Experian to acquire majority stake in Computec

Experian, the global information services company, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the majority of the shares in Computec S. A., a leading Latin American credit services information provider, based in Colombia. Computec is a publicly listed company on the Colombian stock exchange and has served notice to the listing authorities in Colombia regarding the definitive agreement.  The offer price is COP$10,419 per share, equivalent to a valuation of COP$736bn for 100% of the equity (approximately US$400m).  The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and the launching of a delisting tender offer, and is expected to complete in the second half of the calendar year.

Computec owns the market leading credit bureau in Colombia, including the most extensive database in Colombia on the credit behaviour of consumers. Computec’s products include the provision of on-line credit reports, scores, identity validation tools and fraud prevention services. The company serves a diverse customer base across financial services, telecommunications and other industry segments. Computec also provides outsource document services to B2B clients such as document design, production and delivery. In addition, Computec owns the only credit bureau in Venezuela and an early stage development bureau in Peru.

The acquisition of a controlling stake will further strengthen Experian's Latin American presence, building on the leading market position Experian has established in Brazil. In assessing the opportunities for Computec and the growth prospects of the Colombian credit market, Experian has found many similarities to the assessment it made at the time of the acquisition of a majority stake in Serasa in Brazil in 2007.

Computec was founded in 1968, with bureau operations in Colombia commencing in 1981. In the year ended 31 December 2010, Computec generated *consolidated revenue of COP$157bn, of which over 85% arose in Colombia, with the balance in Venezuela and Peru. 1Consolidated operating income was COP$41.7bn. At 31 December 2010, Computec had gross assets of COP$141bn. The transaction is expected to be funded from existing cash resources.

*Consolidated operating income is before interest, foreign exchange gains, profit on disposal of business and tax.

About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 90 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft. Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2010 was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit: http://www.experianplc.com