Business description of EQUIFAX-INC from last 10-k form

OVERVIEW
Equifax Inc. is a leading global provider of information solutions for businesses and consumers. We have a large and diversified group of clients and customers, including financial institutions, corporations, governments and individuals. Our products and services are based on comprehensive databases of consumer and business information derived from numerous types of credit, financial, employment and income, public record, demographic and marketing data. We use proprietary analytical tools to analyze this data to create customized insights, decision-making solutions and processing services for businesses. We help consumers understand, manage and protect their personal information and make more informed financial decisions. Additionally, we are a leading provider of payroll-related and human resources business process outsourcing services in the United States of America, or U.S.
We currently operate in three global regions: North America (U.S. and Canada), Europe (the United Kingdom, or U.K., Spain and Portugal) and Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay). We also maintain support operations in Costa Rica and the Republic of Ireland. We own an equity interest in a consumer credit information company in Russia. During 2009, we formed a joint venture to provide a broad range of credit data and information solutions in India. Of the countries in which we operate, 73% of our revenue was generated in the U.S. during 2010.
Equifax was originally incorporated under the laws of the State of Georgia in 1913, and its predecessor company dates back to 1899. As used herein, the terms Equifax, the Company, we, our and us refer to Equifax Inc., a Georgia corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries as a combined entity, except where it is clear that the terms mean only Equifax Inc.
We are organized and report our business results in five operating segments, as follows:
 
•
U.S. Consumer Information Solutions (USCIS) — provides consumer information solutions to businesses in the U.S. including online credit data and credit decision technology solutions (OCIS), mortgage reporting and settlement solutions, and consumer financial marketing services (CFMS).
International — includes our Canada Consumer, Europe and Latin America business units. Products and services offered are similar to those available in the USCIS, North America Commercial Solutions and North America Personal Solutions operating segments but vary by geographic region.
TALX — provides services enabling clients to outsource and automate the performance of certain payroll-related and human resources business processes, including employment, income and social security number verification, employment-related tax management and talent management services.
North America Personal Solutions — provides products to consumers enabling them to monitor, manage and protect their credit, credit score and identity information and make more informed financial decisions.
North America Commercial Solutions — provides credit, financial, marketing and other information regarding businesses in the U.S. and Canada.
 
2
 
Our revenue base and business mix are diversified among our five segments as depicted in the chart below.
3
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
The following chart summarizes the key products and services offered by each of the business units within our segments:
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
   
USCIS
  
North
  
North
  
International
  
TALX
  
   
OCIS
  
CFMS
  
Mortgage 
Services
  
America
Personal
Solutions
  
America
Commercial
Solutions
  
Canada
Consumer
  
Europe
  
Latin
America
  
The Work
Number ®
  
Tax & Talent
Management
Services
  
Online consumer credit reports
  
X
      
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
          
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
  
X
      
X
      
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
          
Identity authentication/fraud
  
X
              
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
  
X
      
Consumer financial marketing services
      
X
  
X
          
X
  
X
  
X
          
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business marketing services and database management
                  
X
      
X
  
X
          
Business demographic information
                  
X
      
X
              
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
              
X
          
X
              
Identity protection
              
X
                          
Debt Reduction Solutions
              
X
                          
Employment, income and identity verification services
                                  
X
      
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
X
  
X
  
USCIS
North
International
TALX
OCIS
CFMS
Mortgage 
Services
America
Personal
Solutions
Commercial
Canada
Consumer
Europe
Latin
The Work
Number ®
Tax & Talent
Management
Online consumer credit reports
X
Consumer alerts, scores and analytical services
X
Enabling technology services (i.e., credit decisioning platforms)
Identity authentication/fraud
Consumer financial marketing services
Business credit reports, scores and analytical services
Business marketing services and database management
Business demographic information
Direct to consumer credit monitoring
Identity protection
Debt Reduction Solutions
Employment, income and identity verification services
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)