S&P Global
A global provider of credit ratings, financial benchmarks, market intelligence, and energy and commodities information.
Last updated October 13, 2026
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Overview
S&P Global Inc. is a publicly traded American information-services company headquartered in New York City. Its businesses provide credit ratings, financial and market data, analytical tools, economic research, benchmark indices, and information about energy, commodities, and mobility markets. The company serves institutional investors, banks, insurers, corporations, governments, universities, and other participants in global capital and commercial markets. The organization traces part of its corporate heritage to the publishing businesses established by James H. McGraw and John A. Hill. McGraw began building a technical-publishing business in 1888, while Hill developed a separate portfolio of trade and professional publications. Their book operations were combined in 1909 as the McGraw–Hill Book Company, and the remaining businesses were consolidated under McGraw–Hill Publishing Company in 1917. These publishing roots later became the foundation for a much broader information and data enterprise. A decisive expansion into financial information began in 1966, when McGraw–Hill acquired Standard & Poor's. Standard & Poor's had developed a reputation for securities research, credit analysis, and market benchmarks, and its name eventually became central to the parent company's identity. The business also expanded into education, broadcasting, construction information, and other specialist markets during the second half of the twentieth century. Several of those activities were later sold as the company concentrated on financial and commercial intelligence. In 2013, following the disposal of McGraw–Hill Education, shareholders approved the name McGraw Hill Financial. The company adopted the name S&P Global in 2016, emphasizing its financial-information heritage and its globally recognized S&P brands. The modern group includes S&P Global Ratings, S&P Global Market Intelligence, S&P Global Energy, S&P Global Mobility, and S&P Dow Jones Indices, the joint venture responsible for major benchmarks including the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average. It also holds a majority interest in the Indian credit-rating company CRISIL. S&P Global's principal competitive assets are proprietary datasets, established methodologies, recurring subscription relationships, recognized benchmarks, and the analytical credibility associated with its ratings and indices. Its ratings business evaluates the creditworthiness of governments, companies, financial institutions, and structured-finance instruments. Market Intelligence supplies multi-asset data, research, news, workflow tools, and software. Energy and commodities activities, historically associated with Platts, publish market information and price assessments used in commercial contracts and trading. Mobility activities cover vehicle registration, ownership, forecasting, automotive retail, and related market intelligence. The company has continued to grow through acquisitions and portfolio restructuring. Its announced acquisition of IHS Markit, completed in 2022, substantially broadened its data, benchmarks, and industry-intelligence capabilities. S&P Global later sold the former IHS engineering-information operations to KKR, where the business was rebranded Accuris. In 2025, the company announced plans to separate its mobility business into an independent public company and announced an agreement to acquire With Intelligence, subject to applicable conditions. These moves reflect an emphasis on financial markets, data, benchmarks, and specialized intelligence while reshaping non-core or separately scalable assets.
History
S&P Global's history combines nineteenth-century technical publishing with the later development of financial ratings, market benchmarks, and professional information services. James H. McGraw entered the publishing field in 1888 through the American Journal of Railway Appliances and expanded into additional technical publications. In 1899 he established The McGraw Publishing Company. John A. Hill independently built a business focused on technical and trade publications and founded The Hill Publishing Company in 1902. The two entrepreneurs joined their book operations in 1909, creating the McGraw–Hill Book Company, with Hill as president and McGraw as vice-president. In 1917, their remaining activities were combined under McGraw–Hill Publishing Company. After Hill's death, McGraw–Hill Publishing Company and McGraw–Hill Book Company merged in 1964 to form McGraw–Hill, Inc. The most important strategic step toward the modern company came in 1966, when McGraw–Hill acquired Standard & Poor's. The acquisition brought a recognized credit-rating and securities-research franchise into a group that had previously been identified principally with publishing. Standard & Poor's later became the source of the S&P name used by the parent company and many of its financial products. During the late twentieth century, McGraw–Hill remained diversified. It expanded in education, acquired and operated broadcasting assets, and added specialist information businesses. It purchased Byte magazine in 1979 and The Economy Company in 1986, making it a leading United States educational publisher. Its broadcasting history included the 1972 purchase of television stations from a Time-related broadcasting division. In 1994, several stations entered an affiliation arrangement with ABC. The company began a substantial portfolio simplification in the twenty-first century. BusinessWeek was sold to Bloomberg in 2009, and the television station group was sold to E. W. Scripps in 2011. McGraw–Hill Education was sold to Apollo Global Management in 2013, after which shareholders approved the name McGraw Hill Financial. McGraw–Hill Construction was divested in 2014 and became Dodge Data & Analytics. In 2016, the parent company changed its name to S&P Global. The rebranding highlighted the importance of Standard & Poor's and positioned the corporation around financial data, ratings, benchmarks, and specialist intelligence rather than general publishing. The same year, J.D. Power was sold to XIO Group. S&P Global's contemporary structure includes ratings, market intelligence, energy and commodities information, mobility data, and index services. S&P Dow Jones Indices, launched in 2012, combines S&P's index capabilities with Dow Jones index assets and produces globally followed benchmarks such as the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average. S&P Global Energy, historically associated with Platts, provides commodity information and benchmark price assessments. S&P Global Market Intelligence supplies datasets, research, news, and analytical workflows, including products associated with Capital IQ, Panjiva, EViews, and Global Insight. The acquisition of IHS Markit, announced in 2020 and completed in 2022, expanded the group across financial markets and industry intelligence. S&P Global subsequently sold the former IHS engineering operations to KKR, which rebranded them Accuris. In 2025, S&P Global announced plans to separate its mobility division and announced an agreement to acquire With Intelligence. These actions illustrate the company's continuing effort to sharpen its portfolio around scalable data, benchmarks, analytics, and subscription-based information services.
- 2025
Mobility separation and With Intelligence transaction announced
[1]S&P Global announced plans to separate its mobility business and an agreement to acquire With Intelligence.
- 2022
IHS Markit combination completed
[1]The IHS Markit transaction was completed, materially expanding S&P Global's market and industry data capabilities.
- 2020
IHS Markit acquisition announced
[1]S&P Global announced a major acquisition intended to broaden its information, analytics, and benchmark portfolio.
- 2016
Corporate name changed to S&P Global
[1]The company formally adopted its current name following shareholder approval.
- 2013
Education division sold and corporate name changed
[1]The sale of McGraw–Hill Education helped create a focused financial-information company that adopted the name McGraw Hill Financial.
- 2012
S&P Dow Jones Indices launched
[1]A joint venture combining S&P and Dow Jones index capabilities began operating.
- 1966
Standard & Poor's acquired
[1]McGraw–Hill purchased Standard & Poor's, adding credit ratings and securities research to its publishing base.
- 1917
Publishing businesses consolidated
[1]The remaining McGraw and Hill activities were merged under McGraw–Hill Publishing Company.
- 1909
McGraw and Hill combine book operations
[1]The book departments of the two publishers were combined as the McGraw–Hill Book Company.
- 1899
The McGraw Publishing Company established
[1]McGraw formalized his expanding publishing operation as The McGraw Publishing Company.
Products and positioning
Premium, independent provider of trusted financial benchmarks, credit opinions, market intelligence, and specialized commercial data.
Credit ratings and research
S&P Global Ratings
S&P Global Ratings provides opinions and research concerning the creditworthiness of governments, companies, financial institutions, and structured-finance instruments. Its ratings and related analysis are used by issuers, lenders, investors, regulators, and other capital-market participants in assessing default risk and financing conditions.
Financial data and analytics
S&P Global Market Intelligence
This business supplies multi-asset financial data, company and industry research, news, economic information, and analytical workflows. Its portfolio includes products and brands associated with Capital IQ, Panjiva, EViews, Journal of Commerce, and Global Insight, serving financial institutions, corporations, universities, and professional investors.
Index services · 2012
S&P Dow Jones Indices
S&P Dow Jones Indices develops and calculates equity, fixed-income, commodity, and other benchmarks. Its best-known indices include the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The benchmarks support investment products, performance measurement, asset allocation, and financial contracts worldwide.
Energy and commodities intelligence
S&P Global Energy
S&P Global Energy, historically associated with the Platts brand, provides news, research, market data, and benchmark price assessments for energy, petrochemicals, metals, agriculture, and related commodities. Its information is used by producers, traders, financial institutions, industrial companies, and governments.
Automotive and mobility intelligence
S&P Global Mobility
S&P Global Mobility provides automotive and mobility data, including vehicle registration information, ownership insights, forecasts, market analysis, and retail intelligence. Associated brands include Carfax, Market Scan, and Polk Automotive Solutions. In 2025, S&P Global announced plans to separate the unit into a standalone public company.
Credit ratings and analytics
CRISIL
CRISIL is an Indian credit-rating and analytics company in which S&P Global is the majority owner. It provides ratings, research, risk solutions, and financial intelligence for Indian and international clients.
Brand decisions
2025
Plan separation of S&P Global MobilityStrategyBackground
Mobility information is a specialized business with a distinct customer base and operating profile.
Action taken
S&P Global announced plans to spin off its global mobility unit into a standalone public company.
Aftermath
The planned separation was intended to give the mobility business an independent corporate structure; completion details were not specified in the supplied material.
2025
Agreement to acquire With IntelligenceM&ABackground
S&P Global continued expanding its specialist markets-data and analytics capabilities.
Action taken
The company announced an agreement to purchase With Intelligence for approximately $1.8 billion.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not establish completion or the final integration structure.
Announced transaction value. $1.8 billion (2025 announcement)
2023
Sell former IHS engineering operationsM&ABackground
After the IHS Markit combination, S&P Global reviewed the enlarged portfolio and separated the engineering-information activities.
Action taken
The former IHS engineering operations were sold to KKR and later rebranded Accuris.
Aftermath
The divestiture reduced the group's exposure to engineering information and supported a more focused financial and market-intelligence portfolio.
2020
Acquire IHS MarkitM&ABackground
S&P Global sought to expand beyond ratings and indices into broader financial-market and industry intelligence.
Action taken
The company agreed to acquire IHS Markit in a transaction announced at approximately $44 billion.
Aftermath
The completed combination expanded S&P Global's datasets, analytics, benchmarks, and sector-specific information capabilities.
Announced transaction value. $44 billion (2020 announcement)
2016
Rebrand as S&P GlobalStrategyBackground
The Standard & Poor's name had become the most internationally recognizable part of the company's financial-information portfolio.
Action taken
Shareholders approved changing the corporate name from McGraw Hill Financial to S&P Global.
Aftermath
The parent company aligned its identity with its ratings, benchmark, and market-intelligence brands.
2013
Concentrate the company around financial informationStrategyBackground
The company was separating its education division and reducing the role of its historical publishing portfolio.
Action taken
It sold McGraw–Hill Education and adopted the name McGraw Hill Financial.
Aftermath
The remaining group was more clearly positioned as a financial-data, ratings, and analytics company.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
451 Group sells research unit to S&P Global[3]
Reported:
The 451 Group sold its research arm to S&P Global; the transaction was signed and closed on Friday, 6 December, for an undisclosed sum. The source does not establish the year of the transaction.
Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.
- Unconfirmed
S&P Global to acquire smart contract security company OpenZeppelin[4]
Reported:
S&P Global announced that it will acquire OpenZeppelin, a smart contract security company.
S&P Global acquires The Climate Service[5]
Reported:
S&P Global acquired The Climate Service. The acquisition adds climate data, models and analytics capabilities to S&P Global's ESG offerings.
UK watchdog probes S&P Global–IHS Markit deal[6]
Reported:
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is examining S&P Global's deal with IHS Markit and set October 19 as the deadline for its phase 1 decision.
S&P Global adds Gregory Washington to its board[7]
Reported:
S&P Global announced that its board approved adding Dr. Gregory Washington to the board, effective June 22, 2021.
S&P Global launches sustainability unit[8]
S&P Global launched S&P Global Sustainable, a centralised group representing its integrated sustainability offerings and providing views on sustainability, ESG and climate topics.
S&P Global launches Sustainable1[9]
Reported:
S&P Global announced the launch of Sustainable1, a centralized ESG and sustainability organization bringing together its sustainability offerings and dedicated team.
Banco Santander México included in Sustainability Yearbook 2021[10]
Reported:
Banco Santander México announced that it was the only Mexican bank included in S&P Global's Sustainability Yearbook 2021 and was named an “Industry Mover.”
Delta Electronics (Thailand) wins S&P Global Silver Class distinction[11]
Delta Electronics (Thailand) PCL won the S&P Global Silver Class distinction for sustainability performance, for the second consecutive year.
Tealbook closes $14.4 million Series A round[12]
Reported:
Tealbook announced that it had closed a $14.4 million Series A funding round led by RTP Global, with other investors participating and debt financing from Silicon Valley Bank.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources19 sources
- 1S&P Globalen.wikipedia.org
- 2S&P Global official websitespglobal.com
- 3451 Group将研究部门出售给S&P Globaldatacenterdynamics.com
- 4标普全球宣布收购智能合约安全公司OpenZeppelinnews.google.com
- 5S&P Global 收购 The Climate Serviceprnewswire.com
- 6英国监管机构调查标普全球与IHS Markit交易economictimes.indiatimes.com
- 7标普全球增选格雷戈里·华盛顿为董事prnewswire.com
- 8标普全球推出可持续发展部门financeasia.com
- 9标普全球推出 Sustainable13blmedia.com
- 10Banco Santander México 入选《2021 年可持续发展年鉴》prnewswire.com
- 11Delta Electronics（泰国）获标普全球银级荣誉eco-business.com
- 12Tealbook完成1,440万美元A轮融资prnewswire.com
- 13ABFRL获评亚洲纺织、服装及奢侈品行业可持续发展表现第一equitybulls.com
- 14标普全球上调2020财年调整后盈利指引finanznachrichten.de
- 15S&P Global 为总额 13 亿美元的高级票据发行定价prnewswire.com
- 16标普全球推出ESG评分prnewswire.com
- 17标普全球发布《可持续发展年鉴2020》prnewswire.com
- 18S&P Global收购451 Researchprnewswire.com
- 19S&P Global launches Data Solution to Support the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) requirementsprnewswire.com
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