Core Insights - NICE has recommended sparsentan as the first non-immunosuppressive dual-action therapy for primary IgA nephropathy in eligible patients, marking a significant advancement in treatment options [1][2][3] - The recommendation is based on the positive results from the Phase 3 PROTECT trial, which demonstrated sparsentan's efficacy in reducing proteinuria compared to irbesartan [1][8] Company Overview - CSL Vifor is a global partner specializing in pharmaceuticals and innovative therapies, particularly in iron deficiency and nephrology, with a focus on strategic global partnerships and precision healthcare [3][4] - The company plans to launch sparsentan in the UK in the second half of 2025, with commercial stock expected to be available from July 2025 [2][6] Industry Context - IgA nephropathy is the most common type of primary glomerular disease worldwide, affecting over 22,000 adults in England, with a significant risk of kidney failure if not adequately treated [2][5] - Current treatment guidelines indicate that patients with persistent urine protein excretion greater than 1 g/day are at high risk for progressive chronic kidney disease, highlighting the need for effective therapies like sparsentan [2][5][8] Clinical Trial Insights - The PROTECT trial involved 404 patients and showed that sparsentan achieved a mean reduction in proteinuria of 49.8% after 36 weeks, compared to 15.1% for irbesartan [8] - The trial was notable for being one of the largest interventional studies in IgA nephropathy and the only head-to-head trial in this area [8] Regulatory Milestones - The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted marketing authorization for sparsentan in April 2025, paving the way for its use in the NHS [1][3] - NICE's guidance mandates that sparsentan must be funded within 90 days of the final publication, expected on June 27, 2025 [1][2]

I wrote about NICE Ltd. (NASDAQ: NICE ) ( OTCPK:NCSYF ), with their CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) and FCC (Financial Crime and Compliance) software, at the beginning of February. I found it a compelling case, with the stock Analyst's Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of NICE either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I h ...

Core Viewpoint - NICE Ltd. is perceived as an undervalued cloud-native software solutions company, with strong performance indicated by rising cloud revenue in Q1 2025 [1] Company Performance - The Q1 2025 results demonstrated an overall strong performance for NICE Ltd. [1] - Cloud revenue showed significant growth, contributing to the company's positive financial outlook [1] Analyst Background - The analysis is conducted by a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management [1] - The analyst specializes in equity valuation, market trends, and portfolio optimization, focusing on identifying high-growth investment opportunities [1]

Core Insights - NICE reported adjusted earnings of $2.87 per share for Q1 2025, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.06% and reflecting an 11% year-over-year increase [1] - Non-GAAP revenues reached $700.2 million, surpassing the consensus mark by 0.12% and showing a 6% year-over-year growth [1] Revenue Breakdown - Revenues in the Americas were $590 million, up 6% year over year [2] - EMEA revenues were $74 million, reflecting a 10% year-over-year increase [2] - APAC revenues increased by 9% year over year to $36 million [2] - Cloud revenues constituted 75.2% of total revenues at $526.3 million, marking a 12% year-over-year growth despite missing the consensus estimate by 0.22% [3] - Service revenues accounted for 20% of total revenues at $140.2 million, down 5.8% year over year and missing the consensus by 0.44% [3] - Product revenues, making up 4.8% of total revenues, were $33.7 million, exceeding the consensus by 8.31% but down 19.8% year over year [4] Operating Performance - Non-GAAP gross margin contracted by 100 basis points to 69.9% [5] - Research and development expenses as a percentage of revenues decreased by 60 basis points to 12.7% [5] - Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of revenues contracted by 40 basis points to 23.1% [5] - General and administrative expenses decreased by 110 basis points to 9.9% [5] - Non-GAAP operating expenses as a percentage of revenues contracted by 120 basis points to 39.4% [6] - Non-GAAP operating margin expanded by 20 basis points to 30.5% [6] - Non-GAAP EBITDA margin increased by 30 basis points to 33.6% [6] Balance Sheet and Cash Flow - As of March 31, 2025, NICE had cash and cash equivalents of $1.61 billion, slightly down from $1.62 billion at the end of 2024 [7] - Long-term debt was $459.2 million, a slight increase from $458.8 million at the end of 2024 [8] - Cash flow from operations in Q1 2025 was $285.1 million, up from $249.5 million in the same quarter last year [8] - The company allocated $500 million for share repurchases in Q1 2025 [8] Guidance - For Q2 2025, NICE expects non-GAAP revenues between $709 million and $719 million, indicating a 7% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [9] - Non-GAAP earnings are projected to be between $2.93 and $3.03 per share, suggesting a 13% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [9] - For the full year 2025, NICE anticipates non-GAAP revenues between $2.92 billion and $2.94 billion, implying a 7% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [9] - Non-GAAP earnings for the full year are estimated to be between $12.28 and $12.48 per share, indicating an 11% year-over-year growth at the midpoint [10]

Shares of specialized cloud platforms provider Nice (NICE -7.19%) were down 8% at noon ET Thursday, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Nice reported first-quarter earnings that saw sales and operating cash flow rise by 6% and 12%, beating analysts' expectations on the top and bottom lines.The company also offered up guidance that matched analysts' expectations, but the market's reaction seems to say they were hoping management was sandbagging its outlook.Nice's perfectly fine resu ...

Core Insights - Nice reported revenue of $700.19 million for the quarter ended March 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 6.2% and a slight surprise of +0.12% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $699.39 million [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $2.87, up from $2.58 in the same quarter last year, with an EPS surprise of +1.06% compared to the consensus estimate of $2.84 [1] Revenue Breakdown - Cloud revenue was $526.32 million, slightly below the average estimate of $527.48 million, but showed a year-over-year increase of 12.4% [4] - Services revenue totaled $140.20 million, which was lower than the estimated $140.83 million, representing a decline of 5.9% year-over-year [4] - Product revenue reached $33.67 million, exceeding the average estimate of $31.08 million, but this figure marked a significant year-over-year decrease of 19.8% [4] Stock Performance - Nice's shares have returned +12.5% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +9% change [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating potential underperformance relative to the broader market in the near term [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was CAD 700 million, reflecting a 6% year-over-year increase [7][24] - Cloud revenue increased by 12% year-over-year to CAD 527 million, now representing 75% of total revenue [8][24] - Operating margin expanded by 20 basis points to 30.5%, with earnings per share reaching CAD 2.87, an 11% increase compared to the previous year [8][33] - Operating cash flow rose by 12% year-over-year to AUD 285 million, with free cash flow increasing by 16% year-over-year to CAD 264 million [8][34] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Customer engagement revenue, which accounted for 85% of total revenue, was CAD 592 million, up 7% year-over-year [30] - Financial crime and compliance revenue, representing 15% of total revenue, totaled CAD 108 million, meeting expectations [30] - The annual recurring revenue from CX AI and self-service solutions exceeded CAD 200 million, marking a 39% year-over-year increase [26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas region, which represented 84% of total revenue, grew by 6% year-over-year, while EMEA and APAC regions saw increases of 109% year-over-year [28] - 50% of international revenue now comes from cloud solutions, indicating a significant shift towards cloud adoption in less penetrated markets [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on strategic partnerships, including collaborations with ServiceNow and AWS, to enhance customer experience and drive growth [12][61] - The transition from legacy systems to cloud solutions is a priority, with a commitment to cloud-first strategies [28] - The company aims to leverage AI-driven solutions to automate workflows and improve customer service [15][66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's growth trajectory, citing strong customer demand for AI and cloud solutions [35][96] - The company anticipates continued growth in cloud revenue, reaffirming a 12% growth target for the year [37][83] - Management noted that the current macroeconomic environment has not significantly impacted their outlook, with a strong pipeline of deals [96] Other Important Information - The company executed its largest quarterly share buyback in history, totaling CAD 252 million, reflecting confidence in its long-term strategy [9][34] - Total cash and investments at the end of March amounted to CAD 1.611 billion, with a debt of CAD 459 million [34] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the reasons for the quarter-on-quarter step down in cloud revenue? - Management indicated that the cloud revenue performance was in line with expectations, with some seasonal effects from the previous quarter [41] Question: When will the strategic partnerships start showing dividends? - Management expects customer conversations to turn into growth opportunities in the coming quarters as partnerships are leveraged [42] Question: Is the AI and self-service adoption incremental or cannibalizing existing spend? - Management confirmed that AI-based usage is largely incremental, with no material change in seat base revenue [47] Question: How do the NICE and ServiceNow platforms complement each other? - The partnership allows for a unified solution that enhances customer service efficiency without significant overlap [54] Question: What is the impact of the recent macroeconomic changes on the business? - Management noted that there is no significant impact on the pipeline or outlook, with enterprises eager to invest in customer experience [96] Question: How is the company addressing delays in large customer deployments? - The company has made investments to improve service capacity and is seeing improvements in deployment timelines [70] Question: What is the expected revenue contribution from large deals? - Revenue from large deals is expected to gradually contribute starting in early 2026, with confidence in achieving 12% cloud growth this year [82][83]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was CAD 700 million, reflecting a 6% year-over-year increase [22] - Cloud revenue increased by 12% year-over-year to CAD 527 million, now representing 75% of total revenue [22][6] - Operating margin expanded by 20 basis points to 30.5%, with earnings per share reaching CAD 2.87, an 11% increase from the previous year [6][29] - Operating cash flow rose by 12% year-over-year to AUD 285 million, marking a strong cash generation performance [6][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Customer engagement revenue, which accounted for 85% of total revenue, was CAD 592 million, up 7% year-over-year [27] - Financial crime and compliance revenue, representing 15% of total revenue, totaled CAD 108 million, meeting expectations [27] - The annual recurring revenue from CX AI and self-service solutions exceeded CAD 200 million, a 39% year-over-year increase [23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Americas region, which represented 84% of total revenue, grew by 6% year-over-year [25] - EMEA and APAC regions, which represented 11% of total revenue, increased by 109% year-over-year, driven by strong cloud revenue growth [25] - 50% of international revenue now comes from cloud solutions, indicating a significant shift towards cloud adoption [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a cloud-first strategy, emphasizing the transition from legacy systems to cloud solutions [25] - Strategic partnerships with ServiceNow and AWS are aimed at enhancing customer experience and driving future growth [11][12] - The company is committed to AI-driven customer experience, with CXone mPOWER positioned as a leading platform for automation and workflow orchestration [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's strong start to the year and the ongoing strength of the business [30] - The company anticipates continued growth in cloud revenue, reaffirming a 12% growth target for the year [33] - Management highlighted the importance of AI in transforming customer interactions and the need for a unified platform to enhance customer experiences [17][62] Other Important Information - The company executed its largest quarterly share buyback in history, totaling CAD 252 million, reflecting confidence in its long-term strategy [30] - Total cash and investments at the end of March were CAD 1.611 billion, with net cash of CAD 1.2 billion after accounting for debt [30] Q&A Session Summary Question: What are the reasons for the quarter-on-quarter step down in cloud revenue? - Management noted that the cloud revenue growth was in line with expectations, with some seasonal effects from the previous quarter impacting results [35][36] Question: When will the strategic partnerships start showing dividends? - Management indicated that customer feedback on partnerships is positive, and growth opportunities are expected to materialize in the coming quarters [37] Question: Is the AI and self-service revenue incremental or cannibalizing existing spend? - Management confirmed that AI-based usage is largely incremental, with no material change in seat base revenue [42][43] Question: How does NICE's AI strategy differentiate from competitors? - Management emphasized the foundational models and extensive data NICE has built, which sets it apart in the market [53][54] Question: What is the impact of the recent news regarding AI adoption in Florida? - Management reiterated the importance of coexistence between AI and human agents, noting that customers are increasingly looking for integrated solutions [59][62] Question: What improvements have been made regarding large customer deployments? - Management highlighted investments in service capacity and partnerships to expedite large-scale enterprise deployments [67][68]

Company Overview - NICE serves over 25,000 customers across various industries[9] - The company boasts a significant global presence, operating in over 150 countries[9] - NICE has a substantial R&D workforce, with over 3,300 professionals[9] Financial Highlights - Cloud Revenue reached $2 billion[9] - Total Revenue amounted to $2.8 billion[9] - Recurring Revenue stands at $2.5 billion[9] - Cash from Operations is $863 million[9] Customer Experience (CX) - NICE CXone is recognized as a market leader in the CCaaS platform space[39] - The company serves a large portion of the Fortune 100, with over 85% as customers[9, 46] - Only 24% of CCaaS transition complete[45] - Only 5% of interactions are contained with Conversational AI today[45] Financial Crime & Compliance - Financial crime represents 2%-5% of Global GDP[66] - NICE Actimize is recognized as a market leader in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) solutions[58, 60] - The company provides end-to-end financial crime risk management coverage[67] - Digital fraud losses 2023-27 $350B Globally[51] Public Safety & Justice - NICE is a leader in providing incident intelligence and digital evidence management solutions[86] - The company serves a significant portion of the US and Canadian cities, with 85% as customers[84] - NICE delivers digital transformation and analytics to over 3,000 agencies[87]

Company Performance - Nice (NICE) closed at $156.04, with a slight increase of +0.12% from the previous session, underperforming the S&P 500 which gained 0.63% [1] - Over the past month, shares of Nice have decreased by 1.17%, while the Computer and Technology sector gained 1.66% [1] Upcoming Financial Results - The upcoming earnings report is expected to show an EPS of $2.84, reflecting a 10.08% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is projected at $699.39 million, up 6.08% from the same quarter last year [2] Annual Estimates - For the annual period, earnings are anticipated to be $12.17 per share, a rise of +9.44% from the previous year, with revenue expected to reach $2.92 billion, indicating a +6.66% increase [3] Analyst Estimates and Stock Performance - Recent changes in analyst estimates are crucial as they often indicate short-term business trends, with positive revisions suggesting optimism about the company's outlook [3][4] - The Zacks Rank system, which reflects these estimate changes, currently ranks Nice at 3 (Hold) [5] Valuation Metrics - Nice has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.8, which is a discount compared to the industry average of 26.31 [6] - The PEG ratio for Nice stands at 1.19, while the Internet - Software industry has an average PEG ratio of 2.16 [6] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector, currently holding a Zacks Industry Rank of 141, placing it in the bottom 43% of over 250 industries [7] - Historically, the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]