Best Research Provider: S&P Global Market Intelligence

S&P Global Market Intelligence has a database of 25 million reports and models, and on top of that sit tools designed to help users derive value from the content. For judges, it was this broad offering and addition of “new features to enhance client appeal” that made S&P Global Market Intelligence stand out in the category.

In the past six months, S&P Global Market Intelligence has introduced new features to its platform, such as extending its click-through to source capabilities from financials to transactions, and ensuring users can see the original data in context. In addition, it has added a new keyword-in-context tool, which is backed by a sophisticated machine-learning search algorithm that helps users home in on the research most relevant to them. Next to this sit new document relevancy meters designed to make it easy for users to identify content they may care about; and both functions are available in the platform and in the new mobile offering.

Warren Breakstone, managing director and general manager, capital markets, at S&P Global Market Intelligence, says the tablet app has taken off: “Users are happy to access research remotely, be able to read it offline and share it with colleagues within a mobile experience.”

However, investment in the research and analytics product has gone even further than covering technical improvements. The vendor’s focus on adding unique contributors and ensuring high-quality content has continued, and there are now 145,000 automated quality checks before the data is presented to clients. As part of the quality program, clients are also encouraged to report any errors in S&P Global’s public financials data—ownership, transactions, financials and estimates. In fact, customers who identify a qualifying data discrepancy or omission in the platforms can receive a $50 Visa reward card or request an equivalent donation be made to S&P Global’s Corporate Responsibility program, which supports certain non-profits. “That’s how committed we are to ensuring our data is of the highest quality and standards,” says Breakstone.

In May, the vendor also introduced portfolio analytics to its buy-side clients, and next is the planned 2018 introduction of the new Market Intelligence platform to investment banking clients, bringing together content from S&P Capital IQ and SNL Financial in an integrated platform with even deeper coverage.