ACI settles with Starboard

Article Excerpt

ACI WORLDWIDE INC. $40 is a buy. The company (Nasdaq symbol ACIW; Manufacturing & Industry Sector; Shares outstanding: 116.8 million; Market cap: $4.7 billion; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.aciworldwide.com) is the leading software provider for processing transactions by credit cards, debit cards, automated teller machines, point-of-sale terminals and interbank systems. Its products also work to cut fraud. ACI has now responded to pressure from activist investor Starboard Value LP by allowing Starboard to add two new independent directors to its board. Starboard, which owns a 7.7% stake in ACI, had pushed the company to hire advisers and consider a sale in December. That was two months after calling it an “attractive” takeover candidate. Whether or not ACI will make any changes beyond adding board members—or put itself up for sale—based on Starboard’s involvement is uncertain at this point. But either way, the activist’s involvement does serve to highlight ACI’s investment appeal. ACI Worldwide is a buy. buy. …