terminated employees, current or former customers, former stockholders or other third parties;
Previous wording
•a company that we acquire may have experienced a security incident that it has yet to discover, investigate and remediate which we might not be identify in a timely manner and which could spread more broadly to other parts of our company during the integration effort;
Current wording
•a company that we acquire may have experienced a security incident that it has yet to discover, investigate and remediate, may have other cybersecurity vulnerabilities, or may have unsophisticated security measures, any of which we might not identify in a timely manner and which could spread more broadly to other parts of our company during the integration effort;
Previous wording
•we may incur material charges as a result of acquisition costs, costs incurred in combining and/or operating the acquired business, or liabilities assumed in the acquisition that are greater than anticipated;
Current wording
•we may incur material charges as a result of acquisition costs or costs incurred in combining and/or operating the acquired business that are greater than anticipated;
Previous wording
Because our business requires the storage, transmission and utilization of sensitive consumer and customer information, we will continue to routinely be the target of attempted cybersecurity and other security threats by technically sophisticated and well-resourced outside third parties, among others, attempting to access or steal the data we store. Many of our products are provided by us through the Internet. We may be exposed to additional cybersecurity threats as we migrate our software solutions and data from our legacy systems to cloud-based solutions. We operate in an environment of significant risk of cybersecurity incidents resulting from unintentional events or deliberate attacks by third parties or insiders, which may involve exploiting security vulnerabilities or sophisticated attack methods. These threats include social engineering attacks, phishing attacks and other cyber-attacks, including state-sponsored cyber-attacks, industrial espionage, insider threats, denial-of-service attacks, computer viruses, ransomware and other malware, payment fraud or other cyber incidents. As a software and technology vendor, we may incorporate or distribute software or other materials from third parties. Attacks or other threats to our supply chain for such software and materials may render us unable to provide assurances of the origin of such software and materials, and could put us at risk of distributing software or other materials that may cause harm to ourselves, our customers or other third parties. In addition, increased attention on and use of artificial intelligence increases the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches, which can occur more quickly and evolve more rapidly when artificial intelligence is used. Further, use of artificial intelligence by our employees, whether authorized or unauthorized, increases the risk that our intellectual property and other proprietary information will be unintentionally disclosed.
Current wording
Because our business requires the storage, transmission and utilization of sensitive consumer and customer information, we will continue to routinely be the target of attempted cybersecurity and other security threats by technically sophisticated and well-resourced outside third parties, among others, attempting to access or steal the data we store. Many of our products are provided by us through the Internet. We are exposed to additional cybersecurity threats as we continue to migrate our software solutions and data from our legacy systems to cloud-based solutions. We operate in an environment of significant risk of cybersecurity incidents resulting from unintentional events or deliberate attacks by third parties or insiders, which may involve exploiting security vulnerabilities or sophisticated attack methods. These threats include social engineering attacks, phishing attacks and other cyber-attacks, including state-sponsored cyber-attacks, industrial espionage, insider threats, denial-of-service attacks, computer viruses, ransomware and other malware, payment fraud or other cyber incidents. As a software and technology vendor, we may incorporate or distribute software or other materials from third parties. Attacks or other threats to our supply chain for such software and materials may render us unable to provide assurances of the origin of such software and materials, and could put us at risk of distributing software or other materials that may cause harm to ourselves, our customers or other third parties. In addition, increased attention on and use of AI increases the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches, which can occur more quickly and evolve more rapidly when AI is used. Further, use of AI by our employees, whether authorized or unauthorized, increases the risk that our intellectual property and other proprietary information will be unintentionally disclosed.
Previous wording
Cybersecurity breaches could expose us to a risk of loss, the unauthorized disclosure of consumer or customer information, significant litigation, regulatory fines, penalties, loss of customers or reputational damage, indemnity obligations and other liability. There is no assurance that the programs, technologies and processes that we have put in place in an effort to maintain the security and protection of our non-public information and that of our customers will be fully implemented, complied with or effective. If our cybersecurity measures are breached as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, and as a result, someone obtains unauthorized access to our systems or to consumer or customer information, sensitive data may be accessed, stolen, disclosed or lost, our reputation may be damaged, our business may suffer and we could incur significant liability. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service or to sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, or even for some time after, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques, implement adequate preventative measures or remediate any intrusion on a timely or effective basis. Because a successful breach of our computer systems, software, networks or other technology asset could occur and persist for an extended period of time before being detected, we may not be able to immediately address the consequences of a cybersecurity incident.
Current wording
Cybersecurity breaches, including those that impact our third-party vendors and other security providers, could expose us to a risk of loss, the unauthorized disclosure of consumer or customer information, significant litigation, regulatory fines, penalties, loss of customers or reputational damage, indemnity obligations and other liability. There is no assurance that the programs, technologies and processes that we have put in place in an effort to maintain the security and protection of our non-public information and that of our customers will be fully implemented, complied with or effective. If our cybersecurity measures are breached as a result of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, and as a result, someone obtains unauthorized access to our systems or to consumer or customer information, sensitive data may be accessed, stolen, disclosed or lost, our reputation may be damaged, our business may suffer and we could incur significant liability. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service or to sabotage systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until launched against a target, or even for some time after, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques, implement adequate preventative measures or remediate any intrusion on a timely or effective basis. Because a successful breach of our computer systems, software, networks or other technology asset could occur and persist for an extended period of time before being detected, we may not be able to immediately address the consequences of a cybersecurity incident.
Previous wording
Malicious third parties may also conduct attacks designed to temporarily deny customers, distributors and vendors access to our systems and services. Cybersecurity breaches experienced by our vendors, by our distributors, by our customers, by companies that we acquire, or by us may trigger governmental notice requirements and public disclosures, which may lead to widespread negative publicity, statutory damages, and lawsuits filed by individuals impacted by cybersecurity breaches under privacy and cybersecurity statutes that create rights of action. We may also be affected by cybersecurity breaches experienced by customers who use our products on-premises, and those breaches may occur due to factors not under our control, including a customer’s failure to timely install updates and fixes to our products, vulnerabilities in a customer’s own cybersecurity measures, and other factors. Any cybersecurity breach, whether actual or perceived, could harm our reputation, erode customer confidence in the effectiveness of our security measures, negatively impact our ability to attract new customers, cause existing customers to curtail or cease their use of our products and services, cause regulatory or industry changes that impact our products and services, or subject us to third-party lawsuits, regulatory fines or other action or liability, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.
Current wording
Malicious third parties may also conduct attacks designed to temporarily deny customers, distributors and vendors access to our systems and services, and may demand payment by us in order to restore access. Cybersecurity breaches experienced by our vendors, by our distributors, by our customers, by companies that we acquire, or by us may trigger governmental notice requirements and public disclosures, which may lead to widespread negative publicity, statutory damages, and lawsuits filed by individuals impacted by cybersecurity breaches under privacy and cybersecurity statutes that create rights of action. We may also be affected by cybersecurity breaches experienced by customers who use our products on-premises, and those breaches may occur due to factors not under our control, including a customer’s failure to timely install updates and fixes to our products, vulnerabilities in a customer’s own cybersecurity measures, and other factors. Any cybersecurity breach, whether actual or perceived, could harm our reputation, erode customer confidence in the effectiveness of our security measures, negatively impact our ability to attract new customers, cause existing customers to curtail or cease their use of our products and services, cause regulatory or industry changes that impact our products and services, or subject us to third-party lawsuits, regulatory fines or other action or liability, all of which could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.
Previous wording
Our ability to provide reliable products and services to our customers depends on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of our data centers, information technology and communication systems, and increasingly those of our external service providers. Any disruption of or interference with our use of data centers, information technology or communication systems of our external service providers would adversely affect our operations and our business. As we continue to grow our Software segment’s business, our dependency on the continuing operation and availability of these systems increases. Our systems and data centers, and those of our external service providers, could be exposed to damage or interruption. These interruptions can include software or hardware malfunctions, communication failures, outages or other failures of third-party environments or service providers, or be due to defective updates, fires, floods, earthquakes, pandemics, war, terrorist acts or civil unrest, power losses, equipment failures, supply chain disruptions, computer viruses, denial-of-service or other cybersecurity attacks, employee or insider malfeasance, human error and other events beyond our control. Any steps that we or our external service providers have taken to prevent or reduce disruption may not be sufficient to prevent an interruption of services and disaster recovery planning may not account for all eventualities.
Current wording
Our ability to provide reliable products and services to our customers depends on the efficient and uninterrupted operation of our and our external service providers’ data centers, information technology and communication systems. Any disruption of or interference with our use of data centers, information technology or communication systems of our external service providers would adversely affect our operations and our business. As we continue to grow our Software segment’s business, our dependency on the continuing operation and availability of these systems increases. Our systems and data centers, and those of our external service providers, could be exposed to damage or interruption. These interruptions can include software or hardware malfunctions, communication failures, outages or other failures of third-party environments or service providers, or be due to defective updates, fires, floods, earthquakes, pandemics, war, terrorist acts or civil unrest, power losses, equipment failures, supply chain disruptions, computer viruses, denial-of-service or other cybersecurity attacks, employee or insider malfeasance, human error and other events beyond our control. Any steps that we or our external service providers have taken to prevent or reduce disruption may not be sufficient to prevent an interruption of services and disaster recovery planning may not account for all eventualities.
Previous wording
The failure to obtain certain forms of model construction data from our customers or others could harm our business.
Current wording
The failure to obtain certain forms of data from our customers or others for our use in product development could harm our business.
Previous wording
Our business requires that we develop or obtain a reliable source of sufficient amounts of current and statistically relevant data to analyze transactions and update some of our products. In most cases, these data must be periodically updated and refreshed to enable our products to continue to work effectively in a changing environment. We do not own or control much of the data that we require, most of which is collected privately and maintained in proprietary databases. Customers and key business partners provide us with the data we require to analyze transactions, report results and build new models. Our business strategy depends in part upon our ability to access new forms of data to develop custom and proprietary analytic tools. If we fail to maintain sufficient data sourcing relationships with our customers and business partners, or if they decline to provide such data due to privacy, security, competitive concerns, regulatory concerns, or prohibitions or a lack of permission from their customers or partners, we could lose access to required data and our products. If this were to happen, our development of new products might become less effective. We could also become subject to increased legislative, regulatory or judicial restrictions or mandates on the collection, disclosure, transfer or use of such data, in particular if such data is not collected by our providers in a way that allows us to legally use the data. Third parties have asserted copyright and other intellectual property interests in these data, and these assertions, if successful, could prevent us from using these data. We may not be successful in maintaining our relationships with these external data source providers or in continuing to obtain data from them on acceptable terms or at all. Any interruption of our supply of data could seriously harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Current wording
Our business requires that we develop or obtain a reliable source of sufficient amounts of current and statistically relevant data to analyze transactions and update some of our products. In most cases, this data must be periodically updated and refreshed to enable our products to continue to work effectively in a changing environment. We do not own or control much of the data that we require, most of which is collected privately and maintained in proprietary databases. Customers and key business partners provide us with the data we require to analyze transactions, report results and build new models. Our business strategy depends in part upon our ability to access new forms of data to develop custom and proprietary analytic tools. If we fail to maintain sufficient data sourcing relationships with our customers and business partners, or if they decline to provide such data due to privacy, security, competitive concerns, regulatory concerns, or prohibitions or a lack of permission from their customers or partners, we could lose access to required data and our products. If this were to happen, our development of new products might become less effective. We could also become subject to increased legislative, regulatory or judicial restrictions or mandates on the collection, disclosure, transfer or use of such data, in particular if such data is not collected by our providers in a way that allows us to legally use the data. Third parties have asserted copyright and other intellectual property interests in this data, and these assertions, if successful, could prevent us from using this data. We may not be successful in maintaining our relationships with these external data source providers or in continuing to obtain data from them on acceptable terms or at all. Any interruption of our supply of data could seriously harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Previous wording
Our business strategy and our future success will depend in large part on our ability to attract and retain experienced sales, consulting, research and development, marketing, technical support and management personnel. The labor market for these individuals, particularly in the complex technical disciplines of software engineering, data science, and cyber security, is very competitive due to the limited number of people available with the necessary technical skills and understanding to support our complex products and it may become more competitive with general market and economic improvement. We cannot be certain that our compensation strategies will be perceived as competitive by current or prospective employees. This and other competitive factors could impair our ability to recruit and retain personnel. We have experienced past difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, especially in these intensely competitive technical skill areas, and we may experience future difficulty in recruiting and retaining such personnel, at a time when we may need additional staff to support expanded research and development efforts, new customers and/or increased customer needs. We may also recruit skilled technical professionals from other countries to work in the U.S., and from the U.S. and other countries to work abroad. Limitations imposed by immigration laws in the U.S. and abroad and the availability of visas in the countries where we do business could hinder our ability to attract necessary qualified personnel and harm our business and future operating results. There is a risk that even if we invest significant resources in attempting to attract, train and retain qualified personnel, we will not succeed in our efforts, and our business could be harmed. The failure of the value of our stock to appreciate may adversely affect our ability to use equity and equity-based incentive plans to attract and retain personnel, and may require us to use alternative forms of compensation for this purpose.
Current wording
Our business strategy and our future success will depend in large part on our ability to attract and retain experienced sales, consulting, research and development, marketing, technical support and management personnel. The labor market for these individuals, particularly in the complex disciplines of enterprise platform sales, software engineering, data science, AI and cybersecurity, is very competitive due to the limited number of people available with the necessary skills and understanding to build, sell and support our complex products and it may become more competitive with general market growth. We cannot be certain that our compensation strategies will be perceived as competitive by current or prospective employees. This and other competitive factors could impair our ability to recruit and retain personnel. We have experienced past difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, especially in these intensely competitive and technical skill areas, and we may experience future difficulty in recruiting and retaining such personnel, at a time when we may need additional staff to support expanded research and development efforts, new customers and/or increased customer needs. We may also recruit skilled technical professionals from other countries to work in the U.S., and from the U.S. and other countries to work abroad. Limitations imposed by current and changing immigration laws in the U.S. and abroad and the availability of visas in the countries where we do business could hinder our ability to attract and retain necessary qualified personnel and harm our business and future operating results. There is a risk that even if we invest significant resources in attempting to attract, train and retain qualified personnel, we will not succeed in our efforts, and our business could be harmed. The failure of the value of our stock to appreciate may adversely affect our ability to use equity and equity-based incentive plans to attract and retain personnel, and may require us to use alternative forms of compensation for this purpose.
Previous wording
Increased regulatory focus on U.S. residential mortgage closing costs may affect our ability to implement price changes for FICO® Scores used in mortgage originations and thus limit the revenues and profitability of the FICO Score. If new laws, regulations or other governmental action affecting the FICO Score or our other products and services are implemented or carried out, it could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Current wording
Increased regulatory focus on U.S. residential mortgage closing costs may affect our ability to implement price changes for FICO® Scores used in mortgage originations and thus limit the revenues and profitability of the FICO Score. If new laws, regulations or other governmental action affecting the FICO Score or our other products, services and solutions are implemented or carried out, it could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Previous wording
There has been increased focus in the U.S. by federal regulators such as the CFPB and the FTC, as well as the current presidential administration and some states, related to the transparency and fairness of certain fees charged to consumers and the impacts on the costs of consumer goods and services. For example, in May 2024, the CFPB launched a public inquiry to obtain information on fees charged by providers of mortgages and related settlement services in the U.S. residential mortgage market, including fees for credit reports and credit scores. The CFPB indicated that it is looking into why closing costs are increasing, who is benefiting, and how costs for borrowers and lenders could be lowered. If new laws, regulations or other governmental action result from this inquiry, or otherwise, that limit the fees that can be charged for credit scores by us, consumer reporting agencies, or end users of our FICO® Scores, or that place other restrictions on the sale or distribution of credit scores, our ability in the future to increase pricing for FICO Scores used in mortgage originations may be impacted and thus the revenues and profitability of the FICO Score may be adversely affected and the growth of our Scores business may be constrained.
Current wording
There has been increased regulatory focus in the U.S. related to the transparency and fairness of certain fees charged to consumers in connection with the closing of a residential mortgage loan, including fees for credit reports and credit scores. If new laws, regulations or other governmental action limit the fees that can be charged for credit scores by us, consumer reporting agencies, or end users of our FICO® Scores, or that place other restrictions on the sale or distribution of credit scores, our ability in the future to increase pricing for FICO Scores used in mortgage originations may be impacted and thus the revenues and profitability of the FICO Score may be adversely affected and the growth of our Scores business may be constrained.
Previous wording
There has also been increased focus more broadly on laws and regulations in the U.S. related to our business and the business of consumer reporting agencies, including by U.S. state and federal regulators such as the CFPB, relating to policy concerns with regard to the operation of consumer reporting agencies, the sale and distribution of credit scores and credit reports, the use and accuracy of credit and alternative data, the use of credit scores and fair lending, and the use, transparency, and fairness of algorithms, artificial intelligence, and machine learning in business processes. For example, the CFPB has indicated that it intends to issue rules under the FCRA that would extend the FCRA to certain business practices not currently subject to that statute. The costs and other burdens of compliance with such laws and regulations, and with new or revised laws and regulations that may be implemented addressing these topics, could negatively impact the use and adoption of our solutions, reduce overall demand for them, and harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Current wording
There has also been increased focus more broadly on laws and regulations in the U.S. related to our business and the business of consumer reporting agencies, including by U.S. state and federal regulators, relating to policy concerns with regard to the operation of consumer reporting agencies, the sale and distribution of credit scores and credit reports, the use and accuracy of credit and alternative data, the use of credit scores and fair lending, and the use, transparency, and fairness of algorithms, AI, and machine learning in business processes. The costs and other burdens of compliance with such laws and regulations, and with new or revised laws and regulations that may be implemented addressing these topics, could negatively impact the use and adoption of our solutions, reduce overall demand for them, and harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Previous wording
Laws and governmental regulation affect how our business is conducted and, in some cases, subject us to the possibility of government supervision or enforcement and future lawsuits arising from our products and services. Laws and governmental regulations also influence our current and prospective customers’ activities, as well as their expectations and needs in relation to our products and services. Laws and regulations that may affect our business and/or our current and prospective customers’ activities include, but are not limited to, those in the following significant regulatory areas:
Current wording
Laws and governmental regulation affect how our business is conducted and, in some cases, subject us to the possibility of government supervision or enforcement and future lawsuits arising from our products and services. Laws and governmental regulations also influence our current and prospective customers’ activities, as well as their expectations and needs in relation to our products and services, and may require them to flow down certain contractual obligations, exercise greater oversight, and perform more rigorous audits of their key service providers such as us. Laws and regulations in the U.S. and abroad that may affect our business and/or our current and prospective customers’ activities include, but are not limited to, those in the following significant regulatory areas:
Previous wording
•The Cybersecurity Act of 2015; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework; the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act; cyber incident notice requirements for banks and their service providers under rules and regulations issued by federal banking regulators; cybersecurity incident disclosure requirements for public companies under regulations issued by the SEC; and identity theft, file freezing, and similar state privacy laws;
Current wording
•Data and cybersecurity laws and regulations, including: the Cybersecurity Act of 2015; the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework; the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act; cyber incident notice requirements for banks and their service providers under rules and regulations issued by federal banking regulators; cybersecurity incident disclosure requirements for public companies under regulations issued by the SEC; and identity theft, file freezing, and similar state privacy laws;
Previous wording
•Laws and regulations relating to the environmental, social and governance, or sustainability, practices of companies, including enhanced climate-related disclosure requirements from regulators, such as California and the SEC, and the E.U.’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
Current wording
•Laws and regulations relating to the environmental, social and sustainability practices of companies, including enhanced climate-related disclosure requirements from regulators, such as California’s climate disclosure rules and the E.U.’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
Previous wording
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) gives California residents certain privacy rights in the collection and disclosure of their personal information and requires businesses to make certain disclosures and take certain other acts in furtherance of those rights. Additionally, effective January 1, 2023, the California Privacy Rights Act (the “CPRA”) revised and significantly expanded the scope of the CCPA. The CPRA also created a new agency, the California Privacy Protection Agency, authorized to implement and enforce the CCPA and the CPRA. Numerous other U.S. states have considered similar privacy laws, with many of those states having passed such laws with respective effective dates ranging from 2023 through 2026.
Current wording
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) gives California residents certain privacy rights in the collection and disclosure of their personal information and requires businesses to make certain disclosures and take certain other acts in furtherance of those rights. Additionally, effective January 1, 2023, the California Privacy Rights Act (the “CPRA”) revised and significantly expanded the scope of the CCPA. The CPRA also created a new agency, the California Privacy Protection Agency, authorized to implement and enforce the CCPA and the CPRA. Numerous other U.S. states have passed similar privacy laws, and other states are considering such legislation.
Previous wording
The European Commission has finalized the EU AI Act, which establishes requirements for the provision and use of products that leverage artificial intelligence systems, including in credit scoring. The EU AI Act entered into force on August 1, 2024, and its provisions take effect between six and 36 months after that date, with most of those provisions becoming effective in 2026. Other countries, as well as the executive branch of the U.S. government and a number of U.S. states, are considering or have implemented regulations or standards applicable to the provision and use of artificial intelligence technologies.
Current wording
The European Commission has finalized the EU AI Act, which establishes requirements for the provision and use of products that leverage AI systems, including in credit scoring. The EU AI Act entered into force on August 1, 2024, and its provisions take effect between six and 36 months after that date, with most of those provisions becoming effective in 2026. Other countries, as well as the executive branch of the U.S. government and a number of U.S. states, are considering or have implemented laws, regulations or standards applicable to the provision and use of AI technologies.
Previous wording
In addition to existing laws and regulations, changes in the U.S. or foreign legislative, judicial, regulatory or consumer environments could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. The laws and regulations above, and changes to them or their interpretation by the courts, could affect the demand for or profitability of our products, including scoring and consumer products. New laws and regulations pertaining to our customers could cause them to pursue new strategies, reducing the demand for our products. We expect there will continue to be an increased focus on laws and regulations related to our business and/or the business of our clients, including with regard to the operation of consumer reporting agencies, the collection, use, accuracy, correction and sharing of personal information, credit scoring, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and algorithmic accountability and fair lending.
Current wording
In addition to existing laws and regulations, changes in the U.S. or foreign legislative, judicial, regulatory or consumer environments could harm our business, financial condition or results of operations. The laws and regulations above, and changes to them or their interpretation by the courts, could affect the demand for or profitability of our products, including scoring and consumer products. New laws and regulations pertaining to our customers could cause them to pursue new strategies, reducing the demand for our products. We expect there will continue to be an increased focus on laws and regulations related to our business and/or the business of our clients, including with regard to the operation of consumer reporting agencies, the collection, use, accuracy, correction and sharing of personal information, credit scoring, the use of AI and machine learning, and algorithmic accountability and fair lending.
Previous wording
A large portion of our revenues is derived from international sales. During fiscal 2024, 27% of our revenues were derived from business outside the U.S. As part of our growth strategy, we plan to continue to pursue opportunities outside the U.S., including opportunities in countries with economic systems that are in early stages of development and that may not mature sufficiently to result in growth for our business. Accordingly, our future operating results could be negatively affected by a variety of factors arising out of international commerce, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include:
Current wording
A large portion of our revenues is derived from international sales. During fiscal 2025, 23% of our revenues were derived from business outside the U.S. As part of our growth strategy, we plan to continue to pursue opportunities outside the U.S., including opportunities in countries with economic systems that are in early stages of development and that may not mature sufficiently to result in growth for our business. Accordingly, our future operating results could be negatively affected by a variety of factors arising out of international commerce, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include:
Previous wording
•unfavorable tax rules or changes in tariffs and other trade barriers;
Previous wording
In addition to the risk of depending on international sales, we have risks incurred in having research and development personnel located in various international locations. We currently have a substantial portion of our product development staff in international locations, some of which have political and developmental risks. If such risks materialize, our business could be damaged.
Current wording
In addition to the risk of depending on international sales, we have risks incurred in having research and development personnel located in various international locations. We currently have a substantial portion of our product development staff in international locations, some of which have political and developmental risks. For example, approximately one-third of our workforce is located in India, which could be negatively impacted by heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. If any of such risks materialize, our business could be damaged.
Previous wording
Economic uncertainty has and could continue to negatively affect the businesses and purchasing decisions of companies in the industries we serve. Such disruptions present considerable risks to our businesses and operations. As global economic conditions experience stress and negative volatility, or if there is an escalation in regional or global conflicts, or terrorism, we will likely experience reductions in the number of available customers and in capital expenditures by our remaining customers, longer sales cycles, deferral or delay of purchase commitments for our products and increased price competition, which may adversely affect our business, results of operations and liquidity.
Current wording
Economic uncertainty has and could continue to negatively affect the businesses and purchasing decisions of companies in the industries we serve. Such disruptions present considerable risks to our businesses and operations. As global economic conditions experience stress and negative volatility, including any stress or negative volatility related to the imposition of, and threatened imposition of, tariffs and retaliatory tariffs, economic sanctions and increased trade tensions or if there is an escalation in regional or global conflicts, or terrorism, we will likely experience reductions in the number of available customers and in capital expenditures by our remaining customers, longer sales cycles, deferral or delay of purchase commitments for our products and increased price competition, which may adversely affect our business, results of operations and liquidity.
Rearranged previous paragraphs (1)
Previous report — wording carried elsewhere
If we are unable to successfully develop new products or new versions of products, or if we experience defects, failures or delays associated with the introduction of new products or of new versions of products, our business could suffer serious harm.