FICO Score 10T Emerges as Top Credit Score for First-Time Homebuyers
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 6 days ago
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Enhanced Score Accuracy: An independent study reveals that FICO® Score 10T outperforms VantageScore 4.0 in predicting first-time homebuyer mortgage risk, significantly impacting loan approvals and terms, thereby facilitating homeownership for more Americans.
- Strong FHA Loan Performance: For FHA first-time homebuyer mortgages, FICO Score 10T exceeds VantageScore 4.0 by over 10%, particularly during origination periods with higher default rates, reinforcing its value in managing default risk effectively.
- Higher Credit Score Distribution: FICO Score 10T enables more first-time buyers to qualify for the highest credit score tiers compared to VantageScore 4.0, enhancing lenders' ability to assess creditworthiness and offer favorable loan conditions to qualified buyers.
- Cost-Free Access to New Score: FICO Score 10T is available at no cost through the FICO Score 10T Free Access Program to nearly 60 lenders, allowing them to conduct side-by-side testing without incurring additional fees, ensuring they can evaluate its effectiveness independently.
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Analyst Views on FICO
Wall Street analysts forecast FICO stock price to rise
9 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1228.100
Low
1700
Averages
2126
High
2500
Current: 1228.100
Low
1700
Averages
2126
High
2500
About FICO
Fair Isaac Corporation is an analytics software company. The Scores segment includes business-to-business (B2B) scoring solutions and services which give its clients access to predictive credit and other scores that can be easily integrated into their transaction streams and decision-making processes. This segment also includes its business-to-consumer (B2C) scoring solutions, including its myFICO.com subscription offerings. Its Software segment includes pre-configured analytic and decision management solutions designed for a specific type of business need or process-such as account origination, customer management, customer engagement, fraud detection and marketing-as well as associated professional services. This segment also includes FICO Platform, a modular software offering designed to support advanced analytic and decision use cases, as well as stand-alone analytic and decisioning software that can be configured by its customers to address a wide variety of business use cases.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
FICO Celebrates 70th Anniversary, Looks to the Future
- Milestone Innovation: FICO celebrates its 70th anniversary at FICO World 2026 with the launch of the 'Hello, Future' campaign, highlighting its leadership in analytics and AI, which is expected to further enhance the company's global market influence.
- Client Conference Success: The event attracts thousands of business leaders from over 60 countries, marking the 50th anniversary of the company's first client conference in 1976, showcasing FICO's enduring appeal and impact in the industry.
- Industry Standard Setter: The FICO® Score, introduced in 1989, has become the industry standard for credit risk in the U.S., used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, significantly enhancing the objectivity and consistency of credit decision-making.
- Focus on Responsible AI: FICO is committed to developing transparent and responsible AI models, holding nearly 240 issued patents and 80 pending applications, reflecting the company's dedication to advancing responsible AI to support future business decisions.
See More
FICO Score 10T Emerges as Top Credit Score for First-Time Homebuyers
- Enhanced Score Accuracy: An independent study reveals that FICO® Score 10T outperforms VantageScore 4.0 in predicting first-time homebuyer mortgage risk, significantly impacting loan approvals and terms, thereby facilitating homeownership for more Americans.
- Strong FHA Loan Performance: For FHA first-time homebuyer mortgages, FICO Score 10T exceeds VantageScore 4.0 by over 10%, particularly during origination periods with higher default rates, reinforcing its value in managing default risk effectively.
- Higher Credit Score Distribution: FICO Score 10T enables more first-time buyers to qualify for the highest credit score tiers compared to VantageScore 4.0, enhancing lenders' ability to assess creditworthiness and offer favorable loan conditions to qualified buyers.
- Cost-Free Access to New Score: FICO Score 10T is available at no cost through the FICO Score 10T Free Access Program to nearly 60 lenders, allowing them to conduct side-by-side testing without incurring additional fees, ensuring they can evaluate its effectiveness independently.
See More
Upstart's Q1 Earnings Disappoint, Stock Down 39%
- AI Credit Evaluation Innovation: Upstart's AI-driven credit evaluation platform fundamentally changes lending practices, with management claiming its model approves more borrowers without adding risk, enhancing lending efficiency and market competitiveness.
- Partner Expansion: Since going public, Upstart has increased its lending partners from 10 to over 100, recently securing a deal with USF Credit Union in Florida, indicating significant improvement in market penetration.
- Significant Business Growth: In Q1 2026, Upstart's originations in auto lending and home products surged by 300% and 250% year-over-year, respectively, demonstrating rapid expansion into new sectors and strong market demand.
- Bank Charter Application: Upstart is applying for a bank charter, which could further expand its operational scope; however, it faces competition from other credit disruptors, and with a current P/E ratio of 69, investors should carefully assess the investment opportunity.
See More
Fair Isaac Corporation Reports Strong Growth for FY2026
- Significant Revenue Growth: Fair Isaac Corporation reported total revenue of $691.7 million for FQ2 2026, marking a 39% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance and sustained growth potential.
- Net Income Improvement: GAAP net income rose to $264.5 million, or $11.14 per share, up from $162.6 million and $6.59 per share a year ago, reflecting a substantial enhancement in the company's profitability.
- Business Drivers: The Scores segment saw a 60% revenue increase to $475.0 million, primarily driven by a 72% surge in B2B scoring solutions, highlighting strong demand and pricing power in the credit scoring market.
- Upward Guidance Revision: The company raised its full-year FY2026 revenue guidance to $2.45 billion and GAAP EPS forecast to $35.60, demonstrating management's confidence in future performance and an optimistic market outlook.
See More
Major Shift in Mortgage Credit Scoring Economics
- Credit Scoring Structure Change: Fair Isaac's (FICO) new pricing structure could reshape how lenders assess risk, thereby influencing loan pricing and management of housing cycles, enhancing market transparency.
- Conversion Sensitivity Impact: The conversion sensitivity of the new pricing structure may lead lenders to adopt a more cautious approach in risk assessment, potentially affecting overall credit market liquidity and borrowing costs.
- Regulatory Background Consideration: In the current regulatory environment, lenders must reassess their credit scoring models to ensure compliance with new regulations, which may result in increased compliance costs in the short term.
- Investor Focus: Investors should closely monitor the potential impacts of this change on the lending market, particularly during economic fluctuations, as the new credit scoring mechanism may affect loan availability and interest rate levels.
See More
FICO Score 10T Outperforms VantageScore 4.0 in Mortgage Evaluation
- Credit Score Advantage: A study by Milliman reveals that FICO Score 10T predicts default risk more accurately than VantageScore 4.0 across nearly 20 million mortgages, with an over 8% advantage in FHA loans, highlighting its significance for assessing first-time homebuyers and underserved borrowers.
- Performance Improvement Trend: Since 2018, the performance advantage of FICO Score 10T has more than doubled, with a 7.4% outperformance over VantageScore 4.0 in 2023 GSE loans, indicating its effectiveness and reliability in navigating complex risk environments.
- Free Access Program: FICO Score 10T is available through a free access program to over 55 mortgage lenders, covering $557 billion in originations and $1.6 trillion in mortgage servicing portfolios, aimed at enabling lenders to compare and evaluate without incurring additional costs.
- Transparent Pricing Model: The FICO Mortgage Direct License Program offers FICO Score 10T at $0.99 per score, providing a lower-cost alternative to legacy distribution models while maintaining pricing transparency, assisting lenders in making informed decisions during the credit score modernization transition.
See More
FICO Celebrates 70th Anniversary, Looks to the Future
- Milestone Innovation: FICO celebrates its 70th anniversary at FICO World 2026 with the launch of the 'Hello, Future' campaign, highlighting its leadership in analytics and AI, which is expected to further enhance the company's global market influence.
- Client Conference Success: The event attracts thousands of business leaders from over 60 countries, marking the 50th anniversary of the company's first client conference in 1976, showcasing FICO's enduring appeal and impact in the industry.
- Industry Standard Setter: The FICO® Score, introduced in 1989, has become the industry standard for credit risk in the U.S., used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, significantly enhancing the objectivity and consistency of credit decision-making.
- Focus on Responsible AI: FICO is committed to developing transparent and responsible AI models, holding nearly 240 issued patents and 80 pending applications, reflecting the company's dedication to advancing responsible AI to support future business decisions.
See More
FICO Score 10T Emerges as Top Credit Score for First-Time Homebuyers
- Enhanced Score Accuracy: An independent study reveals that FICO® Score 10T outperforms VantageScore 4.0 in predicting first-time homebuyer mortgage risk, significantly impacting loan approvals and terms, thereby facilitating homeownership for more Americans.
- Strong FHA Loan Performance: For FHA first-time homebuyer mortgages, FICO Score 10T exceeds VantageScore 4.0 by over 10%, particularly during origination periods with higher default rates, reinforcing its value in managing default risk effectively.
- Higher Credit Score Distribution: FICO Score 10T enables more first-time buyers to qualify for the highest credit score tiers compared to VantageScore 4.0, enhancing lenders' ability to assess creditworthiness and offer favorable loan conditions to qualified buyers.
- Cost-Free Access to New Score: FICO Score 10T is available at no cost through the FICO Score 10T Free Access Program to nearly 60 lenders, allowing them to conduct side-by-side testing without incurring additional fees, ensuring they can evaluate its effectiveness independently.
See More
Upstart's Q1 Earnings Disappoint, Stock Down 39%
- AI Credit Evaluation Innovation: Upstart's AI-driven credit evaluation platform fundamentally changes lending practices, with management claiming its model approves more borrowers without adding risk, enhancing lending efficiency and market competitiveness.
- Partner Expansion: Since going public, Upstart has increased its lending partners from 10 to over 100, recently securing a deal with USF Credit Union in Florida, indicating significant improvement in market penetration.
- Significant Business Growth: In Q1 2026, Upstart's originations in auto lending and home products surged by 300% and 250% year-over-year, respectively, demonstrating rapid expansion into new sectors and strong market demand.
- Bank Charter Application: Upstart is applying for a bank charter, which could further expand its operational scope; however, it faces competition from other credit disruptors, and with a current P/E ratio of 69, investors should carefully assess the investment opportunity.
See More
Fair Isaac Corporation Reports Strong Growth for FY2026
- Significant Revenue Growth: Fair Isaac Corporation reported total revenue of $691.7 million for FQ2 2026, marking a 39% year-over-year increase, indicating strong market performance and sustained growth potential.
- Net Income Improvement: GAAP net income rose to $264.5 million, or $11.14 per share, up from $162.6 million and $6.59 per share a year ago, reflecting a substantial enhancement in the company's profitability.
- Business Drivers: The Scores segment saw a 60% revenue increase to $475.0 million, primarily driven by a 72% surge in B2B scoring solutions, highlighting strong demand and pricing power in the credit scoring market.
- Upward Guidance Revision: The company raised its full-year FY2026 revenue guidance to $2.45 billion and GAAP EPS forecast to $35.60, demonstrating management's confidence in future performance and an optimistic market outlook.
See More
Major Shift in Mortgage Credit Scoring Economics
- Credit Scoring Structure Change: Fair Isaac's (FICO) new pricing structure could reshape how lenders assess risk, thereby influencing loan pricing and management of housing cycles, enhancing market transparency.
- Conversion Sensitivity Impact: The conversion sensitivity of the new pricing structure may lead lenders to adopt a more cautious approach in risk assessment, potentially affecting overall credit market liquidity and borrowing costs.
- Regulatory Background Consideration: In the current regulatory environment, lenders must reassess their credit scoring models to ensure compliance with new regulations, which may result in increased compliance costs in the short term.
- Investor Focus: Investors should closely monitor the potential impacts of this change on the lending market, particularly during economic fluctuations, as the new credit scoring mechanism may affect loan availability and interest rate levels.
See More
FICO Score 10T Outperforms VantageScore 4.0 in Mortgage Evaluation
- Credit Score Advantage: A study by Milliman reveals that FICO Score 10T predicts default risk more accurately than VantageScore 4.0 across nearly 20 million mortgages, with an over 8% advantage in FHA loans, highlighting its significance for assessing first-time homebuyers and underserved borrowers.
- Performance Improvement Trend: Since 2018, the performance advantage of FICO Score 10T has more than doubled, with a 7.4% outperformance over VantageScore 4.0 in 2023 GSE loans, indicating its effectiveness and reliability in navigating complex risk environments.
- Free Access Program: FICO Score 10T is available through a free access program to over 55 mortgage lenders, covering $557 billion in originations and $1.6 trillion in mortgage servicing portfolios, aimed at enabling lenders to compare and evaluate without incurring additional costs.
- Transparent Pricing Model: The FICO Mortgage Direct License Program offers FICO Score 10T at $0.99 per score, providing a lower-cost alternative to legacy distribution models while maintaining pricing transparency, assisting lenders in making informed decisions during the credit score modernization transition.
See More
