10-QPeriod: Q1 FY2012

FISERV INC Quarterly Report for Q1 Ended Mar 31, 2012

Filed May 2, 2012For Securities:FISV

Summary

Fiserv Inc. (FISV) reported a solid first quarter for 2012, demonstrating continued growth in a challenging economic environment. Total revenue increased by 6% year-over-year to $1.108 billion, primarily driven by a 7% increase in the Payments segment and a 4% increase in the Financial segment. This revenue growth, coupled with effective cost management, led to a 9% increase in operating income to $241 million, with an improved operating margin of 21.8%. Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations rose significantly to $0.95, up from $0.77 in the prior year quarter. The company's recurring, fee-based revenue model continues to prove resilient, with essential services for clients contributing to stable performance. Despite some headwinds, such as increased expenses for new product development and support, Fiserv is making strategic investments in areas like digital payments and mobile banking. The company maintains a strong liquidity position, supported by operating cash flow and an undrawn revolving credit facility, and remains compliant with its debt covenants. Shareholder returns were also a focus, with substantial share repurchases during the quarter.

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$1.10B
Cost of Revenue$159.00M
Gross Profit$938.00M
SG&A Expenses$205.00M
Operating Expenses$858.00M
Operating Income$239.00M
Interest Expense$43.00M
Net Income$132.00M
EPS (Basic)$0.24
EPS (Diluted)$0.23
Shares Outstanding (Basic)554.80M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)562.00M

Key Highlights

  • 1Total revenue grew 6% to $1.108 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2012, compared to $1.048 billion in the prior year period.
  • 2Operating income increased by 9% to $241 million, and operating margin improved to 21.8% from 21.1% year-over-year.
  • 3Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations reached $0.95, a significant increase from $0.77 in Q1 2011.
  • 4The Payments segment revenue grew 7%, while the Financial segment revenue grew 4%, both contributing to the overall top-line increase.
  • 5The company repurchased $245 million of its common stock during the first quarter of 2012.
  • 6Fiserv maintains strong compliance with its debt covenants and has a $1.0 billion revolving credit facility, with no borrowings outstanding as of March 31, 2012.
  • 7Cash provided by operating activities was $236 million, a decrease of 17% compared to $283 million in the prior year, primarily due to working capital changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fiserv's primary revenue source is from recurring account- and transaction-based fees under contracts that generally have terms of three to five years. The company highlights a high contract renewal rate and notes that the majority of its services are essential for clients' operations, making them largely non-discretionary and thus contributing to a resilient and sustainable revenue model.

Revenue growth was primarily driven by increases in both the Payments segment (up 7%) and the Financial segment (up 4%). The acquisition of CashEdge contributed approximately $16 million to the total revenue. Growth in the Payments segment was also fueled by new clients and increased transaction volumes in card services and digital channels, while the Financial segment saw growth from increased processing and services revenue and higher contract termination fees.

The acquisition of CashEdge, completed in September 2011 for approximately $460 million, has advanced Fiserv's digital payments strategy. It contributed $16 million to total revenue in Q1 2012 and positively impacted segment revenue growth by approximately three percentage points in the Payments segment.

Fiserv manages its exposure to interest rate fluctuations through interest rate swap agreements. The company maintains interest rate swap agreements with a notional value of $1.0 billion to hedge against changes in interest rates on floating-rate term loan borrowings, effectively fixing the interest rates. Additionally, forward-starting interest rate swap agreements with a notional value of $550 million are used to hedge against changes in interest rates for forecasted fixed-rate borrowings.