Equifax 2012 Annual Report Download - page 3

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>By any measure, Equifax drove extraordinary performance for its
shareholders in 2012. Our strategy of bringing together diverse data
assets, developing valuable insights through analytics, and delivering
the results through our proprietary decisioning applications continues
to be successful. As has been proven now through diverse economic
conditions, enabling critical business decisions with confidence in a
world of increased opportunity and risk is highly valued by our
customers.
As a result of rigorous execution of our long-term strategy, revenues
of $2.2 billion in 2012 topped the previous year by 10%. Indicative
of the success of our growth initiatives and expense management,
including LEAN and other process improvements, our Adjusted
Earnings per Share grew 18%. The Company’s dividend payout was
increased by 22% − the third increase in the past four years −
consistent with our policy of returning 25%-35% of net income to
shareholders.
For the year, Equifax generated $1.8 billion in shareholder wealth, with
our stock price appreciating 40% over the past 12 months, reaching a
new all-time high. This combination of growth, operating performance
and shareholder return earned us a 24th ranking in the Bloomberg
Businessweek listing of the top 50 performing companies in 2012.
These results were accomplished through aggressive and successful
pursuit of new business with existing and new customers, and further
penetration of our targeted vertical markets through innovative solu-
tions. The Equifax story is one of a successful and resilient business
strategy, created and implemented by an exceptional management
team, achieving robust results year-over-year through service to an
expanding and increasingly diverse base of customers. We enter 2013 with great
optimism about the opportunities for growth and improved returns on our investments.
Sustaining Robust Growth
Broad-based and diverse growth drove 2012 gains across our business units and geographic
markets. We achieved growth in three ways: by extending our existing portfolio of products and
services to more customers; by developing new solutions and expanding share-of-wallet; and by
implementing compelling new decisioning tools for our customers. The range of customer needs that
Equifax addresses has broadened immensely in recent years. Our solid strategic foundation guides
our efforts: expanding an unmatched array of differentiated data assets and customized
analytics; delivering relevant, high-value products to the marketplace that reflect constant listening
to the voice of the customer; strengthening our capabilities in vertical markets with focused expertise
and dedicated resources; making strategic acquisitions and integrating them with a rigorous
discipline; driving relentless process improvement; and recruiting and developing the strongest
possible management and professional talent.
To Our
Shareholders
“As has been proven
now through diverse
economic conditions,
enabling critical
business decisions with
confidence in a world of
increased opportunity
and risk is highly valued
by our customers.”
1Equifax 2012 Annual Report
1