TransUnion - TRU STOCK NEWS

TransUnion's 2022 Insurance Trends Report highlights a shift towards digital processes in the insurance industry, accelerated by the pandemic. A survey of 2,761 U.S. insurance consumers revealed that 52% prefer digital channels for interactions. Telematics options in auto insurance are gaining traction, with 49% opting in and nearly half reporting reduced rates. However, concerns remain about the fairness of credit-based insurance scores. Insurers are urged to address these challenges to enhance consumer trust and adoption of digital practices.

TransUnion forecasts a robust lending environment in 2022, with credit origination levels for auto loans, credit cards, and personal loans anticipated to return to pre-pandemic levels. Non-prime consumers will increasingly participate in the market, with auto loan originations expected to rise to 28.9 million, and personal loans foreseen to grow for seven consecutive quarters. The report highlights a healthy economy, strong consumer performance, and stable delinquency rates as factors driving these trends, despite potential risks from economic shocks and inflation.

Neustar, a TransUnion company, has announced that its Certified Caller service can now verify international calls between the U.S. and Canada. This initiative, which aligns with the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication standards, allows for real-time verification, enhancing consumer protection against spoofed calls. The feature is available to all communication service provider customers at no additional cost, facilitating a streamlined process for international call authentication.

Neustar, a TransUnion company, has partnered with BERA to enhance its Neustar Optimizer™ platform. This integration allows brands to connect crucial brand health metrics with marketing investments, improving the evaluation of branding's long-term business impact. Marketers can now utilize predictive analytics to adjust their strategies, aiming for enhanced customer acquisition and brand advocacy. The partnership boosts Neustar's capability to deliver actionable insights, potentially increasing sales and marketing efficiency for clients.

TransUnion analysis reveals that integrating rental tradeline data into credit reports enhances delinquency prediction accuracy by over 10%. The findings indicate that including rent payment history significantly improves the ability to forecast a consumer's likelihood of missing payments on various credit obligations within 12 months. This approach could aid in promoting financial inclusion by encouraging landlords to report rental data, thereby helping millions build their credit history.

TransUnion recently reported a significant increase in suspected e-commerce fraud during the 2021 holiday shopping season. The analysis revealed that 19.66% of U.S. e-commerce transactions from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday were potentially fraudulent, a slight decrease from last year’s 19.70%. Overall, there was a 25% increase in fraud attempts compared to earlier in the year. Factors contributing to this include the number of accounts per device and prior fraud evidence. Consumers are more concerned about digital fraud this year, with 25% expressing heightened concerns compared to last year.

TransUnion has completed the acquisition of Sontiq for $638 million, enhancing its digital identity protection solutions. Sontiq specializes in identity monitoring and cyber threat protection, aligning with TransUnion's focus on digital safety. The integration of Sontiq is expected to advance TransUnion’s offerings, providing a comprehensive platform for consumers and businesses. With Sontiq’s Intelligent Identity Security platform, TransUnion aims to significantly boost growth opportunities in the identity security market. The transaction was advised by J.P. Morgan and involved multiple financing arrangers.

TransUnion has completed its largest acquisition to date, acquiring Neustar for $3.1 billion. This strategic move aims to accelerate growth in identity-based solutions, enhancing TransUnion's capabilities in marketing, fraud, and communications. The acquisition will integrate Neustar's real-time identity resolution services, powered by its OneID™ platform. Chris Cartwright, CEO of TransUnion, expressed confidence in leveraging Neustar's assets to foster greater trust in digital commerce. Notably, Neustar's security services were excluded from this transaction.