Background to Experian

Experian is a global leader in providing information, analytical tools and marketing services to organisations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.

We employ approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries, supporting clients in over 65 countries. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2009 was $3.9bn.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Our corporate headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland and we have operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, California and Nottingham, UK.

The Group reports its financial performance on a geographical basis across four regions: North America, Latin America, UK and Ireland and EMEA/Asia Pacific. Our activities in these regions are grouped into four principal business lines:

Credit Services

Credit Services helps organisations to acquire new customers for credit products, to predict and manage credit risk, and to reduce their exposure to bad debt and fraud. We maintain very large, comprehensive databases that hold the credit application and repayment histories of millions of consumers and businesses. The Group owns 13 consumer credit bureaux and 10 business credit bureaux and we have an interest in a further two consumer and two business credit bureaux around the world.

In consumer credit information, we’re one of three providers in the US; the others are Equifax and TransUnion. Experian is the clear market leader in both the UK and Brazil, and has leading positions in many other countries. In business information, Experian has leading positions in the UK and Brazil, and in a number of other markets. Dun & Bradstreet is the only global competitor in this field.

Decision Analytics

Decision Analytics enables organisations with large customer bases to manage and automate huge volumes of day-to-day decisions. Our clients include international banks, utility companies and public service providers, who rely on its predictive tools and sophisticated software to control decision-making at all points of contact with the customer. Experian is the market leader in the provision of credit-related analytics and software in all geographies other than the US, where Fair Isaac is dominant. There is also competition in individual markets from smaller, localised players.

Marketing Services

Marketing Services helps clients to find and retain customers, using the most appropriate channel and message. Experian gathers extensive 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 highly targeted campaigns and measure their marketing success rate. In the US, large marketing competitors for traditional direct marketing services include Acxiom and Harte-Hanks. Competition elsewhere tends to be fragmented and specialist, particularly in new media.

Interactive

Interactive enables consumers to manage and protect their personal credit files and to make more informed purchasing decisions. We provide credit reports directly to consumers, together with credit scores and tools for preventing identity theft. We also provide businesses with lead generation by connecting them with consumers over the internet. Our direct-to-consumer, credit information business is the clear market leader in both the US and UK. In the US, competition is provided by Equifax, TransUnion, Fair Isaac and other smaller specialists, but Experian is more than twice the size of any of these competitors. In the UK, competition is provided by Equifax and smaller niche players.