Experian has reported first-quarter revenue growth, excluding the effect of exchange rates, of 5%. Performance was in-line with expectations.
Growth was broad based across geographies, with Latin America the standout where the free membership base rose to 95m and adoption of its suite of data tools from businesses improved.
In North America, the largest region, weaker trends in business credit were offset by contributions from buy-now-pay-later clients and the free membership base rose to 64m.
The Group continues to expect organic revenue growth of between 4-6% and a modest improvement in margins.
The shares were broadly flat in early trading.
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Our view
Experian is a global information services company specializing in data analytics, credit reporting, and identity verification.
First quarter trading didn't throw up any curveballs and the direction of travel points to ongoing resilience. That's testament to Experian's broad range of products, which should hold it in good stead in various environments. But there are ongoing signs that lending criteria remains tight in the US and UK, and the revenue outlook points to a softening market over the coming year.
We've been pleasantly surprised by the extent of the success of the Consumer business. This division was given some real TLC in recent years and that work has paid off. We also view this area as a very strong asset for the long term. As people become more financially knowledgeable, with education around personal finance becoming more mainstream, Experian's primed to benefit.
Longer term, as the world continues to digitise, we think the data-led solutions that Experian can offer businesses and consumers will likely keep increasing in demand. Plus, the group's business products arguably become more essential in an uncertain environment. Identity, credit and fraud checks are hardly something businesses can ditch altogether.
There are further opportunities as new technologies take hold too. The large presence in Latin America is driving impressive growth as Experian looks to capitalise on a region that's undergoing major upgrades to its financial services sector. It all started when they bought a chunk of a Brazilian credit bureau, and the consumer services business now addresses half the adult population.
Technology is the cornerstone of a data business, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the topic of the moment. The key to generating true value from AI is having unique data for it to learn from, and that's something Experian has a treasure trove of. AI is already being integrated into products, and we see plenty of opportunities to leverage this technology to add value.
Cash generation remains strong and the balance sheet's looking healthy too, with net debt relative to underlying cash profit below the target range. That gives scope to weather potential storms and paves the way for the new buyback they have announced for 2024. Of course, no returns are guaranteed.
The valuation is down from the highs seen a couple of years ago but sits above the longer-term average. We continue to be supportive of Experian's range of products and the evolving importance of data in the modern world. With a long-term view, there's a lot to like. But, there are a few clouds ahead, and a significant drawback in borrowing and lending is likely to impact performance.
Experian key facts
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