Equifax 2001 Annual Report Download - page 9

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7
A Record Level of Success
This momentum led Equifax to achieve a reco rd level o f success in
2001. Despite a weak econo my, revenues ro se 8 percent to $1.1 billio n,
while earnings per share grew to $1.15. Mo mentum also translated into
an exceptional perfo rmance in o ur U.S. credit repo rting business, which
posted vo lume gro wth of 20 percent, the highest in o ur 102-year history.
Our franchise is well po sitio ned, operating in 13 countries, where we
have earned the number o ne o r two positio n in each market. Equifax
custo mers, products, services and employees span the glo be do ing busi-
ness where o ver 50 percent o f the wo rld’s gro ss do mestic pro duct (GDP)
is created. The result is a stro ng business mo del in which 70 percent o f
revenue is recurring and nearly a third of every revenue do llar is pro fit.
Our Innovative Initiatives
We strengthened o ur po sitio n even further in 2001 by matching gro wth in
established markets with substantial progress in our newest and most
inno vative initiatives. We built the Small Business Financial ExchangeTM
,
which is generating revenue fo r 2002. By co mbining data co ntributed
fro m leading financial institutio ns, this unprecedented central repository
offers information co ncerning lending experiences on mo re than five mil-
lion small businesses.
Our Co nsumer Direct business co ntinued to expand by using Equifax
info rmatio n to enlighten, enable and empower co nsumers. Revenues
mo re than tripled to $22 million as consumers made 2.1 millio n pur-
chases o f o ur pro ducts. These pro ducts, Sco re Po werTM
, Equifax Credit
WatchTM and Equifax Credit Profile®, no t only create a profitable new
revenue stream, but also truly benefit tho se consumers who co mprise
the backbo ne o f this eco no my. So much so that Business W eek named
Equifax Credit Watch, an identity theft monito ring service for co nsumers,
one o f “The Best Products o f 2001.” Further, Equifax has given co nsumers
gro undbreaking insight into their creditwo rthiness and taken the mys-
tery o ut o f credit scores through Score Po wer. After mo re than a century
of being in the info rmation technology business, Equifax is no w a
consumer products co mpany, as well.
Befo re going any further, I co mmend the more than 5,200 Equifax
employees who made 2001 exceptional. Their acco mplishments are
even more admirable given the challenging econo mic co nditions under
which they were achieved. The perfo rmance o f o ur people is a direct
reflectio n o f their passio nate co mmitment to excellence. Our success also
reflects the loyalty and trust that we enjoy fro m o ur 300,000 customers
wo rldwide. We value and appreciate their co nfidence.
KAREN H. GASTON
Chief Administrative Officer
WILLIAM V. CATUCCI
Group Executive
Global Operations
PHILIP J. MAZZILLI
Chief Financial Officer
KENT E. MAST
Chief Development Officer
and General Counsel
THOMAS F. CHAPMAN
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
VIRGIL P. GARDAYA
General Manager
Consumer Direct
EQUIFAX
EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS