ACI Worldwide(US:ACIW)2025-11-06 14:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was $482 million, reflecting a 7% year-over-year increase and a 6% increase when adjusted for foreign exchange [13] - Recurring revenue reached $298 million, up 10%, representing 62% of total revenue [13] - Adjusted EBITDA was $171 million, a 2% increase year-over-year [13] - Year-to-date total revenue and adjusted EBITDA both increased by 12% compared to the previous year [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The biller business generated $198 million in revenue, up 10% year-over-year, with segment-adjusted EBITDA increasing by 4% to $32 million [13] - Payment software revenue grew by 4% to $284 million, with adjusted EBITDA at $182 million, up 1% [13] - Year-to-date payment software revenue increased by 12%, while adjusted EBITDA grew by 13% [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong demand was noted from traditional banks, established payment processors, and emerging fintechs [6] - The company reported a healthy growth in its $7.1 billion, 60-month backlog, with double-digit growth across both payment software and biller business [26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on reducing variability in its historic term license software business model by closing deals earlier and moving towards more ratable pricing structures [5] - ACI Kinetic platform is a key focus, with the signing of its first customer, Solaris, indicating a commitment to modernizing payment infrastructure [6][34] - The company made a strategic acquisition of a European-based fintech payment component to enhance its AI-first initiatives and accelerate the ACI Kinetic development roadmap [9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the remainder of 2025, highlighting a robust pipeline and consistent execution across the business [12] - The company raised its full-year guidance for total revenue to a range of $1.73 billion to $1.754 billion and adjusted EBITDA to $495 million to $510 million [17] - Management emphasized the importance of transparency and proactive dialogue with the investment community [19] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 3.1 million shares for $150 million year-to-date and increased its share repurchase authorization to $500 million [9][16] - ACI Worldwide is committed to returning capital to shareholders while maintaining operational excellence and technology leadership [12] Q&A Session All Questions and Answers Question: Pricing as a lever for long-term growth - Management indicated that pricing remains an important lever for growth, with expectations to continue adding value through new software versions and features [22][24] Question: Renewal cadence for payment software - Management noted a healthy backlog and expects balanced renewals throughout 2026, maintaining a high single-digit growth model [25][26] Question: Progression and pipeline for ACI Kinetic - Management expressed excitement about the growing pipeline for ACI Kinetic, with revenue conversion expected to occur after implementation is completed [34][35] Question: Payments components acquisition and BitPay partnership - The acquisition was aimed at enhancing capabilities for ACI Kinetic, while the BitPay partnership is expected to improve service offerings in the crypto and stablecoin space [39][40] Question: Growth drivers in the biller segment - Management highlighted new customer acquisition and retention as key drivers of growth in the biller segment, with a focus on the SpeedPay One platform [50][52]