Summary
S&P Global Inc. (SPGI) reported a decrease in revenue and net income for both the third quarter and the first nine months of 2009 compared to the prior year. This decline is primarily attributed to challenging economic conditions impacting all three of its operating segments: McGraw-Hill Education, Financial Services, and Information Media. The company is undergoing strategic divestitures, including the planned sale of BusinessWeek, to streamline operations and focus on core businesses. Despite revenue pressures, SPGI maintained operational discipline, with total expenses decreasing year-over-year. The company also highlighted its strong liquidity position and manageable debt levels, with no borrowings under its credit facilities at the end of the period. Investors should note the ongoing impact of the economic downturn, particularly on educational spending and financial market activity, but also the company's strategic adjustments and efforts to manage costs.
Financial Highlights
55 data points| Revenue | $1.88B |
| Cost of Revenue | $735.88M |
| Gross Profit | $1.14B |
| SG&A Expenses | $546.96M |
| Operating Expenses | $1.32B |
| Operating Income | $555.97M |
| Interest Expense | $17.83M |
| Net Income | $336.10M |
| EPS (Basic) | $1.08 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $1.07 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 312.47M |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 313.64M |
Key Highlights
- 1Total revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, decreased by 9.1% to $4.49 billion from $4.94 billion in the prior year.
- 2Net income attributable to The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, decreased by 16.2% to $563.2 million from $683.6 million in the prior year.
- 3The McGraw-Hill Education segment experienced a significant decline in revenue (-12.4% for nine months) due to reduced educational spending and lower state adoption sales.
- 4The Financial Services segment, operating under the Standard & Poor's brand, saw a revenue decline of 5.4% for the nine months, impacted by weakness in structured finance and investment research products.
- 5The company is actively divesting non-core assets, including the sale of Vista Research, Inc. in May 2009 and the agreement to divest BusinessWeek in October 2009.
- 6Despite revenue declines, total expenses decreased by 6.9% for the nine months due to cost-saving initiatives and lower sales.
- 7S&P Global maintained a strong liquidity position with cash and cash equivalents of $957.3 million as of September 30, 2009, and had no outstanding borrowings under its credit facilities.