ACI is set to soar; Europe slows Symantec

Article Excerpt

ACI WORLDWIDE $42.71 (Nasdaq symbol ACIW; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative) (402-334-5101; www.tsainc.com; Shares outstanding: 39.8 million; Market cap: $1.7 billion; No dividends paid) makes software that is used to process transactions involving credit cards, debit cards, automated teller machines, point-of-sale terminals and interbank payments. In mid-February 2012, ACI completed its purchase of S1 Corp. for $540 million in cash and stock. This acquisition is a good fit: S1 sells transaction software for banks, credit unions, retailers and other payment processors. It has over 3,000 clients worldwide. In the second quarter of 2012, ACI’s revenue rose 32.1%, to $149.8 million from $113.4 million a year earlier. S1’s $43.1-million contribution was the main reason for the gain. Without one-time items, earnings fell 21.5%, to $6.6 million, or $0.16 a share, from $8.3 million, or $0.21 . The decline was largely due to the cost of integrating S1. However, the company has completed most of this work, and it now expects the purchase to save it roughly…