ACI rises with global-payments surge

Article Excerpt

ACI WORLDWIDE, $33.86, is a buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol ACIW; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (Shares o/s: 117.6 million; Market cap: $4.1 billion; No divds.) is the leading software provider for processing transactions by credit cards, debit cards, ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and interbank systems. Its products also work to cut fraud. In the quarter ended September 30, 2021, revenue rose slightly, to $316.9 million from $315.9 million a year earlier. The company made $0.12 a share in the latest quarter, down 14.2% from $0.14. The decline was mostly due to higher spending by ACI to spur its growth. The COVID-accelerated shift to complex payment systems is a big plus for the company. Meanwhile, its high research spending (12% of sales) will keep it ahead of competitors in its ever-changing market. ACI Worldwide is a buy. buy. …