S&P Global Stock Price, News & Analysis

S&P Global Market Intelligence has announced the integration of Visible Alpha into its S&P Capital IQ Pro platform, following the acquisition in May 2024. The update provides access to over 1 million data points from 7,300 companies across 170 industries.

The integration delivers consensus estimates and financials from more than 200 contributors, with an average of 156 line items per company. Users can access KPI, segment, income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements with click-through capabilities to source documents and models.

The latest release also includes:

• Private company headcount data for 4.3+ million companies
• Expanded transaction valuations coverage
• Enhanced Document Intelligence features

Visible Alpha, founded in 2015, will be available as an add-on to S&P Capital IQ Pro, which processes over 135 billion raw data points annually into actionable intelligence.

S&P 500 companies set a new annual record for stock buybacks in 2024, reaching $942.5 billion, an 18.5% increase from 2023's $795.2 billion. Q4 2024 buybacks totaled $243.2 billion, up 7.4% from Q3 and 11.0% from Q4 2023.

The top 20 companies accounted for 49.0% of Q4 buybacks, with Apple leading at $26.5 billion. Total shareholder returns, including dividends, hit a record $410.8 billion in Q4 2024. The 1% buyback tax had minimal impact, reducing Q4 operating earnings by 0.37%.

By sector, Information Technology led with 26.2% of all buybacks, while Consumer Staples showed the largest increase, up 97.9%. 342 companies reported buybacks of at least $5 million in Q4, up from 332 in Q3 2024.

S&P Global Market Intelligence has released its annual rankings of top-performing financial institutions for 2024. The rankings evaluate banks and credit unions based on returns, growth, funding, and balance sheet strength.

Key winners include:

• Axos Financial Inc. (Best U.S. Public Bank >$10B assets) - achieved top 20 scores across all seven metrics
• Olney Bancshares of Texas ($3B-$10B assets) - excelled in six of eight metrics
• FNB South (<$3B assets) - achieved 2.69% return on average assets, surpassing 1.08% median
• WCLA CU (Best Credit Union) - topped with $64,336 shares-and-deposits per member

Regional winners include American Interstate Bank (Midwest), NorthEast Community Bank (Northeast), FNB South (Southeast), First State Bank of Odem (South Central), and Security State Bank (West).

Leading organizations launch Carbon Data Open Protocol (CDOP) to standardize carbon market data. A coalition of 30 businesses, nonprofits, and public sector organizations, co-chaired by GCMU, Sylvera, RMI, and S&P Global Commodity Insights, aims to develop protocols harmonizing carbon credit project data across markets and geographies.

The initiative addresses the current lack of standardization in voluntary carbon markets, which hampers collaboration and market scaling. CDOP will align with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and complement existing industry initiatives. The World Bank Group has recognized CDOP as a important multi-stakeholder initiative for carbon market interoperability.

The committee will work throughout 2025 to create a common data schema and governance framework, with the first protocol version expected to launch at New York Climate Week. The initiative has gained support from key industry players including Climate Action Data Trust, Puro.earth, Verra, and Isometric.

S&P Global Commodity Insights has announced the launch of new daily cathode active material (CAM) calculated price assessments for China, Europe, and North America, effective March 24, 2025. The assessments focus on LFP and NMC lithium-ion battery chemistries, which currently dominate the market with LFP holding 43% and NMC variants holding 18% of global demand.

The new suite includes 24 price assessments that will provide transparency in the battery supply chain, particularly for CAMs which are important components affecting battery performance. The calculations leverage Commodity Insights' battery cell cost model and incorporate various factors including material intensity and processing costs for the Chinese market, which accounts for 81.3% of global production.

This initiative comes amid significant growth in battery demand, driven by electric vehicles and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Global BESS capacity additions grew 49% year-on-year in 2024 and are forecast to grow another 29% in 2025.

CARFAX Canada has launched its new Service Suite, an integrated customer engagement solution for Canadian dealerships and service shops. The suite comprises two main components: Car Care, an automated communication tool for service reminders, and Service Insights, a report predicting upcoming maintenance needs.

The solution aims to boost service revenue and customer loyalty by sending timely co-branded reminders and providing data-driven maintenance insights. Car Care features automated email communications with real-time performance metrics and customer review management. Service Insights leverages proprietary data analytics to predict repair needs, with nearly 60% of car owners more likely to approve additional work when presented with a CARFAX Canada Service Insights report.

GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index fell to -0.45 in February from -0.21 in January, reaching its lowest level since July 2023, indicating increased global supply chain underutilization. Regional variations show significant contrasts:

U.S. manufacturers increased raw materials demand and accelerated stockpiling to prepare for potential tariff impacts. In contrast, Mexican and Canadian manufacturers sharply reduced purchases due to declining exports and trade uncertainty. European supply chains remain underutilized with continued industrial sector sluggishness, though showing early recovery signs. Asian supply chains operate at full capacity, with China, Taiwan, and India reporting strong export growth.

Key findings include stable global demand for raw materials, decreased stockpiling activity, robust material supply levels, and unchanged transportation costs. The index varies regionally: North America at -0.18 (7-month high), Europe at -0.72, UK at -0.85, and Asia at 0.00.

CARFAX has been named one of the Best Places to Work by Virginia Business Magazine for the 12th time since 2011, based on anonymous employee surveys evaluating workplace experiences. CEO Bill Eager emphasized the company's commitment to fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and leadership.

The company, which has grown from a small team to over 1,400 employees in 2025, is relocating to a new 90,000-square-foot headquarters at Reston Station. The move to 1906 Reston Metro Plaza represents a significant milestone in CARFAX's expansion.

Known for its vehicle history database, CARFAX maintains a strong workplace culture guided by the Team CARFAX Playbook, emphasizing collaboration and work-life balance. The company actively supports community initiatives, including the Boulder Crest Foundation, which provides free posttraumatic growth programs for military members, veterans, and first responders.

S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) released its 'Look Forward: Energy at the Crossroads' report highlighting significant shifts in global energy transition. The research reveals that governments are prioritizing affordable energy over sustainability, making net-zero emissions by 2050 unlikely. Key findings show that:

- Companies in the S&P 500 have achieved 62% decarbonization over 20 years
- Only 35% of major companies have climate adaptation plans, despite potential $25 trillion climate change implications by 2050
- Western economies need significant investments to reduce dependence on China for clean technology
- New technologies reveal higher methane emissions than previously reported
- Growing interest in nuclear energy for decarbonization

The report emphasizes that the energy transition will be multidimensional, varying by region, rate, and technology mix. AI integration could transform energy production and distribution systems.