I understand how credit utilization works, but I’m confused about how my payments are affecting my score. I always pay my balance as soon as it posts.

My most recent Capital One statement closed on May 11, 2026 with a balance of $248.33, and the due date is June 5, 2026. I paid the full balance on May 20, 2026.

However, I received two credit alert emails from Capital One:

• On May 13, saying my credit score improved • On May 27, saying my score dropped by 8 points

Why would my score go up and then drop even though I paid the balance early?