Profits Inch Up at Equifax

ATLANTA – Credit bureau Equifax reported yesterday that fourth quarter earnings rose slightly, less than 1%, to $63.1 million, or 50 cents a share, compared to the fourth quarter last year. Fourth quarter results included a $6.4 million charge for severance expenses related to the company’s restructuring. Fourth quarter revenues rose 8% to $390 million. Fourth quarter highlights included the October acquisition of Austin-Terra, Inc., a provider of business-to-business data management services, part of the company’s strategy to diversify from its core credit reporting services for banks and credit unions. For the full year, the company earned $274.5 million, or $2.12 a share, up 11%, from $246.5 million, or $1.86 a share, in 2005. Revenue increased 7% for the year to $1.55 billion.