Equifax Inc., one of three major U.S. credit bureaus, reported that fourth-quarter profit fell as solid international revenue could not fully offset lower U.S. revenue. The company has expanded into other areas, including credit-risk consulting, fraud detection and credit card marketing, to increase revenue.

Equifax's Q4 income fell 5.9% year over year, to $60.2 million. Revenue rose 4%, to $464.3 million, primarily because of currency changes. Revenue in the U.S. consumer information solutions segment, which typically accounts for half of Equifax's revenue, fell 4%, but international revenue rose 11%. Chairman and CEO Richard F. Smith said this week that the company's expansion plans and acquisitions helped it weather a difficult 2009 and have positioned it for a strong 2010.