Equifax Expands Beyond Credit Scores

24. Equifax
Market Cap: $7b
Revenue: $2.2b
EPS: $2.22

Equifax landed at No. 24 in this year’s Bloomberg Businessweek 50, after not earning a place in our ranking of best-performing companies last year. Best known as a provider of consumer credit scores, the Atlanta-based firm has been expanding aggressively, wrapping up $1.2 billion in acquisitions in 2012 alone. Chief Executive Officer Richard Smith spoke with Bloomberg News reporter Elizabeth Dexheimer about the company’s strategy as well as prospects for the U.S. consumer.

What’s driving Equifax’s momentum?
It boils down to three fundamental things. We are innovating at very high levels, and innovation for us is measured by our ability to bring new products and solutions to our customers. We’ve been doing that at record levels now for a number of years in a row. Second, our ability to execute against all of our growth and cost initiatives is at extremely high levels. And third, we are contained to benefit from global expansion.