WEX (NYSE:WEX) 2025 Conference December 02, 2025 05:35 PM ET Company ParticipantsMelissa Smith - CEOConference Call ParticipantsChris Stein - AnalystChris SteinAll right. So, let's get started. My name is Chris Stein. I'm an analyst as part of the UBS Payments and FinTech team. We're very excited to have Melissa Smith here with us from WEX. And I think this is your first time in quite a few years. And we're good to have you and heard your third quarter update. I guess maybe just to kick it off, it would be ...

Core Insights - U.S. Bancorp's third-quarter earnings showed growth in deposits, improved credit metrics, and advancements in embedded payments as key drivers of performance [1][3] Group 1: Financial Performance - Consumer deposits now account for over 52% of total average deposits, reflecting a year-over-year increase of more than 2% [3] - Overall average deposits reached $511.8 billion in the latest quarter, compared to $508.8 billion a year ago [4] - Fee income is expected to grow in the mid-single digits, supported by interconnected product offerings [4] Group 2: Credit Quality - Key credit quality metrics, including nonperforming assets and net charge-offs, improved both sequentially and year-over-year [4] - The company reported strong spending trends and favorable credit conditions, with loss rates significantly decreasing this quarter [5] Group 3: Business Segments - The merchant business experienced a strong quarter, driven by success in key verticals and tech-led strategies [5] - $45 billion of the loan book is tied to non-deposit financial institutions, representing about 12% of the total loan book [5] Group 4: Future Initiatives - The company is exploring stablecoins in two areas: capital markets and as a payment rail, with pilot programs planned for the near term [2][6][8] - Efforts include onboarding stablecoins into the banking system and providing stablecoin services as a payment vehicle [8]

Core Insights - U.S. Bancorp's third-quarter earnings showed growth in deposits, improved credit metrics, and advancements in embedded payments as key drivers of performance [1][3] Financial Performance - Consumer deposits accounted for over 52% of total average deposits, reflecting a year-over-year increase of more than 2% [3] - Overall average deposits reached $511.8 billion in the latest quarter, up from $508.8 billion a year ago [4] - Fee income is expected to grow in the mid-single digits, supported by interconnected product offerings [4] Credit Quality - Key credit quality metrics, including nonperforming assets and net charge-offs, improved both sequentially and year-over-year [4] - The company reported strong spending trends and favorable credit conditions, with loss rates significantly decreasing this quarter [5] Merchant Business - The merchant business experienced a strong quarter, driven by success in key verticals and tech-led strategies [5] Stablecoin Initiatives - The company is exploring stablecoins in two areas: capital markets and as a payment rail, with pilot programs planned for the near term [6][8] - Efforts include providing custody and safekeeping for stablecoin collateral and cryptocurrency assets, as well as preparing to onboard stablecoins into the banking system [7][8] Market Reaction - U.S. Bancorp shares increased by 1.7% in early trading following the earnings release [9]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported revenue of $636.6 million for Q1 2025, a decrease of 2.5% year over year, with adjusted net income per diluted share at $3.51, an increase of 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year [8][30][31] - Excluding the impact of fluctuations in fuel prices and foreign exchange rates, Q1 revenue was down 0.8% compared to the prior year, while adjusted EPS grew 5% [9][30] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - **Mobility Segment**: Revenue declined 1.5% year over year, impacted by lower fuel prices and foreign exchange rates. Same store sales growth for local fleets was down 3.9%, while over-the-road customers saw an uptick of approximately 2.6% [12][30] - **Benefits Segment**: Total revenues rose 4.2% year over year, with SaaS account growth of 6.1%. The company managed over 21 million SaaS accounts, and HSA accounts grew by 7% [14][31][16] - **Corporate Payments Segment**: Revenues declined 15.5% year over year, primarily due to customer transitions to a new operating model. However, direct accounts payable volume grew nearly 25% compared to last year [19][32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company operates in three segments: Mobility (50% of total revenue), Benefits (30%), and Corporate Payments (20%). Each segment is positioned for long-term growth despite macroeconomic uncertainties [10][19] - The Mobility segment's transaction levels were slightly down due to external factors, including weather events, while the Benefits segment showed resilience during economic downturns [12][17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on balancing long-term investments with responsiveness to near-term macro dynamics, maintaining high customer retention rates, and leveraging its diversified segments to navigate economic uncertainties [6][7][24] - Incremental investments are being made across all segments, particularly in mobility, with a multichannel marketing strategy targeting small business customers [24][25] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's competitive position and ability to adapt to changing macroeconomic conditions, emphasizing the importance of customer engagement and proactive planning [6][28] - The company expects revenue for Q2 2025 to be in the range of $640 million to $660 million, with adjusted net income EPS between $3.6 and $3.8 per diluted share [37][38] Other Important Information - The company returned $790 million to investors through share repurchases, reducing share count by approximately 13.1% since the end of the previous year [33] - The leverage ratio ended the quarter at 3.5 times, at the high end of the long-term range [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of tariff policy on Mobility segment - Management noted that local fleets experienced a decline in same store sales due to weather and economic factors, while over-the-road business saw a positive trend [46][48] Question: Corporate Payments segment performance - Management indicated that about half of the corporate payments revenue is outside of travel, with some softness in discretionary spending observed [50][53] Question: Composition of Mobility segment revenue - The majority of the Mobility segment revenue comes from local fleets, with a mix of small and large customers, and same store sales trends were largely homogeneous across different sectors [56][58] Question: Credit exposure and risk management - Management expressed confidence in the company's credit tools and strategies, indicating a better position going into potential economic downturns compared to previous cycles [75][78] Question: Benefits segment growth potential - Management highlighted strong HSA account growth and competitive positioning in the benefits market, with expectations to outgrow the overall market [83][85] Question: Portfolio review and cross-selling initiatives - Management confirmed ongoing reviews of the business portfolio and noted successful cross-selling activities between mobility and benefits segments [106][108]