Experian Stock

Experian plc provides information, analytical tools and marketing services to organizations around the world, ranging from small start-up businesses to multinational corporations. The company's clients use these services to manage risk, find and retain customers, and automate decision-making. It also helps individuals to manage their credit relationships and to minimize the risk of identity theft.

Segments

The company operates in four business segments: Credit Services; Decision Analytics; Marketing Services; and Interactive.

Credit Services

The Credit Services Segment acquires, processes, and manages various databases containing the credit histories of consumers and businesses. Credit Services helps organizations to acquire new customers for credit products, to predict and manage credit risk, and to reduce their exposure to bad debt and fraud. The company maintains databases that hold the credit application and repayment histories of various consumers and businesses. The company owns 13 consumer credit bureaux and 10 business credit bureaux and has an interest in a further 2 consumer and 2 business credit bureaux around the world.

Decision Analytics

The Decision Analytics Segment enables organizations with large customer bases to manage and automate huge volumes of day-to-day decisions. The company's clients include international banks, utility companies and public service providers, who rely on its predictive tools and software to control decision-making at various points of contact with customers.

Marketing Services

The Marketing Services Segment helps clients to find and retain customers, using the appropriate channel and message. The company gathers geographic, demographic and lifestyle information on consumers and businesses. The data is used in conjunction with advanced analytical systems to enable clients to profile their customers, undertake targeted campaigns and measure their marketing success rates and return on investment.

Interactive

The Interactive Segment helps customers to understand and manage their own financial information and assets, as well as to make informed purchasing decisions in areas, such as financial services, shopping and education and to connect them with companies over the Internet. The company provides credit reports directly to consumers, together with credit scores and tools for preventing identity theft. It also provides businesses with lead generation by connecting them with consumers over the Internet.

Geographical Segments

The company's geographical segments include North America; Latin America; the United Kingdom & Ireland; and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)/the Asia Pacific.

Acquisitions

In December 2008, the company acquired the whole of the issued share capital of SearchAmerica, Inc., a provider of payment prediction data and analytics to the healthcare industry in the U.S.A.

Significant Events

On November 23, 2009, Experian plc announced that it has created a joint venture with AXIS Bank Limited; Federal Bank Ltd.; Indian Bank; Magma Fincorp Ltd; Punjab National Bank; Sundaram Finance Ltd.; and Union Bank of India, with Experian owning 49% of the venture.

Competition

The company competes with Dun & Bradstreet; Acxiom; Harte-Hanks; Equifax; TransUnion; and Fair Isaac.