As the Q4 earnings season comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of this quarter’s best and worst performers in the data & business process services industry, including Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB) and its peers.

A combination of increasing reliance on data and analytics across various industries and the desire for cost efficiency through outsourcing could mean that companies in this space gain. As functions such as payroll, HR, and credit risk assessment rely on more digitization, key players in the data & business process services industry could be increased demand. On the other hand, the sector faces headwinds from growing regulatory scrutiny on data privacy and security, with laws like GDPR and evolving U.S. regulations potentially limiting data collection and monetization strategies. Additionally, rising cyber threats pose risks to firms handling sensitive personal and financial information, creating outsized headline risk when things go wrong in this area.

The 11 data & business process services stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues along with next quarter’s revenue guidance were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 11.3% since the latest earnings results.

Weakest Q4: Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB)

Known for its proprietary D-U-N-S Number that serves as a unique identifier for businesses worldwide, Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB) provides business decisioning data and analytics that help companies evaluate credit risks, verify suppliers, enhance sales productivity, and gain market visibility.

Dun & Bradstreet reported revenues of $631.9 million, flat year on year. This print fell short of analysts’ expectations by 4%. Overall, it was a disappointing quarter for the company with a significant miss of analysts’ full-year EPS guidance estimates.

Dun & Bradstreet delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth of the whole group. The stock is down 18.6% since reporting and currently trades at $8.55.

Read our full report on Dun & Bradstreet here, it’s free.

Best Q4: CSG (NASDAQ: CSGS)

Powering billions of critical customer interactions annually, CSG Systems (NASDAQ: CSGS) provides cloud-based software platforms that help companies manage customer interactions, process payments, and monetize their services.

CSG reported revenues of $316.7 million, up 6.5% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations.

CSG scored the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. The stock is down 4.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $58.34.

Is now the time to buy CSG? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Equifax (NYSE: EFX)

Holding detailed financial records on over 800 million consumers worldwide and dating back to 1899, Equifax (NYSE: EFX) is a global data analytics company that collects, analyzes, and sells consumer and business credit information to lenders, employers, and other businesses.

Equifax reported revenues of $1.42 billion, up 7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ EPS guidance for next quarter estimates and revenue guidance for next quarter slightly missing analysts’ expectations.

Equifax delivered the weakest full-year guidance update in the group. As expected, the stock is down 21.1% since the results and currently trades at $213.28.

Read our full analysis of Equifax’s results here.

Planet Labs (NYSE: PL)

Pioneering the concept of "agile aerospace" with hundreds of small but powerful satellites, Planet Labs (NYSE: PL) operates the world's largest fleet of Earth observation satellites, capturing daily images of our planet to provide insights on deforestation, agriculture, and climate change.

Planet Labs reported revenues of $61.55 million, up 4.6% year on year. This print came in 1.2% below analysts' expectations. It was a softer quarter as it also produced a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is down 19.8% since reporting and currently trades at $3.40.

Read our full, actionable report on Planet Labs here, it’s free.

SS&C (NASDAQ: SSNC)

Founded in 1986 as a bridge between technology and financial services, SS&C Technologies (NASDAQ: SSNC) provides software and software-enabled services that help financial firms and healthcare organizations automate complex business processes.

SS&C reported revenues of $1.53 billion, up 8.3% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 3.2%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also recorded an impressive beat of analysts’ EPS and billings estimates.

SS&C scored the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is down 9.8% since reporting and currently trades at $73.72.

Read our full, actionable report on SS&C here, it’s free.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed’s series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% in November), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump’s presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by potential trade policy changes and corporate tax discussions, which could impact business confidence and growth. The path forward holds both optimism and caution as new policies take shape.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Hidden Gem Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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