S&P Global shares plunge as weak 2026 guidance fuels fears

Investing.com -- S&P Global shares have declined more than 18% in pre-market trading on Tuesday after the company posted a narrow earnings miss and issued weaker-than-expected 2026 guidance, prompting analysts to flag mounting concerns over the pace of growth.

The group reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $4.30, falling short of consensus by $0.02, while revenue of $3.92 billion was fractionally ahead of expectations.

Full-year adjusted EPS rose 14 percent to $17.83. However, S&P Global projected 2026 adjusted EPS of $19.40 to $19.65, below the market’s $19.96 consensus.

Analysts said the outlook underscored softer momentum in parts of the business.

BMO Capital’s Jeffrey Silber wrote that the company “reported a narrow EPS miss, though this was against a higher bar,” adding that “2026 guidance missed consensus,” with particular disappointment around Ratings, where the 4–7 percent organic constant currency growth guide was “weak.”

He noted investors had hoped for a stronger year for issuance and ratings activity.

Stifel’s Shlomo Rosenbaum said results were “mixed” and warned the stock was “likely to be pressured,” citing lower-than-expected free cash flow and guidance that sits below medium-term targets provided in December.

He highlighted that “2026 Revenue and EPS guidance is below expectations,” and that revenue growth for three of the four retained operating units was beneath prior strategic ranges.

The stock price decline suggests investors are concerned with the challenges facing S&P Global amid potential broader headwinds for the financial data and analytics industry.

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