In an effort to solidify its position as a leading provider of
geo-spatial property data and analytics,
CoreLogic Inc.
(
CLGX
) purchased Middletown, Conn.-based CDS Business Mapping, LLC
("CDS") for $78 million.
CDS Business Mapping through its web-based solution provides
information to its clients for the recognition of
property-specific geographic hazards in the Unites States. Its
clients include more than 700 insurance carriers, agents and
brokers.
CDS will be combined with CoreLogic Spatial Solutions business
and its financial results will be reported under the Data and
Analytics segment. This acquisition is expected to be accretive
to the company's 2013 earnings per share. The Zacks Consensus
Estimate for 2013 is $1.61 per share, up 4.7% year over year.
CoreLogic's ample liquidity helped it pursue this strategic
acquisition in cash. It ended the third quarter with cash and
cash equivalents of $154.6 million, while operating cash flow in
the first nine months of 2012 amounted to $268.5 million.
CoreLogic Spatial Solution data and analytics have increasingly
become popular over the past several years. This gain in adoption
and popularity was fuelled by the higher demand for real-time
geo-coded property and hazard-related data, analytics and risk
management services. The addition of CDS to its
portfolio will thus enhance the natural hazard risk management
offerings of this information, analytics and business services
provider.
FTI Consulting Inc.
(
FCN
), a global business advisory firm, acquired The Salter Group,
LLC - a leading provider of business and intangible asset
valuations - for an undisclosed amount earlier this month.
Stantec Inc.
(
STN
), a professional consulting service provider, also bought
Washington-based survey and mapping firm, Landmark Survey and
Mapping, Inc., in mid Dec 2012. This acquisition was targeted to
solidify its footprint in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United
States.
CoreLogic delivered 6 straight quarters of positive earnings
surprise, with an average beat of 22.1%. The Zacks Consensus
Estimate for fourth quarter 2012 is currently pegged at 31 cents,
up 35.5% year over year, while the same for 2012 is $1.53,
improving 68.7% over 2011. Based on the positive Zacks Earnings
Surprise Prediction or ESP and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), we expect
CoreLogic to beat expectations when it reports the fourth quarter
2012 results.
While both FTI Consulting and Stantec share the same Zacks Rank,
Navigant Consulting Inc.
(
NCI
), a specialty consulting firm carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
CORELOGIC INC (CLGX): Free Stock Analysis
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FTI CONSULTING (FCN): Free Stock Analysis
Report
NAVIGANT CONSLT (NCI): Free Stock Analysis
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STANTEC INC (STN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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