Equifax Board of Directors Announces First Quarter Dividend; Increases by 12.5% to $0.18 Per Share

ATLANTA, Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 12.5 percent increase in the quarterly cash dividend, increasing it to $0.18 per share from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share.  The cash dividend is payable on March 15, 2012, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 23, 2012.  Equifax has paid cash dividends for 99 consecutive years.

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"Our dividend program is an important part of our shareholders' total return on investment in Equifax," said Richard F. Smith, Equifax's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  "The fact that our annual cash dividend has increased again after a substantial increase last year, demonstrates our confidence in Equifax's future growth and expectations for continued strong performance."    

In the fourth quarter of 2010, Equifax increased its quarterly cash dividend by 300% from $0.04 to $0.16 to deliver a more meaningful cash return to continuing shareholders, targeted at a range of 25% to 35% of net income.

About Equifax

Equifax is a global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions, providing businesses of all sizes and consumers with information they can trust. We organize and assimilate data on more than 500 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide, and use advanced analytics and proprietary technology to create and deliver customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 17 countries and is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500^® Index.  Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. For more information, please visit www.equifax.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Management believes certain statements in this earnings release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements regarding the timing and amount of future dividend payments, the targeted dividend payout ratio and growth expectations.  The declaration and payment of dividends is at the discretion of Equifax's Board of Directors and will depend on the company's financial results, cash requirements, future prospects, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied.  Such differences may result from actions taken by Equifax, including restructuring or strategic initiatives (including capital investments or asset acquisitions or dispositions), as well as from developments beyond our control, including, but not limited to, changes in worldwide and U.S. economic conditions that materially impact consumer spending, consumer debt and employment and the demand for Equifax's products and services. Other risk factors include our ability to successfully develop and market new products and services, respond to pricing and other competitive pressures, complete and integrate acquisitions and other investments and achieve targeted cost efficiencies; risks relating to illegal third party efforts to access data; changes in, and the effects of, laws and regulations and government policies governing our business, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, in particular the establishment of a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with authority to write rules impacting the business of, conduct examinations of, and enforce the laws and regulations it writes against credit reporting companies, and related regulations, federal or state responses to identity theft concerns; adverse or uncertain economic conditions and changes in credit and financial markets; the European sovereign debt crisis; the recent downgrade of U.S. sovereign debt and political concerns over related budgetary matters, exchange rates; timing and amount of capital expenditures; changes in capital markets and corresponding effects on the company's investments and benefit plan obligations; earnings exchange rates and the decisions of taxing authorities, all of which could affect our effective tax rates; and potential adverse developments in new and pending legal proceedings or governments investigations.  Additional risks and uncertainties can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 under captions "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A, "Risk Factors", and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  Forward-looking statements are given only as at the date of this release and the company disclaims any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Equifax Inc.