Overview: Experian is one of the three major credit reporting bureaus. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Experian’s main U.S. location is in Costa Mesa, CA. Experian’s principal lines of business are:
- Consumer and busines credit data
- Decision analytics
- Marketing services
- Interactive tools
The calculation and reporting of FICO scores is the best-known output of the firm and its two major rivals.
Job Openings: See this list of current job openings.
Size: Experian reports these figures as of September 30, 2008:
- Employees = 15,500
- Employees in North America = 5,500
- Operations in 38 countries
- Clients in 65 countries
- Credit information on 215 million U.S. consumers
- Name and address information on 100 million U.S. households
- Annual revenues (fiscal year ending 3/31/08) = $4.1 billion
Positives: Experian is a leader in the field of credit reporting, and has expanded into other lines of business information and analytics. The company is strongly profitable.
Negatives: Like the other major credit reporting bureaus, Experian has drawn criticism for its responsiveness to consumer complaints about the accuracy of its data, including regulatory scrutiny.