Lowered Forecast Hammers D&B (DNB, EFX, FICO, MCO, MHP)

Along with Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX), Fair Isaac Corp. (NYSE: FICO), Moody’s Corp. (NYSE: MCO), and the Standard & Poor’s division of The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. (NYSE: MHP), D&B provides the information many lenders use to make credit decisions. Unlike the other companies, D&B has not been able to hit an EPS estimate for several quarters in a row now. Revenue estimates have fared just as badly.

Perhaps as an effort to reset expectations, D&B revised its revenue growth estimate from a range of 3% to 5% to a new range of 0-3% when it reported quarterly results last night. The downward change likely recognizes the increasing competition from competitors like Equifax and Moody’s.

D&B’s shares are down -13.8% at $65.26 in a 52-week range of $58.50-$86.52.

Paul Ausick