First Advantage
Runs identity, background, health, and compliance checks across the workforce lifecycle.
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Profile
Sells configurable background screening, identity and credential verification, drug and health testing, employment-eligibility workflows, and continuous monitoring to employers. Most revenue comes from pre-onboarding activity in the United States, so results depend on customer hiring volumes, regulated access to personal data, and the continuing integration of Sterling.
Provides identity verification, criminal background checks, credential and work-history verification, drug and health screening, fingerprinting, employment-eligibility workflows, and continuous workforce monitoring. Configurable platforms connect with applicant-tracking and human-capital systems, combining proprietary records with primary-source and third-party data to deliver screening results quickly.
Operates through First Advantage Americas, First Advantage International, and Sterling, the acquired global screening business. Revenue is concentrated in the United States, with a smaller presence across Europe, India, Asia Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. Execution rests on data access, workflow integration, turnaround time, and Sterling platform integration. Demand follows customer hiring and onboarding volumes, while background-reporting and privacy rules govern how personal data is collected, checked, and delivered.
Company facts
Key statistics
Year to date +47.6% · Average volume (30d) 2.3M
Analysts
Ratings
Target range
Latest analyst notes
| Date | Firm | Action | Prior rating | Rating | Prior target | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2026 | RBC Capital | Reiterate | Sector Perform | $21 | $24 | |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Barclays | Reiterate | Overweight | $15 | $30 | |
| Aug 6, 2026 | Needham | Upgrade | Hold | Buy | $28 | |
| Aug 3, 2026 | RBC Capital | Reiterate | Sector Perform | $21 | ||
| May 8, 2026 | Stifel Nicolaus | Target | $21 | $18 |
Earnings
EPS
Revenue
History
| Report date | EPS est | EPS | Surprise | Revenue est | Revenue | Surprise | Next session |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 2026Q2 FY26 | $0.29 | $0.35 | +20.1% | $415.0M | $448.8M | +8.1% | +17.32% |
| May 7, 2026Q1 FY26 | $0.21 | $0.26 | +23.8% | $372.6M | $385.2M | +3.4% | +1.27% |
| Feb 26, 2026Q4 FY25 | $0.26 | $0.30 | +15.4% | $391.9M | $420.0M | +7.2% | −1.54% |
| Nov 6, 2025Q3 FY25 | $0.28 | $0.30 | +7.1% | $392.5M | $409.2M | +4.2% | −3.55% |
Financial highlights
| 12 quarters | Q1 FY25 | Q2 FY25 | Q3 FY25 | Q4 FY25 | Q1 FY26 | Q2 FY26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $354.6M | $390.6M | $409.2M | $420.0M | $385.2M | $448.8M | |
| Gross profit | $162.0M | $182.8M | $187.1M | $100.5M | $111.6M | $204.0M | |
| Operating income | $7.6M | $37.7M | $42.2M | $45.6M | $34.1M | $57.0M | |
| Net income | −$41.2M | $308.0K | $2.6M | $3.5M | $2.2M | $16.9M | |
| Diluted EPS | −$0.24 | $0.00 | $0.01 | $0.02 | $0.01 | $0.10 | |
| Gross margin | 45.7% | 46.8% | 45.7% | 23.9% | 29.0% | 45.5% | |
| Operating margin | 2.1% | 9.7% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 8.8% | 12.7% |
Fiscal years (4-quarter sums)FY21 $712.3M · FY22 $810.0M · FY23 $763.8M · FY24 $860.2M · FY25 $1.57B
Revenue by product · Q2 FY26
Revenue by geography · Q2 FY26
Balance sheet, Jun 30, 2026Cash & short-term investments $237.9M · Total debt $2.04B · Total assets $3.75B · Shareholders' equity $1.29B
Dividends
History
| Ex-date | Record | Paid | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2023 | Aug 21 | Aug 31 | $1.50 | special dividend |
Ownership
A 13F quarter can total more than the shares outstanding — sub-advisers file the same block twice, and a filer's own share count can be a quarter stale. No split is drawn from it.
Shares outstanding 171.54M · Float 77.68M · 45.3% free float
Top shareholders13F · 13D/G · Form 4
| Holder | Shares | % outstanding | Form | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Lake Group, L.L.C. | 89.56M | 52.21% | 13F | Aug 14, 2026 |
| V. (gp) L.l.c. Slta · director, 10 percent owner: | 73.03M | 42.57% | Form 4 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Price T Rowe Associates Inc /MD/ | 15.71M | 9.16% | 13F | Aug 14, 2026 |
| T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. | 13.38M | 7.70% | 13G | Nov 14, 2025 |
| BlackRock, Inc. | 11.90M | 6.90% | 13G | Jul 28, 2026 |
Insider tradesForm 4
| Date | Insider | Role | Shares | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 2026 | V. (gp) L.l.c. Slta | director, 10 percent owner: | −12,500,000 | $22.02 |
| Jun 8, 2026 | James Lindsey Clark | director | −4,921 | $15.69 |
| May 12, 2026 | Bret T. Jardine | officer: Chief Legal Officer | −682 | $16.12 |
| May 7, 2026 | Joelle M. Smith | officer: President | −23,334 | $15.00 |
| Mar 5, 2026 | Bret T. Jardine | officer: Chief Legal Officer | −600 | $12.09 |
Peers
- ADP
Direct HCM rival in background checks and drug screening
- Equifax
Workforce-data rival in verifications and I-9 compliance
- RELX (ADR)
Identity, watchlist, and public-records risk data rival
- TransUnion
Screening-data rival in tenant checks and credit risk reports
- Paychex
SMB HCM channel rival for embedded employee screening
CompareAfter-hours close
| Company | Price | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Advantage | $21.29 | +1.19% | $3.61B | 143.1 | 15.4 | 2.2 | +14.9% |
| ADP | $286.34 | −0.36% | $114.92B | 26.3 | 23.4 | 5.2 | +6.8% |
| Equifax | $179.34 | −7.65% | $22.83B | 34.2 | 21.2 | 3.5 | +10.6% |
| RELX (ADR) | $36.54 | 0.00% | $63.79B | 21.3 | — | 4.8 | +0.4% |
| TransUnion | $84.99 | −0.81% | $16.41B | 22.6 | 16.6 | 3.4 | +14.9% |
| Paychex | $127.04 | +0.02% | $45.19B | 26.0 | 21.3 | 6.9 | +12.5% |
| Median | 26.0 | 21.2 | 4.8 | +10.6% |