HotTopics: Financial Performance Scorecard, First Quarter 2005: Google, Yahoo! Double Revenue Lead As Outsell 100 Slows

This latest quarterly update of our Outsell 100^SM Financial Performance Scorecard finds a strong but decelerating information industry coming in for a soft landing. In the first quarter of 2005, the companies in the Outsell 100 continued the trend of four consecutive quarters of decline, but at 11.4 percent growth it was still a strong quarter, better than any in 2001-2003. Growth was solid in all sectors except IT research, which declined. Besides the growth rate, other benchmarks such as profitability, market capitalization, and cash reserves all held steady. This HotTopics takes a close look at the Top 10 and Bottom 10 companies in the rankings, as well as three rising stars — A.D.A.M., Equifax, and ChoicePoint — which are distinguishing themselves in hot fields (risk management and healthcare). It includes comparative data on growth, operating income, Top 10 and Bottom 10 performers, and segment information.