Overview

IHS Markit was a global information and analytics company formed in 2016 through the merger of IHS Inc. and Markit Ltd. The combined business supplied specialized data, research, benchmarks, software, and workflow tools to financial institutions, corporations, and public-sector organizations. Its activities covered financial markets, economics, commodities, energy, transportation, automotive, maritime, chemicals, technology, and other industrial sectors. The company brought together two businesses with different but complementary origins. IHS developed from a petroleum-industry information service established in the United States in 1959 and expanded into technical, economic, industrial, and geopolitical research. Markit was established in the 2000s as a provider of financial-market data and services, initially building expertise in credit-derivatives pricing and later extending into indices, purchasing and supply-chain data, securities processing, syndicated loans, and other institutional workflows. The 2016 combination created a diversified information-services group with customers across the banking, asset-management, insurance, corporate, and government sectors. IHS Markit's financial-market operations included pricing and reference data, credit and derivatives information, economic indicators, indices, research, and platforms used by market participants for valuation, risk management, trading, and regulatory reporting. Its broader industry businesses produced proprietary datasets and intelligence for sectors such as automotive production and sales, energy markets, chemicals, aerospace and defense, maritime shipping, technology, and engineering. The company also operated software and workflow products intended to embed its data into customers' day-to-day processes rather than provide information only as standalone reports. A major part of IHS Markit's strategy was to combine recurring subscription revenue, data licensing, benchmark administration, and software-enabled services. It acquired and integrated specialist information businesses over time, expanding both its vertical coverage and its ability to serve large multinational customers. Its products were generally aimed at professional users who required structured, continuously updated information rather than consumer media or general-purpose search. IHS Markit became a publicly traded company after the 2016 merger and was listed on Nasdaq under the symbol INFO. Its shares ceased trading when S&P Global completed its acquisition of IHS Markit in February 2022. The transaction was announced in November 2020 and was structured as an all-stock merger. Following completion, IHS Markit's businesses were integrated into S&P Global's divisions and product portfolio. The standalone IHS Markit brand therefore no longer operates as an independent publicly listed company, although many of its datasets, products, and capabilities continue within S&P Global.

History

IHS Markit's history reflects the convergence of two information businesses. IHS began in 1959 as an information service focused on the petroleum industry. Over subsequent decades it expanded into technical standards, engineering information, economic research, industry analysis, and geopolitical intelligence. Its customers included corporations and public institutions that used the company's research and datasets for planning, investment, procurement, and risk assessment. IHS later broadened its coverage to sectors including energy, automotive, aerospace and defense, chemicals, maritime, and technology. Markit emerged in the 2000s as a financial-information company. It initially became known for providing independent pricing and reference information in credit derivatives, an area where market participants needed more consistent data for valuation and risk management. The company subsequently developed or acquired capabilities in indices, economic indicators, pricing, syndicated loans, securities processing, and other institutional financial workflows. Its expansion reflected a broader industry trend in which banks, asset managers, insurers, and corporations outsourced data-intensive processes to specialized providers. In 2016, IHS and Markit merged. The resulting company, IHS Markit, combined IHS's deep vertical-industry research with Markit's financial-market infrastructure and data expertise. The merger created a broad professional-information group whose products ranged from market prices and benchmarks to automotive forecasts, shipping intelligence, energy analysis, and economic research. The company sought to increase the value of its datasets by linking them to software, workflow systems, and recurring subscription services. IHS Markit operated internationally and served financial institutions, corporations, governments, and other professional organizations. Its business model depended largely on subscriptions, data licenses, analytics, benchmark and index services, and software-enabled workflows. The company also used acquisitions and product integration to extend its coverage of specialized markets. Its offerings were generally positioned as decision-support infrastructure rather than mass-market publishing. In November 2020, S&P Global announced an agreement to acquire IHS Markit in an all-stock transaction. The proposed combination was reviewed by competition authorities in several jurisdictions because both companies supplied financial data, benchmarks, and related services. After the required regulatory process, S&P Global completed the acquisition in February 2022. IHS Markit shares stopped trading, and the company's operations were reorganized within S&P Global. Consequently, IHS Markit is best understood today as a former standalone corporate brand whose products and capabilities have been absorbed into the S&P Global organization.

2022
Acquisition completed
[3]S&P Global completes IHS Markit mergerspglobal.com
S&P Global completed the acquisition, and IHS Markit ceased to operate as a separate listed company.
2020
S&P Global announces acquisition agreement
[2]S&P Global to acquire IHS Markitspglobal.com
S&P Global agreed to acquire IHS Markit in an all-stock transaction.
2016
IHS and Markit merge
[5]IHS and Markit mergeihsmarkit.com
The merger created IHS Markit, combining industrial, economic, and technical intelligence with financial-market data and workflow services.
2016
IHS Markit begins public trading
[4]IHS Markit SEC filingssec.gov
The newly combined company became a publicly traded information-services group on Nasdaq under the symbol INFO.
1959
IHS predecessor established
[1]S&P Global historyspglobal.com
The business that became IHS developed from a petroleum-industry information service founded in the United States.

Products and positioning

A specialist, subscription-based business-information and analytics provider serving professional financial, corporate, and government users.

Financial information and analytics
Financial Markets
IHS Markit's financial-markets activities supplied pricing, reference data, credit information, derivatives data, economic indicators, research, and analytics. These services were used by banks, asset managers, insurers, corporations, and other institutions for valuation, trading, risk management, portfolio analysis, and regulatory processes.
Indices and benchmarks
IHS Markit Indices
The indices business developed and administered benchmarks used to measure markets, sectors, strategies, and portfolios. Index data and related analytics supported investment products, performance analysis, asset allocation, and benchmarking. The business became part of S&P Global's broader index and benchmark operations after the acquisition.
Automotive market intelligence
Automotive Intelligence
Automotive intelligence covered vehicle production, sales, registrations, ownership, forecasting, and market analysis. Automakers, suppliers, dealerships, financial institutions, and governments used these datasets and forecasts to evaluate demand, plan production, assess competition, and analyze mobility trends.
Energy and commodities research
Energy and Natural Resources Intelligence
This group provided research, forecasts, market data, and consulting-oriented analysis for oil, gas, power, coal, chemicals, and other natural-resource sectors. Its information was designed for investment decisions, strategic planning, supply analysis, asset evaluation, and understanding changing commodity and energy-market conditions.
Shipping and trade data
Maritime and Trade Intelligence
Maritime products combined shipping, vessel, port, trade, and commodity-flow information. Customers used the data to assess fleets, monitor maritime markets, analyze trade routes, evaluate supply chains, and support commercial and risk decisions in global shipping and logistics.
Business workflow software and data
Procurement and Supply Chain
IHS Markit's procurement and supply-chain offerings provided supplier, purchasing, spend, and market information intended to improve sourcing and operational decisions. These tools connected specialized data with workflow processes used by corporate procurement and supply-chain teams.

Brand decisions

2020
Agree to be acquired by S&P GlobalM&A
Background
S&P Global and IHS Markit both supplied important datasets, benchmarks, analytics, and workflow services to institutional customers.
Action taken
IHS Markit agreed to an all-stock acquisition by S&P Global.
Aftermath
The transaction proceeded through regulatory review and was completed in 2022, after which IHS Markit was integrated into S&P Global.
Source
2016
Create IHS Markit through a corporate mergerM&A
Background
IHS and Markit operated in complementary information markets: IHS had extensive industrial and economic coverage, while Markit had built substantial financial-market data and workflow capabilities.
Action taken
The companies combined their operations under the IHS Markit name.
Aftermath
The merger produced a diversified professional-information company serving financial, corporate, and government customers.
Source

Recent events

2022
S&P Global completes IHS Markit merger[3]S&P Global completes IHS Markit mergerspglobal.com
M&A · Leadership change
S&P Global completed its acquisition of IHS Markit, ending IHS Markit's existence as a separately listed company and beginning the integration of its businesses into S&P Global.
2020
S&P Global agrees to acquire IHS Markit[2]S&P Global to acquire IHS Markitspglobal.com
M&A
S&P Global announced an all-stock agreement to acquire IHS Markit in a transaction designed to combine the companies' financial information, benchmarks, and analytics businesses.
2016
IHS and Markit announce merger[5]IHS and Markit mergeihsmarkit.com
M&A
IHS and Markit completed the transaction that created IHS Markit, combining industrial and economic information with financial-market data and analytics.

Related entries

S&P Global