As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q1. Today, we are looking at data & business process services stocks, starting with Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB).

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 satisfactory Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.9% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.5% below.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 7.7% on average since the latest earnings results.

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 $579.8 million, up 2.7% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, and overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

“We are pleased with our solid start to the year as we delivered 3.6% organic revenue growth, expanded our Adjusted EBITDA margin by 70 basis points, grew adjusted Net Earnings by 6.9%, generated strong cash flow conversion and reduced our net leverage ratio to 3.5 times. We continued to see strong demand for both our Finance & Risk and Sales & Marketing solutions in both North America and International,” said Anthony Jabbour, Dun & Bradstreet Chief Executive Officer.

Dun & Bradstreet delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates of the whole group. Interestingly, the stock is up 1.6% since reporting and currently trades at $9.11.

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

Best Q1: 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 $297.1 million, up 2.3% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 1.9%. The business had a very strong quarter with full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.

CSG pulled off the highest full-year guidance raise among its peers. However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $63.17.

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

Broadridge (NYSE: BR)

Processing over $10 trillion in equity and fixed income trades daily and managing proxy voting for over 800 million equity positions, Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR) provides technology-driven solutions that power investing, governance, and communications for banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, and public companies.

Broadridge reported revenues of $2.07 billion, up 6.2% year on year, in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a slower quarter as it posted revenue guidance for next quarter meeting analysts’ expectations.

Interestingly, the stock is up 5.8% since the results and currently trades at $263.

Read our full analysis of Broadridge’s results here.

TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

One of the three major credit bureaus in the United States alongside Equifax and Experian, TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) is a global information and insights company that provides credit reports, fraud prevention tools, and data analytics to help businesses make decisions and consumers manage their financial health.

TransUnion reported revenues of $1.14 billion, up 9.5% year on year. This result topped analysts’ expectations by 3.7%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also logged a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but full-year EPS guidance in line with analysts’ estimates.

The stock is down 3.6% since reporting and currently trades at $91.06.

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

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 $66.27 million, up 9.6% year on year. This print surpassed analysts’ expectations by 6.5%. It was a very strong quarter as it also put up a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and full-year revenue guidance slightly topping analysts’ expectations.

Planet Labs pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is up 68.3% since reporting and currently trades at $6.75.

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

Market Update

The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty for 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 6 Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.