Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options put/call open interest 0.00, read 2026-10-23
Ethical does not pass the values gate
Price21.25 USD
Fair value28.31
Ethical score70.0/100
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-28Read Markup19.66+8.1% to today ✓Distribution gives way to Markup first Markup read since August
2026-10-21Read Distribution19.25+10.4% to today Markdown gives way to Distribution
2026-10-14Read Markdown19.04+11.6% to today Distribution gives way to Markdown after a 7% slide in 12 days
2026-10-02Read Distribution20.49+3.7% to today Markup gives way to Distribution after a 24% rise in 13 weeks
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
First Advantage Corporation holds its Markup at $21.25. Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 30 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-10-23
Phase
Markup
Quantitative state
Consolidating, no directional conviction, held for 30 days
Price at the screen
$21.25
Valuation
140.43 trailing · 13.06 forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL· score 70.0
Beta
1.14
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Does not pass. Debt ratio
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Permissible
Core business clean
Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.
Pass
Debt load
54.49%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is 54.5% of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows.
Fail
Interest-bearing cash
0.00%
Below 33%
Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 0.0% of assets, under the one-third limit.
Pass
Receivables
14.01%
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is 14.0% of assets, under the 49% limit.
Pass
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Falls Short, in Plain English
First Advantage's business is in a permissible area, but its interest-bearing debt is about 54% of the company, well over the ~33% line, so it does not pass on the financial screens.
Read as at 2026-10-27. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
Follow this verdict
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Today FA does not pass the screen. If new figures move it to a pass, we send you one short email with the before and after. Verdicts change rarely, so you may not hear from us for a long time.
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Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-10-23 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 44.0% margin of safety to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 8 covering, consensus Buy. The average target sits +25% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.
Price History & Projections
Where it has been, where the models see it going. History from market close data; projection points are our fair-value estimates and third-party analyst targets, dated to the 2026-10-23 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
Background checks grow but offer little value
Every time a firm brings on new staff the paperwork flows through screening outfits like First Advantage. The business clears an ethical screen and shows steady 9% revenue growth yet sits right at our fair value with only a 1% margin of safety. At the current price there is no real opportunity.
Forward earnings sit on a 15.6 times multiple while profit margins and return on equity both run at just 1%. Analyst targets cluster around 18 dollars, below the 22.35 share price, and the moat remains unknown. This leaves the shares looking fairly valued at best.
Low returns on capital and a thin profit line leave little room for error if hiring slows or competition rises. Currency moves and regulatory shifts in verification rules add further pressure. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The things to watch: it carries a real debt load, which raises the stakes if revenue slips.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
FA trades on Nasdaq. As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The Dated Journal · Newest First, Never Edited
Every Entry, As Written
2026-10-28Markup · changed$19.66+2.1%Entry 9
The framework has shifted from distribution to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 2.1% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 31% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading overbought. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
The framework has shifted from markdown to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved up 1.1% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 20% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
2026-10-14Markdown · changed$19.04-7.1%Entry 7
The framework has shifted from distribution to markdown since the last review. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 7.1% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
The framework has shifted from markup to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.1% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
2026-08-28Markup$20.52-8.2%Entry 5
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 8.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
2026-07-28Markup$22.35+35.5%Entry 4
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 35.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
2026-07-18Markup$16.49+0.0%Entry 3
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 26%. The street (7 analysts) rates it buy, with a mean price target of $18.
2026-07-03Markup$16.49+0.0%Entry 2
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.
2026-07-02Markup$16.49Entry 1
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
