S&P Global Stock Jumps After Q2 Beat—Strong Earnings, AI Push, and Big Buybacks Power Investor Confidence

S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI) shares gained on Thursday, after the company reported second-quarter results.

• S&P Global reported quarterly adjusted earnings per share of $4.43, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $4.16.
• Quarterly sales of $3.76 billion (up 6% year-over-year) outpaced the street view of $3.64 billion.
• Revenue from subscription products increased 7%.
• Adjusted net income for the first quarter increased 7% to $1.36 billion.
• The company's quarterly adjusted operating margin increased 70 basis points to 51.4%, driving 10% growth in adjusted EPS.
• S&P Global generated $1.45 billion in operating cash flow during the quarter.

Also Read: S&P Global Expands AI Capabilities With New Integration In Microsoft 365 Copilot

The company plans to return approximately 85% of its adjusted free cash flow to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and share repurchases. The board authorized a quarterly cash dividend of 96 cents and expects to initiate additional accelerated share repurchases (ASR) totaling up to $1.3 billion in the coming weeks.

S&P Global appointed Bill Eager, current CEO of Carfax, as President of S&P Global Mobility, effective August 15. He will become CEO of the standalone Mobility business once S&P completes its planned separation.

Eager replaces Edouard Tavernier, who will stay on as a strategic advisor through September 30 to support the transition.

S&P Global exceeded financial expectations in the second quarter, driven by strong execution on customer initiatives and stable debt and equity markets, CEO Martina Cheung said. She emphasized the company's disciplined approach, balancing cost control with strategic investments in technology, AI, and product development. This strategy enabled margin expansion while enhancing customer engagement and innovation.

Outlook: S&P Global increased its fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to $17.00–$17.25 (prior $16.75–$17.25). The new EPS outlook compares with the $16.96 analyst consensus estimate.

It reiterated the fiscal 2025 sales forecast of $14.78 billion–$15.06 billion.

The revised sales guidance compares with the $14.94 billion analyst consensus estimate.

Price Action: SPGI shares are trading higher by 4.40% to $552.63 at last check on Thursday.

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