Atlanta, Jan. 14, 1997 -- Information services giant Equifax expects 1996 to become another record financial year thanks to its success in expanding internationally, developing new technology-based products and making key acquisitions, its president and CEO said today.

"Fourth quarter and year-end financials won't be released until later this month, but we expect double digit growth in both revenue and profit," said Daniel W. McGlaughlin, the president and CEO. "We have our strategic priorities in order and we're executing well." McGlaughlin became CEO January 1, 1996, taking over from C.B. "Jack" Rogers, who remains chairman.

The year 1997 is sure to be an eventful one, McGlaughlin continued, given the decision last month to spin off the Insurance Information Services Group as an independent company. That move probably won't occur before summer and will not have any effect in the meantime on Equifax's strategic expansion plans. McGlaughlin said, "We are gearing up to create more focused, swifter companies ready for the 21st century."

Internationally, Equifax pursued an aggressive global expansion in 1996 through its Financial Services Group, finishing the year with operations in 17 nations and sales in 40 more. Among other moves, it:

• Allied with IBM, focusing on Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim to offer computer, management and processing solutions for credit and debit card issuers in emerging economies.
• Increased to 50 percent its equity ownership of its joint venture, DICOM S.A. in Santiago, Chile, the leading information company in that country.
• Acquired 100 percent ownership of Transax plc in the UK, becoming the world's leading supplier of check guarantee and verification services.
• Became the largest provider of consumer and commercial credit information and accounts receivable services in Canada with the acquisition of Toronto-based Creditel of Canada.
• Entered a joint venture with Venture Infotek group of India to become the first company in that country to offer third-party credit card processing services to merchants and banks.
• Became the technology partner with the banking and finance industries of Thailand to assist in starting a credit reporting operation to support the nation's growing economy.
• Launched a consumer credit information operation in Mexico, with its partner, DICOM S.A.
• Began major installations of Equifax's FBS Software products for the Wing Lung Bank and the International Bank of Asia in Hong Kong and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of Beijing in China.

Thomas F. Chapman, who led Equifax's Financial Services Group to a record year domestically and internationally, said, "Equifax has the opportunity to make even more substantial contributions to the emerging economies of the world and with our partners, we intend to continue to take advantage of those opportunities. " Once the spinoff is completed, Chapman will become the president and COO of Equifax and McGlaughlin will become the vice chairman and CEO.

Domestically, the action was no less exciting as Equifax forged several new partnerships, introduced new products and acquired companies that expanded its capabilities in several areas. Financial Services Group, Credit Services:

• Noting that "Equifax is the team to be with in the Information Age," the Credit Bureau of Michigan, Inc. left a competitor and became an affiliate of Equifax.
• The National Telecommunications Data Exchange, a non-profit corporation comprised of more than 60 long distance carriers across the country, extended Equifax's contract for managing the Exchange's commercial account bad debt database through the year 2000. NTDE cited the "great value of Equifax in identifying delinquent commercial accounts."
• For the first time ever, the Independent Bankers Association of America (IBAA) endorsed a credit information company, recommending that its members use Equifax Credit Services for their information services needs.
• In February, Equifax acquired Market Knowledge Inc., of Chicago, a strategic marketing company that helps businesses analyze customer data to increase the profitability of their marketing promotions.
• Equifax's Market Knowledge Inc. partnered with IBM in offering IBM's Intelligent Miner toolkit to customers for better analysis of customer data.
• In December, Equifax Risk Management Services signed a letter of intent to acquire HLS Financial Group, of Houston, Texas, the leading provider of extended business office management services to hospitals and health care providers in the U.S.
• Equifax launched several major new products, including Energy Risk Assessment Model, Bankruptcy Navigator, CARcredit Score, MicroVision Daytime and Financial Forum 1996. Financial Services Group, Payment Services:
• In a major acquisition, Payment Services acquired the CSG Card Services Division from CUNA Service Group, Inc. CSG is one of the largest credit card processors in the nation, specializing in service to credit unions.
• Wachovia Bank Card Services selected Equifax's FBS Software to upgrade all its mainframe computer software to manage its $4.5 billion credit card portfolio.
• Two major retailers chose Equifax Check Services as their check acceptance provider. Famous Footwear, with 800 stores nationwide, and Service Merchandise, with 400 stores, both decided that Check Services' PathWays check management system was what they needed for more efficient verification of personal checks presented by shoppers.
• Check Services also formed an alliance with The Payment Solutions Network, Inc., to offer retailers a new weapon against fraud. The companies agreed that Equifax will overlay PSN's closed-for-cause account information on its risk-scoring models.

Insurance Information Services Group IISG continued its dramatic turn-around in 1996. In December, McGlaughlin announced plans to spin off the insurance group, forming a separate publicly held company as a tax-free dividend to Equifax stockholders. Those plans are subject to a favorable ruling by the Internal Revenue Service.

• During 1996, Insurance Information Services Group acquired:
  Professional Test Administrators Inc., one of the nation's leading providers of management services for employee drug screening.
  A 70 percent ownership position in CDB Infotek, a California-based public records firm with more than 1,600 on-line public records databases.
• IISG's Employment Services Division added McGraw Hill/London House's Personnel Selection Inventory (PSI-3T) assessments as part of its overall service.
• The data services division expanded its market presence through key strategic alliances with industry associations like Insurance Services Office (ISO) and the National Crime Information Bureau (NICB).
• The business information services division formed a strategic partnership with Librasoft for Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) control, a front-end administrative system for UCC filings.
• The group introduced the Casualty Loss Score, a product that accurately predicts automobile insurance loss rations. CAS is a joint product with Fair, Isaac Inc.

In 1996, Equifax exited the healthcare information business, selling the several business units that made up that group. McGlaughlin cited increased costs of healthcare industry acquisitions as a major reason for exiting the business and also said that Equifax was concentrating on its core businesses of financial and insurance information services.

Equifax established its presence on the Internet @ www.equifax.com and began offering consumers new ways to order a copy of their credit report via computer.

The year 1996 also saw Equifax play a big role in the Atlanta Olympic Games. The company provided 450 volunteers for the Games, primarily working in accreditation of athletes, visitors and the media. Also, Equifax was the major sponsor of the main exhibit of the Cultural Olympiad, "Rings -- Five Passions in World Art," which brought more than 100 major works of art from around the world to Atlanta's High Museum.