Businessweek

Equifax Inc. provides information solutions and human resources business process outsourcing services for businesses and consumers in the United States of America (U.S.). The company’s clients include financial institutions, corporations, governments, and individuals. The company’s products and services are based on databases of consumer and business information derived from various types of credit, financial assets, telecommunications and utility payment, employment, income, public record, demographic, and marketing data. The company operates in three global regions, such as North America (the U.S. and Canada), Europe (the United Kingdom (U.K.), Spain, and Portugal), and Latin America. Segments The company operates through five segments: U.S. Consumer Information Solutions (USCIS); International; Workforce Solutions; North America Personal Solutions; and North America Commercial Solutions. USCIS This segment provides consumer information solutions to businesses in the U.S. through three product lines, as follows: Online Consumer Information Solutions (OCIS) OCIS products are derived from multiple databases of consumer information that the company maintains about individual consumers, including credit history, current credit status, payment history, and consumer address information. Its clients utilize the information and analytical insights it provides to make decisions for a range of financial and business purposes, such as whether, and on what terms, to approve auto loans or credit card applications, and whether to allow a consumer to open a new utility or telephone account, cross-selling additional products to existing customers, improving their underwriting and risk management decisions, authenticating and verifying consumer identities. OCIS clients access products through a range of electronic distribution mechanisms, including direct real-time access, which facilitates instant decisions. The company also develops and hosts customized applications that improve the decision-making process for its clients. These decisioning technology applications assist with various decisioning activities, including determining pre-approved offers, cross-selling of various products, determining deposit amounts for telephone and utility companies, and verifying the identity of their consumer customers. Mortgage Solutions The company’s Mortgage Solutions products, offered in the U.S., consist of specialized credit reports that combine information from the three major consumer credit reporting agencies (the company, Experian Group Limited, and TransUnion LLC) into a single ‘merged’ credit report in an online format, commonly referred to as a tri-merge report. Mortgage lenders use these tri-merge reports in making their mortgage underwriting decisions. Additionally, the company offers various ‘triggering’ services designed to alert lenders to changes in a consumer’s credit status during the underwriting period and securitized portfolio risk assessment services for evaluating inherent portfolio risk. Consumer Financial Marketing Services (CFMS) The company’s CFMS products utilize consumer financial information enabling its clients to manage their marketing efforts, including targeting and segmentation; to identify and acquire new clients for their products and services; to develop portfolio strategies to minimize risk and maximize profitability; and to realize additional revenue from existing customers through cross-selling and up-selling of additional products and services. These products utilize information derived from consumer information, including credit, income, asset, liquidity, net worth, and spending activity, which also support majority of its OCIS products. The company also provides account review services, which assist its clients in managing their existing customers and prescreen services that help its clients identify new opportunities with their customers. Clients for these products primarily include institutions in the banking, brokerage, retail, insurance, and mortgage industries, as well as companies primarily focused on digital and interactive marketing. INTERNATIONAL This s