FICO Shares Fall, As Critic Bill Pulte Named Acting Intelligence Director

Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) shares dropped 3.75% on Tuesday. President Donald Trump appointed Bill Pulte as the acting director of national intelligence. Pulte will also continue to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

As FHFA director, Pulte has repeatedly challenged FICO’s industry dominance and criticized its pricing as monopolistic. In April, Freddie Mac began accepting the rival VantageScore 4.0 model under his leadership. This previous policy shift caused FICO's stock to decline earlier this year.

Investors view the new appointment as a sign of Pulte's growing influence within the administration. The market reaction reflects concerns that his empowered position could lead to further actions undermining FICO’s market position.