ATLANTA, February 16, 1999 -- Equifax has given its customers more predictive power and added neural network technology to its already successful Bankruptcy Navigator, the comprehensive solution for managing the effects of bankruptcy on financial portfolios. Bankruptcy Navigator Index '99 employs the most advanced statistical tools available to help identify and minimize the risk of potential bankruptcies before they impact a customer's portfolio, enabling early, positive action to mitigate risk.

James J. Allhusen, Equifax executive vice president and group executive, said, "With its advanced technology and unique analysis capabilities, Bankruptcy Navigator Index '99 has the potential to save lenders millions in write-offs due to bankruptcy losses."

The newest member of Equifax's Navigator family draws upon the combined strength of four variables:

• The statistical power of a proprietary neural network
• The Equifax Risk and Usage ForecastSM for semiannual metropolitan statistical area-based credit risk and usage forecasts for the 231 Metropolitan Statistical Areas throughout the USA. (MSAs are economically integrated areas with one or more central cities with a population of at least 50,000.)
• The ability to help identify high-potential "surprise" bankruptcies (people who appear to be low risk, but who actually pose higher than average bankruptcy risk)
• Five bankruptcy scorecards to predict bankruptcy risk within the next 24 months.

"Equifax has long recognized the impact the rising number of bankruptcies has on our customers' portfolios," Allhusen said. "We launched an offensive to stem the tide of losses from bankruptcy in 1996 with the introduction of Bankruptcy Navigator, and now we're taking the battle to a new level with Navigator Index '99."

Information from the four major components is combined into a three-digit customer-deliverable score. The system incorporates geographic risk into the equation with the Risk and Usage Forecast data (developed in conjunction with WEFA) for 231 MSAs. Bankruptcy Navigator Index '99 can be used throughout the entire credit life cycle, from account acquisition through portfolio management to recovery/collections.

"Consumer bankruptcies hit an all-time high of 1.4 million in 1998 and industry sources project an increase to more than 2 million by 2001," Allhusen added. "Financial institutions need to protect themselves against losses from this growing problem and Bankruptcy Navigator Index '99 is designed specifically to help them do just that."

Bankruptcy Navigator Index '99 is available now. For further information, please contact Dina White at 770-740-6190.

EQUIFAX (NYSE: EFX) is a worldwide leader in shaping global commerce by bringing buyers and sellers together through its information, transaction processing, consulting and knowledge-based businesses. Equifax serves the banking, financial, retail, credit card, telecommunications/utilities, transportation and healthcare industries and government. Founded in 1899, Atlanta-based Equifax today has 14,000 employees in 18 countries and sales in more than 45 countries. Revenues for the year ended December 31, 1998, were more than $1.6 billion.