Summary
S&P Global Inc. (formerly McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.) reported solid financial performance for the first quarter of 2014, with a notable increase in revenue and operating profit compared to the same period in the prior year. Revenue grew 5% to $1,236 million, primarily driven by growth in subscription/non-transaction revenue across its core segments, particularly S&P Dow Jones Indices and S&P Capital IQ. Operating profit saw a substantial 55% increase to $430 million, reflecting improved operational efficiencies and the favorable impact of revenue growth. The company's strategic initiatives, including portfolio rationalization and a focus on core intelligence businesses, appear to be yielding positive results. The divestiture of McGraw Hill Education in the prior year significantly impacted the prior-year's net income due to a large gain, making the year-over-year net income comparison less direct. However, income from continuing operations increased by a strong 58% to $275 million, demonstrating the underlying strength of the ongoing business segments. The company also continued its commitment to shareholder returns through dividends and share repurchases.
Financial Highlights
50 data points| Revenue | $1.20B |
| Cost of Revenue | $396.00M |
| Gross Profit | $800.00M |
| SG&A Expenses | $347.00M |
| Operating Expenses | $776.00M |
| Operating Income | $420.00M |
| Interest Expense | $14.00M |
| Net Income | $248.00M |
| EPS (Basic) | $0.91 |
| EPS (Diluted) | $0.89 |
| Shares Outstanding (Basic) | 271.80M |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted) | 277.20M |
Key Highlights
- 1Revenue increased by 5% to $1,236 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014, compared to $1,181 million in the prior year.
- 2Operating profit surged by 55% to $430 million, up from $278 million in the same period last year, indicating improved operational leverage.
- 3Income from continuing operations grew by 58% to $275 million, highlighting the strength of the core business segments.
- 4S&P Dow Jones Indices showed strong growth with an 18% increase in revenue and a 43% increase in operating profit, driven by higher ETF assets under management and derivative volumes.
- 5S&P Capital IQ reported a 4% revenue increase and a 6% operating profit increase, supported by growth in desktop solutions and RatingsXpress.
- 6The company returned capital to shareholders, with dividends declared per common share increasing to $0.30 from $0.28 in the prior year.
- 7Share repurchases continued, with $164 million utilized in the first quarter of 2014 under the new 50 million share repurchase program.