Equifax First Quarter Results on Track: Set Stage for

Record Year in 1999 Atlanta (PROTEXT) - Equifax Inc. today reported first quarterresults driven by double digit revenue growth, and the strongperformance of North American Information Services and PaymentServices. First quarter highlights include: - Revenues for the quarter ending March 31, 1999, climbed19.4%

to $421.5 million compared to the prior year period. - Operating income was $88.8 million versus $81.0 million in1998. - First quarter earnings per share were $.31. Equifax president and CEO Thomas F. Chapman said, "Firstquarter 1999 results set the stage for a record 1999. We arepleased with the performance in Europe as well as their businessoutlook, with deals like the recently announced Marks and Spencercontract. Our Latin America strategy is working -- theinformation business is performing well. We just announced thedivestiture of our minority interest in Proceda, a non-corebusiness in Brazil, on which Equifax will record a slight secondquarter gain. We are encouraged by the business climate for bothour processing and information businesses in Brazil. We continueto see solid financial performance from our domestic operationsas well, both information services and transaction processing.Equifax Secure, the business that promotes privacy and securityof Internet transactions, is positioning itself as the leadingprovider of authentication services. Looking forward to the restof the year, we still expect full year earnings growth in the 17%range." During the quarter, the Company's stock repurchase programremained active, with the Company purchasing 1.7 million sharesof stock for $61 million. In January, the Board of Directorsincreased its share repurchase authorization by $250 million.Approximately $250 million remained available for repurchase asof March 31, 1999. Equifax has continued to repurchase its stockduring the second quarter of 1999. During the quarter, Equifax incurred Year 2000 readinessexpenses of about $4 million after tax, or $.03 per share. BUSINESS RESULTS Payment Services, which operates globally through CardServices and Check Services, increased revenue 28.1% to $151.1million in the first quarter. Card Services is the leadingprovider of third party full-service processing solutions tocredit unions and independent banks in the U.S. The revenueincrease in Payment Services was led primarily by growth in newaccounts, new customers and transactions processed in domesticCard Services, as well as the September 1998 acquisition of 59%of Unnisa, a card services business in Brazil, which contributedrevenue of $13.0 million for the quarter. Operating income of$28.6 million increased 48.9% primarily as a result of licensesales from Card Software, continued growth of the Card Servicesbusiness and strong performance of Check Services in addition tocontinuing expense management within this operation. Just lastweek, Equifax announced the extension of its card processingcontract with Card Services for Credit Unions (CSCU) through2004. This contract has estimated revenue of $500 million overthe five-year period. For the quarter, revenue in North American InformationServices of $192.0 million increased 6.5% versus first quarterlast year. Revenue performance benefited from growth in U.S.Information Services, with increased sales fromtelecommunications and utilities industries, as well as marketingservices. This group had operating income of $65.7 million,increasing 6.2% versus first quarter 1998. Operating incomegrowth in North American Information Services was in the lowdouble digits, excluding investments in Knowledge Engineering andEquifax Secure, the business that enhances the security andprivacy of Internet transactions. Revenue in Equifax Latin America (which does not include theCompany's Payment Services operation in Brazil) was $29.9 millionfor the first quarter, with much of the growth from the recentacquisition of SCI in Brazil, which contributed revenue of $13.7million. Operating income of $4.2 million in the first quarter of1999 was comparable to last year. The overall performance of theinformation business in Brazil exceeded expectations in localcurrency as Equifax is successfully integrating and managing theoperations of this new acquisition. Despite the economicvolatility in Latin America, efficient expense management hashelped contribute to these results. Equifax Europe revenue was $46.1 million versus $36.7 millionin first quarter 1998. This group reported a loss of $1.7 millionfor the quarter, a significant improvement from the loss in thefourth quarter 1998. Equifax is making substantial progress inlowering the expense base in the U.K. and expects continuedimprovement in the second quarter. Last month, Equifax announcedits biggest ever U.K. marketing contract -- a three-year projectwith Marks and Spencer to build a unique marketing database forthat company, in alliance with Claritas. Equifax (www.equifax.com), a worldwide leader in shapingglobal commerce, brings buyers and sellers together through itsinformation management, transaction processing and knowledge-based businesses. Atlanta-based Equifax (NYSE: EFX) serves thefinancial services, retail, credit card,telecommunications/utilities, transportation, informationtechnology and healthcare industries and government. Equifax addsknowledge, expertise, convenience and security to provide value-added solutions and processes for its customers wherever they dobusiness, including the Internet and other networks. Entering itssecond century in business, Equifax employs more than 14,000associates in 18 countries with sales in nearly 50 and has morethan $1.6 billion in revenue. Statements in this press release that relate to Equifax'sfuture plans, objectives, expectations, performance, events andthe like are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning ofthe Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and theSecurities Exchange Act of 1934. Future events, risks anduncertainties, individually or in the aggregate, could causeactual results to differ materially from those expressed orimplied in these statements. Those factors could include changesin worldwide and U.S. economic conditions that materially impactconsumer spending and consumer debt, changes in demand for theCompany's products and services, risks associated with theintegration of acquisitions and other investments, and otherfactors discussed in the "Forward-looking Information" and "Year2000 Information" sections in the management's discussion andanalysis included at item 7 in the Company's annual report onForm 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998.

EQUIFAX INC.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

1st Quarter(Unaudited)

1999

1998 Operating revenue

421,504

$353,094 Income before provision for income taxes:

Operating income

$ 88,810

$ 0,994

Other income

482

721

Interest expense

(15,135)

(7,032) Income before income taxes

74,157

74,683 Provision for income taxes

30,256

29,948 Net income

$ 43,901

$4,735 Net income per common share (diluted)

$ 0.31

$0.31 Average number of shares outstanding used in computing diluted earnings per share

141,656

144,812 Operating revenue and operating income by industry segment forthe first quarter of 1999 and 1998 are as follows (1998information has been restated to conform with the 1999presentation):

1st Quarter(Unaudited) Operating Revenue:

1999

1998 North American Information Services

$191,992

180,307

Payment Services

151,129 117,963 Equifax Europe

46,053

36,746 Equifax Latin America

29,921

15,669 Other

2,409

2,409

$421,504

$353,094 Operating Income: North American Information Services

$ 65,679

$ 1,864 Payment Services

28,637

9,235 Equifax Europe

(1,688)

3,155 Equifax Latin America

4,187

4,186 Other

2,217

2,215 Operating Contribution

99,032

90,655 General Corporate Expense

(10,222) (9,661)

$ 88,810

$ 0,994 ots Original Text Service: Equifax Inc. Internet:http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Marietta Edmunds Zakas,Corp. VP, Communications of Equifax, (USA) 404-885-8304

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