Fidelity National Information Services(FIS) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported adjusted revenue growth of 4% in Q1 2025, exceeding expectations [8][18] - Adjusted EBITDA was $958 million, leading to an EBITDA margin of 37.8% [18] - Adjusted EPS grew 11% to $1.21, at the upper end of the outlook [10][18] - Free cash flow conversion exceeded 70%, with free cash flow of $368 million compared to $95 million last year [9][19] - The company returned $670 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends [10][19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Banking segment revenue grew 2%, with recurring revenue growth at 3% [21] - Capital Markets segment saw adjusted revenue growth of 9%, with recurring revenue growth of 6% [22] - Non-recurring revenue in Capital Markets advanced 47%, driven by strong license renewals [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company signed several new marquee engagements across the money lifecycle, indicating strong demand for core solutions [10][11] - The digital solutions segment gained traction, with a Midwest community bank selecting the Digital One product [12] - The Office of the CFO capabilities expanded, with a multinational engineering firm selecting FIS's treasury management solution [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on driving commercial excellence and simplifying its portfolio, which is expected to deliver consistent financial results [7] - The strategic acquisition of the Global Payments Issuer Business and the sale of the minority stake in Worldpay are aimed at strengthening the financial profile and value proposition [7][16] - The acquisition is expected to be accretive to adjusted EPS, EBITDA margins, and free cash flow in the first twelve months [17] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the pipeline, noting that client spending remains strong despite macroeconomic factors [32] - The company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, anticipating continued strength in recurring revenue growth [9][24] - Management highlighted the importance of high retention rates and strong sales from the previous year as drivers for future growth [90] Other Important Information - The company is targeting adjusted revenue growth of 4.2% to 5% for Q2 2025 [24] - Capital expenditures were $233 million in Q1 2025, consistent with full-year expectations [19] - The company exited the quarter at a target leverage of 2.8 times [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Feedback on client decision-making pipeline and Issuer Solutions business - Management noted that client conversions are live and the pipeline is increasing significantly year-over-year, with no signs of slowing spend [31][32] Question: Outlook for Capital One and Discover - Management expressed positive sentiments regarding partnerships with Capital One and Discover, indicating strong support for their initiatives [36] Question: Drivers for Capital Markets Q2 guidance - Management explained that the first quarter had a high non-recurring benefit, and the second quarter guidance reflects a return to normalized levels [40][41] Question: Banking segment's combined debit issuing business - Management indicated that the banking segment will see a significant increase in scale and recurring revenue due to the acquisition [45][46] Question: Worldpay EMI outlook - Management confirmed that the Worldpay EMI outlook remains consistent with expectations, with no signs of softening [50][51] Question: Cost synergies from the acquisition - Management highlighted that the largest cost synergies would come from rationalizing duplicate vendor costs and back-office optimization [58][60] Question: Accretion from Issuer Solutions transaction - Management stated that the transaction is immediately accretive and will significantly enhance cash flow and banking revenue [69][70] Question: Free cash flow and working capital initiatives - Management reported significant improvements in cash flow due to net working capital optimization initiatives [98][99] Question: Sales progress in capital markets - Management noted strong opportunities in both traditional and non-traditional verticals, with a robust pipeline and execution [106]