Why Equifax Stock Fell 25.6% in September

Equifax (NYSE: EFX) stock plunged 25.6% last month, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, following revelations about a data breach earlier this year that exposed the personal information of roughly 145.5 million Americans. Compounding the scandal, the company delayed revealing the breach for five weeks after it was discovered, and three senior executives sold roughly $2 million in stock in the period before the news was made public.

Image source: Getty Images.

The Equifax hack stands as the fifth-largest publicly known data breach in terms of the number of people affected, and perhaps the most severe in terms of the sensitivity of the information stolen. Social Security numbers, rental histories, credit card numbers, and other personal data were exposed. In response, CEO Richard Smith stepped down on Sept. 26.

Source: Fool.com