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S&P Global Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 10 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 9 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Fourth quarter revenue rose 9%: Revenue reached $3.916 billion. Subscription products rose 8%, and all divisions grew in the quarter. Source
  • Quarterly GAAP diluted EPS up 32%: GAAP diluted EPS was $3.75, helped by a 29% rise in net income and a 2% fall in diluted shares. Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.30, up 14%. Source
  • Ratings grew on transaction revenue: Ratings revenue rose 12%, and transaction revenue grew on higher Billed Issuance. Ratings operating profit rose 15% to $723 million. Source
  • Market Intelligence slowed in volume products: Market Intelligence revenue rose 7% on subscription growth. Volume-driven products grew more slowly, and non-subscription revenue fell year over year. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin up 60 basis points: Adjusted operating margin rose 60 basis points to 47.3%, mainly on Ratings and Indices profit growth. Source
  • $6.2 billion returned in 2025: Returns comprised $1.2 billion of dividends and $5.0 billion of share repurchases, equal to 113% of adjusted free cash flow for the year. Source
  • Mobility spin expected mid-2026: The Mobility separation is expected in mid-2026, and GAAP guidance is to follow its completion. Source

“I'm very proud of what we accomplished in 2025.”

Martina Cheung President and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Organic constant currency revenue growth Source20266.0% to 8.0%New
Reported revenue growth (GAAP) Source20266.6% to 8.6%New
Diluted EPS (adjusted) Source2026$19.40 to $19.65New
Corporate unallocated expense Source2026$220 to $230 millionNew
Deal-related amortization Source2026~$1.11 billionKept
Adjusted operating profit margin expansion Source202610 to 35 bpsNew
Adjusted operating profit margin expansion excluding OSTTRA Source202650 to 75 bpsNew
Interest expense, net Source2026$395 to $405 millionNew
Tax rate Source202622.0% to 23.0%New
Capital expenditures (GAAP) Source2026$215 to $225 millionNew
Capital return to shareholders Source202685% or more of adjusted free cash flowKept
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcequarterly$0.97Raised from $0.96

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: 2026 adjusted guidance was issued; the previous release gave full-year 2025 guidance. Source
  • Guidance raised: The quarterly dividend is $0.97, up from $0.96 in the third quarter release. Source
  • New: A new mission and a medium-term strategy were set out at the November Investor Day. Source
  • New: The With Intelligence acquisition was completed in November 2025. Source
  • New: Monthly billed issuance and exchange-traded derivatives data will be released on the 15th of each month, one month in arrears, starting with January 2026 data. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Fourth quarter revenue rose 9%: Revenue reached $3.916 billion. Subscription products rose 8%, and all divisions grew in the quarter. Source
  • Quarterly GAAP diluted EPS up 32%: GAAP diluted EPS was $3.75, helped by a 29% rise in net income and a 2% fall in diluted shares. Adjusted diluted EPS was $4.30, up 14%. Source
  • Full-year revenue and EPS grew: Full-year reported revenue rose 8%. GAAP diluted EPS was $14.66, up 19%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $17.83, up 14%. Source

Segments and divisions

  • Ratings grew on transaction revenue: Ratings revenue rose 12%, and transaction revenue grew on higher Billed Issuance. Ratings operating profit rose 15% to $723 million. Source
  • Market Intelligence slowed in volume products: Market Intelligence revenue rose 7% on subscription growth. Volume-driven products grew more slowly, and non-subscription revenue fell year over year. Source
  • Energy grew on subscription and usage: Energy revenue rose 6% on subscription and usage-based growth. Consulting and conference revenue declined. Source
  • Mobility grew on dealer and financial revenue: Mobility revenue rose 8%. Dealer and Financial & Other grew double digits, while Manufacturing slowed. Mobility operating profit rose 9% to $71 million. Source

“Our unified leadership team and the talent of our people enabled us to execute very well.”

Martina Cheung President and CEO

Products, demand and volumes

  • Private markets and CCO clients cited: Management cited performance in all divisions, momentum in private markets, and expansion with CCO clients as drivers of the quarter. Source
  • Indices grew on asset-linked fees: Asset-linked fees rose on higher AUM and inflows. Indices operating profit rose 15% to $330 million. Source
  • Subscription revenue grew 8%: Subscription revenue grew 8% in the quarter. Inter-segment eliminations reduced total revenue by $53 million. Source

Margins and costs

  • Adjusted operating margin up 60 basis points: Adjusted operating margin rose 60 basis points to 47.3%, mainly on Ratings and Indices profit growth. Source
  • Reported margin rose on higher revenue: Reported operating margin reached 42.7%, about 6 points higher, with the rise attributed to higher GAAP revenue. Source
  • Investment timing and acquisition weighed: Timing of investment expense and the With Intelligence acquisition slightly offset the adjusted margin gain in the quarter. Source
  • Divestiture gain lifted GAAP margin: Full-year GAAP margin improvement also drew on a gain on divestiture, alongside revenue growth across all five divisions. Source

“Our strategy, coupled with the resilience of our business model, and favorable secular and cyclical tailwinds, position us well to deliver the vision and financial targets we established at our Investor Day in November.”

Martina Cheung President and CEO

Capital, cash and returns to shareholders

  • $6.2 billion returned in 2025: Returns comprised $1.2 billion of dividends and $5.0 billion of share repurchases, equal to 113% of adjusted free cash flow for the year. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow totaled $5.481 billion: Adjusted free cash flow excluding certain items was $5.481 billion for 2025, against $5.704 billion for 2024. Source
  • Acquisition spending and disposal proceeds: Acquisitions used $2.023 billion of cash and dispositions brought in $1.549 billion in 2025. Capital expenditures were $195 million. Source

Strategy, leadership and separation

  • New mission and medium-term strategy: Management outlined a new mission and a medium-term strategy at the November Investor Day, designed to drive durable, profitable growth. Source
  • With Intelligence deal closed: The With Intelligence acquisition closed in November 2025, and its effect is included in Market Intelligence results. Source
  • Two Market Intelligence units held for sale: Enterprise Data Management and thinkFolio, both within Market Intelligence, were classified as held for sale at year end. Source
  • Mobility spin expected mid-2026: The Mobility separation is expected in mid-2026, and GAAP guidance is to follow its completion. Source
  • Innovation and AI integration at scale: Management described the scale of innovation and pace of AI integration in products and internal processes as a leap forward. Source

Coming up, as management said on 10 February 2026

  • Adjusted guidance to exclude Mobility: On completion of the spin, adjusted guidance will be updated to exclude Mobility, and GAAP guidance will be instituted. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Billed Issuance growth Source28% increase

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Government sanctions on select customers had a negative effect on Energy revenue in the quarter. Source
  • Demand: Volume-driven Market Intelligence products grew more slowly, and non-subscription revenue declined year over year. Source
  • Financial: Management said it cannot reliably predict all components of GAAP measures for 2026 without unreasonable effort, because of the timing of the Mobility spin. Source
  • Financial: The 2026 guidance includes Mobility for the full year and excludes any impact from anticipated stranded costs. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the strategy and business model position it to deliver the targets set at Investor Day. Source
  • Not stated: The target is maintained for 2026, through dividends and share repurchases. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.