Darrin Peller

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked about the revenue opportunity for clients who have fully established their digital core for AI, seeking examples and insights into the impact on Managed Services. He also inquired about Accenture's headcount strategy for the remainder of the fiscal year following recent business optimization actions.

Answer

Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO, explained that a strong digital core expands work by enabling process changes, talent upskilling, and enterprise-wide AI adoption, moving beyond isolated initiatives. She highlighted the significant opportunity in 'rewiring' the enterprise and leveraging Accenture's industry, functional, and change management expertise. Angie Park, CFO, stated that Accenture expects to increase headcount throughout the year in the U.S. and Europe as part of its talent rotation strategy.

Darrin Peller inquired about the revenue opportunity for clients who have fully leveraged their Digital Core for AI, asking for examples of such clients, the net increase to revenue, and the types of services Accenture offers. He also asked about Accenture's headcount strategy for the remainder of the year following business optimization actions.

Answer

Julie Sweet, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, explained that fully leveraging the Digital Core for AI significantly expands Accenture's work, as it involves changing processes, upskilling talent, and rewiring functions across the enterprise. She highlighted a substantial opportunity over the next decade due to Accenture's comprehensive expertise. Angie Park, Chief Financial Officer, stated that Accenture expects to increase its headcount throughout the year in the U.S. and Europe as part of its ongoing talent rotation strategy.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC inquired about Accenture's confidence in federal procurement forecasting, the potential impact of tariffs on capital investment, the implications of H-1B visa changes on wages or hiring, and any effects from recent healthcare policy changes.

Answer

CEO Julie Sweet stated that federal procurement is picking up, albeit slower than in the past, with demand focused on modernization and efficiency, where Accenture's ecosystem partnerships are key. She noted it's too early to assess the full impact of interest rate cuts on capital investment. Regarding H-1B visas, she indicated it's a non-issue for Accenture, as only about 5% of U.S. staff are on such visas for specialized skills. Julie Sweet added that policy changes, including in healthcare, typically drive more business for Accenture by creating new compliance and navigation needs for clients.

Darrin Peller asked about the stability of federal procurement forecasting, the potential for increased capital investment in products following tariff clarity, and the impact of H-1B visa changes on Accenture's business. He also inquired about any specific impacts from recent healthcare legislation.

Answer

CEO Julie Sweet confirmed that federal procurement is picking up, with demand for modernization and efficiency, leveraging ecosystem partnerships. She noted it's too early to assess the global impact of tariff clarity on capital investment. H-1B visa changes are a non-issue for Accenture, as only ~5% of its U.S. workforce uses them for specialized skills. She added that Accenture thrives by helping clients navigate policy changes, viewing them as opportunities for new business.

Darrin Peller (Wolfe Research, LLC) asked for verification on increased confidence in federal procurement forecasting, given recent policy changes. He also sought comments on the impact of tariffs on capital investment, potential H-1B visa changes on wages or hiring pace, and any observed effects from the "big beautiful bill" in healthcare.

Answer

Chair & CEO Julie Sweet confirmed that federal procurement is starting to pick up, albeit slower than in the past, with demand focused on modernization, consolidation, and efficiency, where Accenture's ecosystem partnerships are key. She noted it's too early to definitively assess the impact of tariffs on capital investment globally, despite recent interest rate improvements. For H-1B visas, she stated it's a non-issue for Accenture, as only about 5% of U.S. staff use them for specialized skills. She added that policy changes, including in healthcare, typically drive more business for Accenture as clients seek help navigating and complying with new rules.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC asked for details on booking composition, including contract sizes and client budget priorities. He also inquired if client uncertainty was diminishing and asked about future hiring plans.

Answer

CEO Julie Sweet noted that clients have moved from a 'pause to focus and leapfrog,' prioritizing large, transformative deals centered on technology, data, and AI. CFO Angie Park addressed hiring by stating that headcount is not directly correlated to revenue and that the company's revenue guidance is the best indicator of demand.

Darrin Peller inquired about the composition of bookings, specifically contract sizes and client budget priorities, and asked about hiring plans, including for the federal services (AFS) business.

Answer

CEO Julie Sweet noted that clients have moved from a "pause" to a "focus and leapfrog" mentality, prioritizing large, impactful transformations that play to Accenture's strengths. She said themes are tech, data, and AI, with a focus on cost efficiency and reinvestment. CFO Angie Park addressed hiring, stating headcount was ~790,000 and reiterated that there isn't a direct correlation between headcount and revenue, pointing to guidance as the best demand indicator.

Darrin Peller asked about the momentum in large transformational contracts, whether there is pent-up demand awaiting macro clarity, and for an update on GenAI adoption momentum.

Answer

CEO Julie T. Sweet pointed to the 32 clients with bookings over $100 million as proof of continued strength in large deals. She asserted that CEOs are not waiting for uncertainty to resolve but are focused on accelerating reinvention. She added that GenAI adoption is increasing as clients see proven value and recognize they cannot afford to wait.

Darrin Peller asked about the timing of gaining visibility into client budgets for the upcoming year and the nature of current conversations around AI spending. He also inquired about the talent mix, asking if there is a trend of shifting hiring back to onshore or nearshore locations from offshore centers like India.

Answer

CEO Julie T. Sweet confirmed that Accenture typically gets the most visibility on client budgets in the January-February timeframe. On AI, she noted that while clients want to do more, it's currently a matter of prioritizing AI within existing budgets rather than increasing overall spending, pending more confidence. Regarding talent, Sweet stated there is no major trend shift back to onshore; the focus remains on a global network providing the 'right skills, right time zone, right price,' with India being a key source for skills at scale, not just labor arbitrage.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked about the future growth trajectory of Average Revenue Per Active Member (RPAM) and the specific products expected to drive this growth over the next year. He also requested an update on the MyPay day one initiative.

Answer

Matt Newcomb, CFO, indicated that RPAM growth is expected to moderate slightly in Q4 due to lapping MyPay's initial rollout, but cohort-level RPAM continues to show strong growth, with seasoned cohorts reaching over $350. Chris Britt, Co-founder and CEO, emphasized that RPAM increases with greater engagement, spend, and deposits, further boosted by higher-monetizing card transactions and new market-leading products. Regarding MyPay day one, Chris Britt described it as a small but promising part of the early engagement strategy, allowing trial access to products before direct deposit, with no major updates on scale.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked about the future growth trajectory of Average Revenue Per Active Member (RPAM), considering the anniversarying of MyPay's rollout, and which products are most exciting for driving RPAM in the next year. He also requested an update on the 'MyPay Day One' initiative.

Answer

Matt Newcomb, CFO, indicated that RPAM growth is expected to moderate in Q4 due to fully lapping MyPay's launch, but cohort-level RPAM growth remains strong, with seasoned cohorts exceeding $350 RPAM. Chris Britt, Co-founder and CEO, emphasized that RPAM increases with engagement, spend, and deposits, with higher-monetizing card transactions offering further upside. He reiterated Chime's commitment to adding new, market-leading products to drive engagement and revenue. Regarding 'MyPay Day One,' Chris Britt stated it's part of an early engagement strategy, showing promising but small-scale results, aiming to convert users to long-lasting primary accounts through various trial experiences.

Asked about the company's forward-looking strategy regarding the mix of new users who are not initially required to have direct deposit, and how this strategy impacts the modeling of Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC).

Answer

The company plans to continue making Chime easy to use initially while clearly showing that deeper engagement (like direct deposit) unlocks more value, as demonstrated by Chime Plus. The lower CAC is a result of strong marketing execution, opening new channels, and successful referral programs, not just the 'ungating' strategy. Furthermore, Lifetime Value (LTV) is increasing, leading to improved unit economics with an LTV-to-CAC of 8x and payback periods shortening to 5-6 quarters.

Darrin Peller asked about Chime's strategy regarding the mix of new users who are not initially required to have direct deposit and how this 'ungated' approach affects customer acquisition cost (CAC) modeling.

Answer

CEO Chris Britt explained the strategy is to give new users a 'taste' of Chime's services to drive eventual conversion to primary accounts, which are made more attractive through offerings like Chime Plus. CFO Matt Newcomb noted that while CAC is down, LTV is increasing, leading to an improved LTV-to-CAC ratio of approximately 8x and shorter payback periods of five to six quarters for recent cohorts.

Darrin Peller asked about the sustainability of Marqeta's current business trajectory, any anomalous factors, early indications of trends for year-end and next year, and potential impacts from renegotiated contracts.

Answer

CEO and CFO Michael Milotich acknowledged the stronger-than-expected business trajectory, driven by Buy Now, Pay Later (geographic expansion, pay-anywhere cards, Visa Flexible Credential) and SMB lending, with on-demand delivery also accelerating. He highlighted potential changes for 2026: one customer renewal expected in Q4 will cause a 2-point drag on gross profit growth, with another renewal in early 2026. He also noted Cash App's expected diversification of new card issuance with Bancor, potentially causing a 2-point drag on 2026 growth. Additionally, Q3 included 2.5 points of unusual, non-recurring items.

Darrin Peller asked for Marqeta's perspective on the pros and cons influencing the business trajectory into 2026, specifically identifying any anomalous or unsustainable trends. He also inquired about early indications of future trends and the impact of two mentioned contract renegotiations.

Answer

CEO and CFO Michael Milotich acknowledged the stronger-than-expected business trajectory, marked by accelerating TPV growth. He identified key positive drivers as the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) use case (geographic expansion, pay-anywhere cards, Visa Flexible Credential adoption), SMB lending, and accelerated on-demand delivery. Milotich outlined several expected changes and potential headwinds for 2026: one customer renewal expected in Q4 2025 will result in a two-point drag on gross profit growth, with another renewal anticipated in early 2026 contributing to a combined four-point drag. Additionally, Cash App's planned diversification of new card issuance with another processor is projected to cause a two-percentage-point drag on Marqeta's 2026 growth. He also noted that 2.5 percentage points of Q3's outperformance were due to unusual, non-recurring items.

Darrin Peller asked about the growth potential in Europe following the TransactPay acquisition and whether the company's timeline for achieving GAAP profitability has been accelerated.

Answer

Interim CEO & CFO Mike Milotich outlined that the TransactPay acquisition will enable Marqeta to offer program management in Europe, target larger clients, and standardize its offerings globally. He confirmed the profitability timeline has accelerated, with the company now expecting to be GAAP breakeven for the full year of 2026, an improvement from the previous goal of exiting 2026 at breakeven.

Darrin Peller sought confirmation on the revised full-year guidance and asked about the range of outcomes based on different macro scenarios. He also inquired about idiosyncratic growth drivers versus macro-related risks, particularly in discretionary spending.

Answer

Mike Milotich, Interim CEO and CFO, confirmed the raised EBITDA guidance and the expectation to be at the high end of the gross profit growth range. He explained that the guidance assumes stable macro conditions, as no spending shifts have been observed. He highlighted migration expertise and European growth as key drivers and noted that Marqeta is less exposed to discretionary spending (less than 25% of TPV), which could provide resilience in a downturn.

Darrin Peller asked about the impact of previously delayed programs on the 2025 outlook, whether launch improvements were internal or regulatory, and which industry verticals are currently driving the most momentum.

Answer

Interim CEO and CFO Mike Milotich stated that new programs are expected to contribute over $40 million in 2025 revenue, but growth is weighed down by two significant top-10 customer renewals. He identified the top three growth drivers as neobanking, BNPL and small business lending, and expense management, where modern platforms are rapidly gaining market share.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research questioned Marqeta's confidence that existing customers won't be impacted by regulatory issues, why new customers wouldn't cancel deals, and whether the problems were concentrated in specific verticals.

Answer

CEO Simon Khalaf stated that Marqeta had proactively reviewed existing programs, ensuring their stability. He believes new customers remain committed due to their significant investment and Marqeta's consultative approach. CFO Michael Milotich added that since over half of new bookings come from existing customers, there is a shared understanding of the industry-wide nature of the delays. Milotich confirmed the issue is broad-based across all use cases, not specific to any vertical.

Darrin Peller asked for more details on the building blocks driving the mid-to-high 4% organic banking trends seen in Q3 and embedded in the Q4 guide, specifically seeking color on growth drivers in issuing, digital, payments, and core, and their sustainability. He also inquired about the quality of free cash flow for next year, considering restructuring charges from the upcoming deal, and how close the company can get to 80%+ conversion even with those charges.

Answer

CEO Stephanie Ferris explained that net new sales contribute about 100 basis points of annual growth, driven by investments in bank modernization, digital, and payments. This, combined with 2-3 points of organic growth from transactions and accounts, and a positive net pricing tailwind (0-50 basis points), supports the 3.5%-4.5% banking growth range. CFO James Kehoe stated that the core business's free cash flow is expected to grow 15-16% year-over-year, outpacing EPS, driven by lower capital intensity and normalized cash taxes. He added that the acquired issuer business also has approximately 90% conversion, contributing an additional $500 million of adjusted cash flow in 2026, despite some one-time integration expenses.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked about the key drivers of the strong recurring revenue growth in the Banking segment, its sustainability, and the financial impact of the recent EverLink acquisition.

Answer

CEO Stephanie Ferris attributed the banking momentum to the 'Future Forward' strategy's focus on higher-quality recurring software sales and improved client retention. CFO James Kehoe quantified the EverLink acquisition's full-year revenue contribution at approximately $20 million and confirmed that the company's commercial excellence initiatives remain on track.

Darrin Peller requested details on the moving parts of free cash flow conversion and the company's conviction in its recovery, and also asked which specific contract types are seeing the most demand in the banking segment.

Answer

CFO James Kehoe attributed the 2024 cash conversion miss to supplier term pressure and working capital management, but expressed high conviction in the 2025 guide of 82-85% and a return to 90%+ in 2026. CEO Stephanie Ferris highlighted strong demand for core platforms like IBS, digital solutions, commercial lending, and the integrated 'office of the CFO' suite.

Darrin Peller asked for an update on the M&A strategy and capital allocation plans, particularly if the full M&A budget isn't spent. He also requested the key drivers behind the acceleration in recurring revenue for the Banking segment.

Answer

CEO Stephanie Ferris reiterated the M&A strategy focuses on small, tuck-in acquisitions in high-growth areas like digital and payments. She confirmed that any unspent portion of the $1 billion M&A budget for the year would be returned to shareholders via share repurchases in 2025. For Banking's recurring revenue, she explained that growth is driven by a baseline of transaction and account growth, which is then accelerated by layering on net new sales from recent wins.

Darrin Peller asked about the confidence in achieving increased net adds in 2026, specifically inquiring about the expected contribution from new TAM expansion areas versus the core business.

Answer

CEO Aman Narang explained that the confidence stems from the consistent performance of core net adds, which are in the same range as last year, combined with the growing contribution from new TAMs. He expects this trend to continue, with new TAMs playing an increasingly significant role in driving incremental net adds. He highlighted the substantial overlap in the core platform, enabling rapid growth in these new segments to nearly $100 million in ARR within a few years.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked about the confidence in achieving increased net adds in 2026, specifically inquiring about the expected contribution split between TAM expansion areas and the core business.

Answer

CEO Aman Narang attributed the confidence in increased net adds for 2026 to the continued strong performance of core net adds, which are in the same range as the previous year, combined with the growing contribution from new TAMs. He highlighted the significant overlap in the core platform, enabling rapid growth in these new segments to nearly $100 million in ARR within a couple of years.

Darrin Peller asked for a breakdown of the record 8,500 net location additions between the core business and new expansion areas. He also requested more detail on the composition of the 10,000 locations across enterprise, international, and retail.

Answer

CEO Aman Narang stated that while the core business remains the primary driver of growth, the new segments are contributing more as they scale, leading to the record net adds. He did not provide a specific breakdown of the 10,000 locations but confirmed strong momentum across all three. CFO Elena Gomez added that SaaS ARPU growth is driven by both new customer lands and existing customer upsells.

Darrin Peller inquired about current macroeconomic trends, including same-store sales and new business formation, and the level of conservatism in the company's guidance. He also asked about the company's pricing strategy.

Answer

CEO Aman Narang stated that consumer trends and new business formations are stable, and sales AE productivity is up year-over-year, providing confidence. CFO Elena Gomez added that while the guidance reflects this momentum, they are prepared for various macro outcomes. On pricing, she emphasized a balanced approach, with the primary focus on growing locations and product attach to drive ARR.

Darrin Peller asked when the positive impacts from the sales revamp and strong Genius stats would translate into accelerated volume growth, and how Global Payments plans to integrate Worldpay's SMB segment with Genius post-close to achieve uplift potential.

Answer

CEO Cameron Bready confirmed volume uplift from Q2 to Q3 and expects continued incremental volume growth from Genius as its footprint and mind share expand. He highlighted the attractive, complementary nature of Worldpay's SMB distribution platforms (FI, wholesale channels) and Global Payments' product suite. He emphasized leveraging Global Payments' Genius and other solutions across Worldpay's channels to drive greater breadth and depth of product expansion into the SMB marketplace.

Darrin Peller sought an update on the sales force realignment's progress and asked what portion of the merchant portfolio is addressable by the new Genius POS. He also inquired about inorganic revenue contributions.

Answer

President & COO Robert Cortopassi confirmed the new sales compensation plan rollout is 100% complete with ~90% talent retention, driving bundled solution sales and improving recruitment. CEO Cameron Bready added that while productivity is not yet at its full run rate, the focus for Genius is on winning net new 'front book' customers, especially internationally. CFO Josh Whipple clarified that recent inorganic contributions were de minimis, stemming from two small product acquisitions.

Darrin Peller sought an update on the sales force realignment, asking if the process was largely complete, and questioned what percentage of the merchant portfolio is addressable by the new Genius POS. He also asked about the inorganic contribution to cash flow.

Answer

President & COO Robert Cortopassi confirmed the new compensation plan rollout is 100% complete with ~90% talent retention. CEO Cameron Bready clarified that the primary opportunity for Genius is winning net new 'front book' customers, especially internationally, rather than just converting the existing base. CFO Josh Whipple explained that the inorganic cash flow usage was split between two small product acquisitions and deferred consideration from a prior deal.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research inquired about early evidence of progress from the company's transformation initiatives and the expected cadence of the Merchant segment's growth rate throughout 2025.

Answer

CEO Cameron Bready highlighted increased collaboration across the harmonized Merchant business and greater-than-expected operating income opportunities as early positive signs. He noted that while the first half of 2025 might see modest disruption from the changes, such as the Genius rollout and sales compensation plan updates, the benefits from transformation initiatives are expected to materialize more significantly in the top line during the second half of the year.

Darrin Peller asked for the key positive and negative drivers supporting the 2025 mid-single-digit growth outlook. He also inquired about the timing of the capital return plan, including buybacks and leverage targets.

Answer

CEO Cameron Bready explained that while some transformation initiatives may cause near-term disruption, many others are expected to positively impact 2025 performance, providing confidence in the outlook. CFO Josh Whipple confirmed a $600M ASR, a target of low 3x leverage by year-end, and a $2 billion buyback plan for next year. He noted proceeds from the AdvancedMD sale are incremental to the $7.5 billion medium-term capital return plan.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked for more details on Corporate Payments trends, particularly post-headwind lapping, and the underlying drivers of volume across travel and B2B. He also inquired about WEX's strategy to capture the estimated 3-4 million incremental Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) expected from new legislation in 2026.

Answer

Melissa Smith, Chair and CEO of WEX Inc., expressed excitement about Corporate Payments reaching an inflection point, driven by successful product extensions in embedded payments and over 20% volume growth in AP Direct. She views the expanded HSA eligibility as a significant long-term tailwind, leveraging WEX's partner channel and platform readiness to capture market share over time.

Darrin Peller inquired about the underlying trends and reacceleration potential for Corporate Payments over the next 18 months, and WEX's strategy to capitalize on the estimated 3-4 million incremental Health Savings Accounts from new 2026 legislation in the Benefits segment.

Answer

Melissa Smith, Chair and CEO, WEX Inc, expressed excitement about Corporate Payments reaching an inflection point, having largely lapped the OTA transition. She highlighted strong momentum in embedded payments and over 20% volume growth in the AP Direct offering, projecting confidence in the 5-10% long-term growth target. For Benefits, she described the new HSA legislation as a long-term tailwind, noting WEX's distinct advantage through its partner channel and readiness to onboard new accounts over time.

Darrin Peller asked about the Benefits segment, seeking to understand the key drivers that would enable it to outgrow the HSA market. He also questioned if the company's approach to its portfolio review has changed given the current market environment.

Answer

CEO Melissa Smith highlighted the segment's 7% HSA account growth, outpacing the market's 5%, driven by success in the direct business which has the company's highest LTV to CAC. She stated the goal is to outgrow the market over time. Regarding the portfolio, she reiterated that the Board regularly reviews its composition with independent advisers to determine the best structure for shareholder returns, while noting the current configuration is considered attractive.

Darrin Peller inquired about the sustainability of the 22% Value Added Services (VAS) growth, its underlying drivers, the contribution from tokenization and agentic commerce, and further color on the Capital One debit migration and credit partnership.

Answer

CEO Michael Miebach highlighted that VAS growth is anchored in digitization, data, and security trends, with continuous innovation like Mastercard Threat Intelligence. CFO Sachin Mehra clarified that 3 percentage points of VAS growth came from acquisitions, with 19% organic growth driven by network-linked revenues, new products, and pricing. Regarding Capital One, Sachin Mehra confirmed the debit migration is underway, with associated revenue loss expected in 2026 and 2027, but the credit partnership remains robust. Michael Miebach added that tokenization is scaling, driving billions of transactions monthly, with new services and pricing.

Darrin Peller inquired about the sustainability of Value Added Services (VAS) growth, its underlying drivers, the contribution from tokenization and agentic commerce, and the impact of the Capital One debit migration on credit.

Answer

CEO Michael Miebach attributed VAS growth to digitization, data, and security needs, highlighting innovations like Mastercard Threat Intelligence and the scaling of tokenization. CFO Sachin Mehra clarified that 3 percentage points of the 22% VAS growth were from acquisitions, with 19% organic, driven by network-linked revenues, new products, and pricing. He also detailed the expected net revenue impact of the Capital One debit migration for 2025, 2026, and 2027, while confirming a robust credit partnership remains.

Darrin Peller asked about the key differentiators for Mastercard's value-added services compared to competitors and questioned the sustainability and sources of the company's pricing power in this segment.

Answer

CEO Michael Miebach explained that Mastercard's differentiation comes from a carefully curated portfolio focused on security and customer engagement. He cited Decision Intelligence Pro, which uses generative AI for fraud prediction, and the Dynamic Yield personalization engine as key examples. He stated that their pricing power stems from delivering clear, measurable value and outcomes for clients, a dynamic they expect to continue.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research inquired about pricing opportunities in the second half of the year, considering tough comparisons, and asked which value-added services hold the most potential for future price increases.

Answer

CEO Michael Miebach explained that Mastercard's pricing philosophy is based on the value delivered to clients. For payments, this relates to efficiency and performance, while for services, it's tied to measurable ROI like fraud reduction. He stated that while the company continuously evaluates pricing, no specific large-scale pricing events are factored into the current outlook.

Darrin Peller inquired about the expected 2025 performance of Value-Added Services versus consumer payments and the factors causing the guided 2025 growth rate to be lower than the Q4 2024 exit rate.

Answer

CFO Sachin Mehra stated that while a specific forecast for Value-Added Services isn't provided, its fundamentals are very healthy and globally broad-based. He explained the moderation from the Q4 exit rate is due to the lapping of 2024 pricing actions, the anniversarying of major client wins like Citizens and Wells Fargo, and assumptions around foreign exchange volatility.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research, LLC inquired about the drivers behind revenue growth outperforming volume growth and sought clarification on the expected 2025 tax rate impact from Pillar 2 rules.

Answer

Chief Financial Officer Sachin Mehra explained that the positive spread between revenue and volume growth is due to factors like geographic and product mix, pricing, and some FX volatility. Regarding tax, he clarified that the Pillar 2 rules are expected to offset a Singapore incentive grant, which had lowered the year-to-date tax rate by approximately 4 percentage points.

Darrin Peller asked about the puts and takes for the Q4 constant currency revenue guidance of 2.5%-3.5% and any early insights into 2026 budgets. He followed up by asking about competitive dynamics for large deals, what allows Cognizant to win, the importance of price, and how AI impacts pricing by passing through savings.

Answer

CFO Jatin Dalal stated no major change in the demand environment, with Q4 being customary with lower billed days and furloughs, and guidance above the original range despite a dynamic market. CEO Ravi Singisetti added that AI-led innovation use cases jumped 40% (from 2,500 to 3,500), with savings from software productivity reinvested into innovation, and CIOs seeking more value rather than cutting budgets. On pricing, CEO Ravi Singisetti explained it's now productivity-led, linked to platform usage and AI tooling. Large deals for consolidation/productivity remain price-sensitive, while innovation-led deals are less price-sensitive, potentially strengthening pricing.

Darrin Peller asked about the puts and takes for the Q4 constant currency revenue guidance of 2.5%-3.5% and any early insights into 2026 budgets. He followed up by asking about competitive dynamics for large deals, what allows Cognizant to win, the importance of price, and how AI impacts pricing by passing through savings.

Answer

CFO Jatin Dalal stated no major change in the demand environment, with Q4 being customary with lower billed days and furloughs, and guidance above the original range despite a dynamic market. CEO Ravi Singisetti added that AI-led innovation use cases jumped 40% (from 2,500 to 3,500), with savings from software productivity reinvested into innovation, and CIOs seeking more value rather than cutting budgets. On pricing, CEO Ravi Singisetti explained it's now productivity-led, linked to platform usage and AI tooling. Large deals for consolidation/productivity remain price-sensitive, while innovation-led deals are less price-sensitive, potentially strengthening pricing.

Darrin Peller asked about the drivers behind the notable acceleration in organic constant currency growth, questioning if it stemmed from prior-year large deals converting to revenue. He also inquired about the expected cadence of organic growth for the rest of the year and current labor market conditions, including attrition and wage inflation.

Answer

CEO Ravi Kumar S attributed the strong organic growth to broad-based performance in Health Care and Financial Services, fueled by the ramp-up of large deals won over the past two years. He also highlighted strong performance across all geographies and an increase in the annual contract value (ACV) of deals. CFO Jatin Dalal commented on the labor market, stating that attrition is stable and slightly down, with no undue wage pressure impacting operations or project delivery.

Darrin Peller inquired about the specific changes in the Financial Solutions segment's growth trajectory, given its historical stability, and the segment's true potential. He also asked if all necessary price actions and reviews for the overall long-term growth algorithm, particularly on the merchant side, have been completed.

Answer

CEO Mike Lyons confirmed the review is complete and the baseline is confident. He detailed the Financial Solutions segment's strong issuing business, core banking consolidation (16 to 5 cores aiming for low single-digit growth), and opportunities with surrounds like XD and CashFlow Central. CFO Paul Todd added that Q3 saw various dynamics, including actions for competitive positioning in digital, tough output services comparisons in issuing, and a significant license compare in banking. He noted that the first half 2025 growth rates (7-8%) were higher than typical, with normalized growth expected in the lower single digits. Lyons also mentioned reversing some pricing changes on the merchant side (Clover).

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research sought clarification on the dramatic shift in the Financial Solutions segment's growth trajectory, questioning the underlying stability and long-term potential, especially given the core consolidation efforts. He also asked if the comprehensive review of the overall algorithm, including merchant pricing actions, was fully complete.

Answer

CEO Mike Lyons confirmed the review was complete and expressed high confidence in the new baseline. He detailed the Financial Solutions segment's strengths in issuing and Finxact, acknowledging past execution issues in core banking but outlining a path to mid-single-digit growth. CFO Paul Todd added that Q3's decline was due to specific one-off factors and that the underlying business remains strong.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC asked about the change in merchant growth expectations since the start of the year, the building blocks for Clover's growth (volume, hardware, VAS), and the reasons for the difference between reported and adjusted Clover volume.

Answer

Mike Lyons, President, CEO & Director, attributed the refined guidance to the timing of a granular list of new product rollouts. Robert Hau, CFO, elaborated on Clover's 30% revenue growth, driven by strong Value-Added Services (VAS) penetration at 24%, working capital products, and healthy hardware sales. Hau also explained that merchant margins were impacted by investments in sales, marketing, and the recent CCV acquisition, which is expected to see margin expansion over time.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research, LLC asked for clarification on the change in merchant growth expectations, the drivers of merchant margins, the building blocks for Clover's growth, and the reason for the ongoing difference between reported and adjusted Clover volume.

Answer

President, CEO & Director Mike Lyons explained the refined organic growth guidance (~10%) reflects delays in a granular list of product rollouts, shifting some growth from the original plan. CFO Robert Hau added that Clover's 30% revenue growth is driven by its full operating system approach, including strong VAS and working capital solutions. He attributed the 200 basis point decline in merchant margin to a tough comparison, investments in sales and marketing, the dilutive impact of the recent CCV acquisition, and new product investments.

Darrin Peller asked about the growth trajectory for the Merchant business, seeking details on Clover's expected volume growth, the factors bridging volume to revenue growth, and the overall sequential outlook for the segment.

Answer

CFO Robert Hau reaffirmed the full-year targets for Clover, including $3.5 billion in revenue and 25% VAS penetration. He explained that Q1 volume growth was impacted by timing factors like the leap year and Easter, and expects acceleration driven by international expansion, new products like Clover Hospitality, and the CCV acquisition. President and incoming CEO Michael Lyons added that new financial institution partnerships and the ADP relationship will also be key growth drivers.

Darrin Peller asked about the sustainability of Clover's strong growth, seeking details on the building blocks for 2025 and the expected contribution from new direct sales and international markets.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Frank Bisignano responded, expressing high confidence in Clover's continued growth. He cited new international market launches in Brazil, Mexico, and Australia; the strategic partnership with ADP; the expanding base of nearly 1,000 financial institution referral partners; and the rollout of new software and hardware products as key drivers.

Darrin Peller asked for specific examples of successful cross-selling between Fiserv's segments and for a reiteration of the company's confidence in accelerating Financial Solutions revenue growth into 2025.

Answer

Chairman, President and CEO Frank Bisignano emphasized the strategic combination of assets, citing the SMB bundle, Clover's integration with FIs, and major partnerships with Walmart and DoorDash as key examples. He noted that the integration of Finxact, XD, and Clover provides a unique capability for financial institutions, driving his conviction in future growth.

Darrin Peller inquired about Visa's role in providing AI-powered services to ecosystem partners, particularly in fraud prevention, and the implications of the new VisaNet rollout for product development velocity and its positioning for future innovations like agentic commerce and stablecoins.

Answer

CEO Ryan McInerney affirmed Visa's leadership in establishing payment standards for emerging technologies, including AI and agentic commerce, and confirmed that the new VisaNet, their core processing platform, will enable faster product development, quicker adaptation to ecosystem changes, and better support for regional requirements, benefiting future innovations.

Darrin Peller inquired about Visa's AI services, specifically its participation in fraud-related Value-Added Services within the broader payments ecosystem, and the implications of the new VisaNet rollout for product development velocity, agentic commerce, and stablecoins.

Answer

Ryan McInerney, Visa's Chief Executive Officer, affirmed Visa's leadership in establishing payment standards for new technologies like agentic commerce, building necessary infrastructure, and fostering ecosystem collaboration. He confirmed that the new VisaNet, as the core processing platform, will enable quicker product development, faster adaptation to ecosystem changes, and better support for initiatives like agentic commerce and stablecoins.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC inquired about the strong pricing dynamics in data processing and their sustainability. He also asked for an update on the client incentive renewal cycle, noting that fiscal 2025 was expected to be a heavier year.

Answer

CFO Chris Suh explained that the pricing benefit was expected to be back-half weighted in fiscal 2025, leading to a concentrated impact in Q3 and Q4. He confirmed that 2025 remains a larger renewal year (around 20% of payment volume) compared to a typical year (around 15%). He noted that while deal timing can vary, the company feels good about its success in renewing and expanding partnerships.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research, LLC inquired about the sustainability of strong pricing in data processing and asked for an update on the client renewal cycle, confirming if fiscal 2025 remains a larger-than-normal year.

Answer

CFO Chris Suh explained that the current pricing benefit is consistent with initial guidance for it to be back-half weighted in fiscal 2025. He also confirmed that 2025 is a larger renewal year, impacting about 20% of payment volume, and noted that while deal timing can vary, the company is having great success in renewing and expanding partnerships.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC asked about the sustainability of the pricing dynamics seen in data processing and revisited the topic of client incentives, confirming if fiscal 2025 remains a larger-than-normal renewal year.

Answer

CFO Chris Suh explained that the strong pricing benefit was expected, as the company had previously guided to it being more back-half weighted in fiscal 2025. He also confirmed that 2025 is a larger renewal year, impacting about 20% of payment volume, and noted that the complexity of these deals can lead to timing variations.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research asked for more detail on the factors offsetting FX volatility, such as customer mix and hedging, and inquired about the potential impact of the de minimis exemption on cross-border e-commerce.

Answer

CFO Chris Suh explained that offsets to higher FX volatility included a drag from client mix due to performance at clients with different yield dynamics, and a year-over-year drag from hedging gains being lower than the prior year. Regarding de minimis, he stated it is not a material portion of Visa's volumes and no material impact is expected.

Darrin Peller asked about the expected U.S. volume trajectory throughout the year as Visa laps easier comparisons and inquired if the Q1 client incentives were in line with expectations regarding timing and magnitude.

Answer

Chris Suh, Chief Financial Officer, confirmed that the full-year guidance had anticipated growth accelerating through the year. He stated that client incentives grew 13% as expected due to a significant renewal cycle, which will also impact Q2. He also noted that benefits from lapping Reg II and certain portfolios are more weighted to the second half of the year.

Darrin Peller asked about the drivers of higher incentives in FY25, questioning the mix of renewals versus new business and whether this makes FY25 an outlier year for contra-revenue growth.

Answer

CEO Ryan McInerney emphasized that Visa is winning significant business with large, sophisticated clients globally. He noted that while the timing of renewals is unpredictable, a recent string of major wins is the primary driver of the current incentive dynamics, reflecting market success.

Darrin Peller asked about the year's exit growth rate, specifically the 2% to 5% transaction margin growth guidance, and how it might trend into 2026. He also inquired about the impact of planned investments on operating leverage and potential EPS for the next year.

Answer

CFO Jamie Miller explained that Q4 transaction margin dollars are impacted by interest rate cuts, tougher credit business comps from Q4 last year, and investments in growth initiatives. She noted that some investments affect transaction margin dollars, while others, like product and tech or brand marketing, impact OpEx. CEO Alex Chriss emphasized that PayPal is facing three generational shifts—digital wallets, Buy Now, Pay Later, and agentic commerce—and will invest appropriately to win these markets, which may lead to near-term headwinds in transaction margin dollars and earnings growth in 2026, but aims for faster, durable future growth.

Darrin Peller (Wolfe Research, LLC) asked about the year-end transaction margin growth rate (2-5% guidance) and its implications for 2026, particularly regarding the impact of planned investments on operating leverage and EPS.

Answer

CFO Jamie Miller explained that Q4 transaction margin dollars are influenced by interest rate cuts, tougher year-over-year credit business comparisons, and increased growth investments, necessitating prudent guidance due to macro uncertainties. CEO Alex Chriss emphasized PayPal's strategic focus on winning three generational shifts—digital wallets, Buy Now, Pay Later, and agentic commerce—and stated that appropriate investments in these areas might create near-term headwinds for transaction margin dollars and earnings growth in 2026, but are crucial for faster, durable long-term growth.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC inquired about the progress of the modern checkout rollout in Europe, the expected timeline for results, and whether branded checkout growth is still expected to accelerate by year-end.

Answer

President, CEO & Director Alex Chriss confirmed the rollout has begun in the U.K. and Germany, with over 60% of U.S. transactions now on the new experience. COO & CFO Jamie Miller added that they are taking share in Europe and that the broader push includes BNPL and NFC. She affirmed that they fully expect to see an accelerated rate of growth over the coming quarters and years.

Darrin Peller requested more detail on the assumptions embedded in the full-year outlook, particularly concerning macro trends, cross-border trade with China, and branded versus unbranded growth expectations.

Answer

CFO and COO Jamie Miller explained that the guidance is prudent, building in flexibility for a 2-3 point deceleration in e-commerce trends in the second half, which is not the current run rate. She noted that while branded growth trends are on track for the mid-single-digit guide, the pullback in unprofitable unbranded (PSP) volume is intentional and accretive to transaction margin dollars.

Darrin Peller questioned when new initiatives would materially impact branded growth acceleration and asked about the sustainability of the Q4 transaction margin growth rate, excluding float.

Answer

CFO Jamie Miller confirmed that the impact from the modern checkout rollout is embedded in the 2025 guide and is expected to build over time, though the company has planned prudently. She noted two headwinds to 2025 transaction margin: normalization of transaction losses and a headwind from interest rates, but affirmed the underlying drivers from checkout, Braintree, and Venmo are durable.

Darrin Peller asked about the customer response to PayPal's Braintree pricing changes and the drivers behind the guided deceleration in transaction margin growth for Q4 and the exit rate into 2025.

Answer

CFO Jamie Miller explained that Q4 transaction margin growth will see a smaller tailwind from interest income and some transaction loss normalization. She noted that excluding interest income, 2025 transaction margin dollars are expected to grow at least as fast as in 2024. CEO Alex Chriss added that merchant conversations about pricing are strategic and healthy, focusing on the added value from new innovations like Fastlane, which justifies the new pricing structures.

Darrin Peller asked about the long-term trajectory of overall digital penetration, its impact on the take rate, and whether the 6% increase in principal per transaction reflects customers sending more money less often or a more structural shift.

Answer

Devin McGranahan (CEO) stated that digital is expected to continue double-digit growth, becoming a larger part of the business, while retail remains stable. He also noted significant opportunities for digital penetration growth in specific corridors. Matt Cagwin (CFO) clarified how eurochange's revenue is split between the CMT and Consumer Services segments.

Darrin Peller asked about the long-term trajectory of digital penetration, noting the company's current global penetration at 38% of transactions, and how this might impact take rates. He also inquired if the 6% increase in principal per transaction was a trend related to migration policies causing people to send more money less often, or if it was a more structural change. He followed up by asking if Eurochange is entirely within Consumer Services, seeking clarity on organic growth in the segments.

Answer

CEO Devin McGranahan stated that while retail is expected to remain stable, digital is projected to continue double-digit growth, increasing its share of the business, especially in underpenetrated corridors. He also confirmed that the increase in principal per transaction is linked to customers sending fewer but larger transactions due to current macro and migration dynamics. CFO Matt Cagwin clarified that Eurochange's business is split between Consumer Money Transfer (for remittances) and Consumer Services (for travel money, prepaid cards), based on the product type.

Darrin Peller asked for more details on the 14% digital transaction growth, the implications of the new loyalty program, the benefits of the account payout network (APN), and the competitive landscape amidst geopolitical changes.

Answer

CFO Matt Cagwin explained the relaunched U.S. loyalty program aims to boost customer retention and had a modest 10-50 bps negative impact on Q1 revenue, which will continue into Q2. He noted the APN business is growing over 35%, creating stickier customer relationships despite a lower yield that widens the transaction-revenue growth spread. CEO Devin McGranahan added that the long-term goal for the digital spread is 300-400 basis points and that the competitive environment remains stable, with a continuing trend of consolidation among larger, well-capitalized players.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research asked about the strategy and expected timeline for achieving double-digit revenue growth in the digital business, considering the ongoing gap between transaction and revenue growth rates.

Answer

CEO Devin McGranahan highlighted the significant progress from a 1% revenue decline two years ago to current high-single-digit growth. He attributed the transaction-revenue growth gap to the mix shift towards lower-RPT account payouts and the attrition of legacy customers on higher-priced plans. McGranahan stated that the company expects this gap to stabilize in the 300-400 basis point range over the next 18 to 24 months as the customer book continues to evolve.

Darrin Peller asked about the company's renewed M&A strategy, specifically the vision for the wallet acquisitions in Singapore and Mexico, and the key drivers behind the conviction in retail business stability.

Answer

CEO Devin McGranahan explained that M&A accelerates their strategy by providing licenses, technology, and local talent, emphasizing that deals are strategically motivated and financially disciplined. On retail stability, he pointed to a three-part strategy: operational excellence, high-quality agent support, and expanding the controlled distribution network of owned stores, which is already yielding mid-single-digit transaction growth in competitive markets like Europe.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research, LLC revisited the guidance, seeking more clarity on the level of conservatism given the lapping of a major headwind and asking for the primary drivers of take rate expansion. He also inquired about the outlook for customer additions and the key factors driving recent strength in that area.

Answer

CFO Rohini Jain clarified the guidance is 'prudent' rather than 'conservative,' reflecting macro uncertainties and a normalization of Q4's strong spend. She anticipates APAR take rate expansion similar to FY25 but sees pressure on the spend and expense take rate from a shifting spend mix. President & COO John Rettig added that a key focus is driving ad valorem payment penetration. On customer adds, Founder, CEO & Chairperson René Lacerte highlighted strength in the accountant channel and expressed significant optimism for the 'Embed 2.0' strategy, citing a new deal with a Fortune 500 company as a major future growth driver.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research questioned the sustainability of the payment monetization trajectory, asking about Q4 take rate expectations and confidence in achieving approximately 20% growth in fiscal 2026.

Answer

CEO René Lacerte stated that the Q4 take rate is now expected to be similar to Q3, a shift from prior expectations, due to changing SMB spend behavior. Regarding fiscal 2026, he acknowledged near-term uncertainty but affirmed that BILL has many levers across its payment portfolio to return to consistent monetization expansion, with a more detailed outlook to be provided in August.

Darrin Peller asked about trends in Total Payment Volume (TPV) per customer, considering the impact of platform enhancements, supplier initiatives, and the macro environment, and inquired about the potential for future growth in spend per customer.

Answer

CEO René Lacerte noted that while the macro environment is flattish, BILL is focused on increasing its share of wallet through initiatives like Pay By Card. CFO John Rettig added that TPV per customer was in line with expectations and that the company's focus on larger, mid-market businesses should expand spend per customer over time.

Darrin Peller asked about the go-to-market strategy for cross-selling solutions and if the approach for financial institutions has changed. He also requested clarification on the take rate assumptions in the guidance and more details on the RPO related to the amended contract with a top-3 bank.

Answer

CEO René Lacerte described the cross-sell strategy as an iterative learning process, while CFO John Rettig noted a large untapped cross-sell opportunity remains in the accounting channel. On the ecosystem, Lacerte called it an expansion, not a shift. Rettig guided to a flattish take rate with an expected uptick in H2 FY25 and confirmed that about 40% of the RPO balance is tied to the amended FI contract, now recognized over four years.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research questioned the dynamics within the SMB segment, asking about the drivers of new merchant growth versus the slightly elevated attrition. He also sought color on the direct versus ISO channel growth and recent business trends in July.

Answer

CEO Bruce Lowthers explained that attrition is improving as expected, aided by new predictive analytics and the end of a portfolio pruning phase. He highlighted a strong turnaround in SMB new merchant growth, which was up 6% overall, with the direct channel growing 7% in Q2. He expressed confidence in continued momentum, noting July was a 'solid month' with strong new merchant production.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research questioned Paysafe's go-forward strategy for its SMB business. He asked if the current product set, including Clover, is sufficient to compete effectively and what the company's market share expectations are.

Answer

CEO Bruce Lowthers detailed the strategy to rebalance the SMB business towards more direct sales, which offer higher margins than the ISO channel. He noted a focus on moving slightly upmarket from micro-merchants to more stable SMBs to improve retention. Lowthers expressed strong confidence in the Clover product, highlighting its growth profile and Paysafe's ability to add surround services. He confirmed that recent actions are showing results, with April being the best SMB sales month in over a year.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research inquired about the source of incremental revenue, asking if it was from returning pre-existing clients and where they were choosing to have work delivered from. He also asked if the company's geographic repositioning was complete and about recent attrition trends.

Answer

CFO Jason Peterson attributed the outperformance to a 'return to quality' from clients, though he couldn't quantify it. Balazs Fejes, President of Global Business & CRO, noted that demand is broad-based across all four major delivery hubs. Peterson confirmed voluntary attrition is low (below 10%), while CEO Arkadiy Dobkin stated the company is in a good state with its global delivery rebalancing.

Darrin Peller inquired about the company's headcount strategy, including sourcing locations and roles, and asked for an update on the average size of AI deal engagements.

Answer

CEO Arkadiy Dobkin stated that hiring remains cautious, with India being the fastest-growing location for talent. He noted that the size and number of AI engagements are increasing, with more projects moving into production, but the changing definition of 'AI application' makes direct comparisons difficult.

Darrin Peller asked about the recent inflection in organic headcount growth, 2025 hiring plans, and the potential impact of geopolitical changes on headcount and margins. He also inquired about the drivers behind the increasing mix of fixed-price contracts.

Answer

CFO Jason Peterson confirmed organic headcount additions in late 2024 and expectations for further additions in Q1 2025, with hiring across India and a returning demand for European locations. He noted that a resolution in Ukraine could boost demand for that highly profitable region. Peterson attributed the rise in fixed-price contracts to growth in the Middle East, an increase in consulting-led engagements, and more managed services deals.

Darrin Peller asked for the specific drivers underpinning the expected acceleration in U.S. Vehicle payments in the second half of the year. He also inquired about the contribution of the new enterprise payables client to Corporate Payments volume and the underlying same-store sales trends in the segment.

Answer

President, Chairman & CEO, Ronald Clarke, attributed the U.S. Vehicle acceleration to improved retention, which is up 130 basis points year-over-year, and stronger sales from large new accounts like GasBuddy and Amazon. He highlighted the new enterprise client's significant volume, reaching $1 billion in spend in July. CFO Peter Walker and Ron Clarke both noted that same-store sales were essentially flat.

Darrin Peller asked for the specific drivers behind the expected acceleration in U.S. Vehicle payments in the second half of the year. He also questioned the revenue contribution from the new enterprise payables client and the underlying same-store sales trends for the Corporate Payments segment.

Answer

President, Chairman & CEO Ronald Clarke attributed the U.S. Vehicle acceleration to improved retention, which is up 130 basis points year-over-year, and strong sales from large new accounts like GasBuddy and Amazon. He highlighted the new enterprise client's rapid ramp-up, reaching $1 billion in spend in July alone. Clarke and CFO Peter Walker noted that same-store sales were essentially flat, with growth driven by new sales outpacing losses.

Darrin Peller questioned the underlying consumer and macro trends in Shift4's key verticals and asked about the go-to-market plan and timeline for realizing cross-sell opportunities with Global Blue's merchant base.

Answer

CEO Taylor Lauber and CFO Nancy Disman described consumer trends as stable, with modest, anticipated compression in restaurant same-store sales and flat hotel trends off strong comps. Taylor Lauber added that the Global Blue cross-sell will begin with an all-in-one terminal for smaller merchants, who adopt new technology faster, while more complex enterprise integrations will follow.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research asked about consumer spending trends into April, the assumptions underlying the guidance, and the momentum of cross-selling revenue from recent acquisitions.

Answer

Taylor Lauber, President and incoming CEO, described consumer trends as stable and consistent with the last 12-18 months, with only modest same-store sales compression. Nancy Disman, CFO, added that guidance conviction comes from the annualization of prior-year wins, not new sales. Taylor Lauber also noted strong cross-sell progress across recent acquisitions like Revel and green shoots from Vectron internationally.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC asked about Shift4's key differentiators in international markets and which growth areas management is most excited about as the company expands globally.

Answer

President Taylor Lauber stated that Shift4's key advantage is bringing a fully integrated, in-house software-plus-payments solution to Europe, a market where this convergence is less mature. CEO Jared Isaacman added that their expertise in complex card-present payments is a significant differentiator, leading to wins in transit and EV charging. For e-commerce, he said the strategy is to differentiate through broader geographic coverage, leveraging the global rails built for its strategic customer.

Darrin Peller asked about Shift4's key differentiators in international markets, particularly in Europe, and which growth areas the company is most excited about for its global expansion.

Answer

President Taylor Lauber stated that Shift4's primary advantage is that the software-plus-payments convergence is less mature in Europe, and Shift4 offers a fully integrated, in-house solution. CEO Jared Isaacman added that their deep expertise in complex card-present environments (hotels, stadiums, transit) differentiates them from e-commerce-focused competitors. For global e-commerce, he said the strategy is to differentiate through superior geographic coverage.

Darrin Peller from Wolfe Research, LLC asked for more detail on the strong bookings and backlog, particularly regarding vertical expansion beyond utilities and the drivers of enterprise wins. He also asked about the sustainability of operating leverage.

Answer

CEO Dushyant Sharma attributed the success to the platform's advanced capabilities, which provide large enterprises with control and flexibility without needing lengthy custom development. He highlighted wins in government and insurance, noting the platform's strength is now proven across multiple complex verticals. On operating leverage, Sharma confirmed its sustainability, pointing to high incremental margins and a commitment to reinvesting for growth while still expecting margins to improve.

Darrin Peller asked about recent demand trends and the company's differentiation in verticals outside of its core utilities market. He also inquired about long-term operating margin targets and the sustainability of the current margin expansion.

Answer

Dushyant Sharma (Executive) reported that all non-utility verticals are growing fast, with the key differentiator being a proven, scalable, multi-industry platform that offers a superior customer experience. Sanjay Kalra (Executive) reiterated the long-term targets of 20% annual revenue growth and 20-30% annual adjusted EBITDA growth, noting that the EBITDA margin is an output of this model and that the company may strategically increase investments in certain quarters, which could temporarily affect margins.

Darrin Peller questioned if the recent success with large customers signals an inflection point in demand for Paymentus's offering and asked for an update on the IPN partner channel and overall go-to-market strategy.

Answer

CEO Dushyant Sharma confirmed they are seeing an inflection by redefining the high-end of the market, as clients' payment complexities now exceed their internal capabilities. He highlighted the platform's universal scalability into new verticals like education. Sharma also stated that the Instant Payment Network (IPN) remains a key competitive moat, growing more valuable as more large, diverse billers join the ecosystem.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC questioned the impact of the smartphone registration issue on the Marketplace segment, the rationale for running fewer promotions, and the outlook for sustainable growth and profitability in both Marketplace and Fintech.

Answer

Mikheil Lomtadze, Co-Founder, Director, Chairman & CEO, characterized the smartphone issue as a temporary disruption due to new regulations, noting that Kaspi.kz is providing tools to help merchants and consumers overcome it. He emphasized the healthy underlying growth of 31% in e-commerce excluding smartphones. For Fintech, he explained that the current high-interest-rate environment is an opportunity to acquire valuable deposit customers, which will significantly boost profitability when rates eventually decline, as the segment's top-line growth and risk metrics remain strong.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research, LLC inquired about the impact of the smartphone registration issue on the Marketplace segment, the rationale for fewer promotions, and the outlook for sustainable growth and Fintech profitability amid high interest rates.

Answer

CEO Mikheil Lomtadze explained that the smartphone issue is a temporary disruption, and Kaspi is developing services to ease consumer and merchant concerns. He highlighted strong underlying e-commerce growth of 31% excluding smartphones. Regarding Fintech, he stated that the high-rate environment is an opportunity to attract valuable customers with savings. While near-term profitability is impacted by higher interest expenses, the focus remains on top-line growth and healthy risk metrics, which will drive significant bottom-line improvement when rates decline.

Darrin Peller asked for clarification on the factors impacting guidance, specifically the permanence of the new tax on securities and the quantifiable impact of the smartphone regulation, seeking a 'normalized' marketplace growth rate. He also asked for a breakdown of growth drivers within the Payments business.

Answer

Executive David Ferguson explained the smartphone rule temporarily suppressed demand, estimating it reduced e-commerce GMV growth by 7 percentage points to a normalized rate of around 30%. He clarified the 10% tax on securities revenue is expected to be permanent, not a one-off factor. CEO Mikheil Lomtadze added that Payments growth is driven by the shift to cashless transactions, with B2B growing rapidly due to low penetration and new service launches.

Darrin Peller asked about Kaspi's 2025 guidance, questioning if the underlying KPI growth assumptions were conservative compared to strong exit rates, and inquired about the timeline and strategic goals for the Hepsiburada integration and further international expansion.

Answer

Executive David Ferguson advised taking the 20% net income growth guidance at face value, attributing it to the company's increasing scale and ongoing trends like take rate dilution. He also noted that the outlook for interest rates has shifted to 'higher for longer,' impacting FinTech. CEO Mikheil Lomtadze added that Hepsiburada provides a strong foundation in the large Turkish market and that Kaspi is also considering launching its own services there, emphasizing a focus on execution over promises.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research asked for an update on the Remitly Circle initiative and how the company's strategy for new financial services differs from that of neobanks.

Answer

CEO Matt Oppenheimer positioned Remitly's strategy as uniquely focused on financial services that 'transcend borders' for immigrants. He described Circle as a 'powerful sandbox' for testing new ideas like stored value and faster payments, with insights informing the core product's evolution. This approach aims to deepen relationships with existing customers rather than competing directly with broad-based neobanks.

Darrin Peller asked for an update on progress in broader financial services and questioned why gross margins (RLTE) would not see more leverage in 2025, given ongoing improvements in risk management and AI.

Answer

CEO Matt Oppenheimer reiterated the vision for broader financial services, crediting their platformized technology for enabling the efficient rollout of new features. CFO Vikas Mehta addressed the margin question by explaining that the company is lapping a significant partnership benefit from 2024. He also noted the strategic choice to pass some efficiency gains back to customers through better pricing to build long-term trust and loyalty.

Darrin Peller asked if the strong Q3 beat was enabling higher marketing investment in Q4 to drive 2025 growth. He also inquired about the potential for gross margin improvement from direct bank integrations.

Answer

CFO Vikas Mehta confirmed that the strong performance provides optionality to invest in marketing in the crucial Q4 period to acquire new customers for 2025. CEO Matt Oppenheimer introduced Revenue Less Transaction Expense (RLTE) as a key metric, explaining that scale and digitization provide a unique ability to lower transaction costs, and the company will balance passing savings to customers versus letting it flow to the P&L to optimize total RLTE dollars.

Darrin Peller asked if the increase in industry consolidation will materially impact growth over the next 12-18 months and requested a rank order of current demand drivers for the core business areas.

Answer

CEO Greg Adelson explained that since Jack Henry is winning larger FIs who tend to be acquirers, the M&A trend is often a net positive due to revenue retention and product cross-sells. For demand, he highlighted the robust pipeline for core and innovative products like Financial Crimes Defender. CFO Mimi Carsley added that the company's benchmark survey shows top client priorities are digital, fraud, and payments.

Inquired about trends in cross-border e-commerce and asked for more details on the composition of new hires and future hiring plans.

Answer

The executive noted that most of their volume is processed locally and that cross-border e-commerce hasn't been a significant needle-mover recently. The Q1 hiring pace of 110 net joiners is a reasonable expectation for the rest of the year, as hiring plans are based on long-term opportunities and have not changed.

Darrin Peller focused on the keys to growth, asking for expectations on new logo additions and for a deeper update on the progress and expected contribution from the Payment Accelerator 2.0 initiative.

Answer

CFO Joel Wilhite clarified that the company does not provide specific guidance on new logo numbers but reiterated its importance. CEO Michael Praeger described Payment Accelerator as a potential future '$100 million business' and noted significant progress, with more suppliers now on the 2.0 version than on 1.0. He added that while the revenue base is small, it is growing at 100% year-over-year, and the company is now laser-focused on scaling the product.

Darrin Peller sought clarification on the expected number of new logo additions for 2025 and requested a deeper dive into the Payment Accelerator initiative, including its progress and the reasons for management's confidence in its growth contribution.

Answer

CFO Joel Wilhite stated that the company does not provide specific guidance on new logo numbers but aims for a 10%+ growth rate in a healthy environment. CEO Michael Praeger explained that Payment Accelerator 2.0 is now in its scaling phase, has surpassed the user count of version 1.0, and is expected to see its revenue double in 2025, positioning it as a significant future growth driver.

Darrin Peller asked for a characterization of the current business environment and whether the company is seeing a tangible inflection in customer demand.

Answer

CEO Michael Praeger described the quarter as positive but stopped short of calling it a significant change in overall demand. He attributed the strong top-of-funnel performance more to the company's successful strategic shift toward partner-led demand generation, which produces higher-quality leads, rather than a broad improvement in the macro economy.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research asked for clarification on transaction growth versus volume growth rates and for an update on the top-of-funnel strategy, including net new customer additions and marketing focus.

Answer

CFO Joel Wilhite explained the correlation between payment transaction growth and TPV growth remains direct, with transaction retention currently around 100%. CEO Michael Praeger detailed a strategic shift in marketing investment from broad electronic demand generation to higher-ROI partner channels, which has resulted in shorter sales cycles, strong close rates, and higher new logo growth year-to-date compared to 2023.

Darrin Peller requested more details on the top-of-funnel performance, including the impact of the new conference strategy, current booking momentum, and demand for new supplier-side offerings.

Answer

CEO Michael Praeger detailed a strategic shift to fewer, higher-yielding industry conferences, which caused a temporary dip in Q1 lead flow but is already showing a strong rebound in Q2. He noted that while some verticals lagged, real estate, education, and non-profit were particularly strong, and the new strategy is expected to pay dividends over the full year.

Darrin Peller of Wolfe Research requested more granular 2025 growth expectations by segment and asked about potential catalysts for regulatory changes in key education markets.

Answer

CFO Cosmin Pitigoi provided a breakdown, stating Canada/Australia would be down 30%, with Healthcare and U.S. Education growing below the company average, while EMEA Education, Travel, and B2B would grow well above average. CEO Mike Massaro noted that while universities are advocating for policy changes after seeing the negative impact in Canada, the outcome remains uncertain as it depends on government decisions.

Darrin Peller inquired about the breakdown and drivers of the 200+ new client additions, particularly in Travel and Education, and sought an update on the regulatory landscape's impact in Canada and Australia.

Answer

President and COO Rob Orgel detailed that new client wins were strong across verticals, with Travel slightly outpacing Education. He confirmed ongoing challenges in Canada due to restrictive immigration policies, leading to a projection of flat revenue for 2025, and noted an expected moderation of growth in Australia. CEO Michael Massaro added that the U.S. market could see an opportunity to grow as other countries become more restrictive.

Darrin Peller asked for an update on the pricing roadmap and its potential revenue impact, as well as the growth trajectory and addressable market for large ICPs.

Answer

CFO Bea Ordonez stated that pricing initiatives are on track to deliver a $45 million uplift in 2024 and are a long-term lever for improving monetization. CEO John Caplan clarified that the focus for ICPs is on driving volume and revenue from the highest-value customers, which saw 26% volume growth, rather than on absolute customer count growth.

Asked for more details on new distribution partnerships, such as the one with U.S. Foods, including their potential GPV contribution and the broader partnership strategy.

Answer

Jack Dorsey outlined a strategy focused on three partner types: vertical (e.g., U.S. Foods, providing access to 40% of U.S. restaurants), horizontal (for broad reach), and third-party sales organizations. He mentioned a strong pipeline of partners in the U.S. and a focus on bank partnerships and third-party sales internationally.

The analyst asked about the company's visibility and guidance philosophy following a previous guide change, inquired about vertical-specific differentiators that insulate the business from competition, and asked about the path to improving the SMB segment's performance.

Answer

Management explained that previous guidance issues were due to one-off events and they now have good visibility, with a focus on setting reasonable expectations. Differentiation comes from serving complex cross-border needs in verticals like gaming, travel, and retail. For the SMB segment, improvement is expected through the application of global technology and new product features, with a goal to get growth between 0% and -5%.