JH
JACK HENRY & ASSOCIATES INC (JKHY)·Q4 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Jack Henry delivered a clean beat in Q4 FY2025 on revenue and EPS, with GAAP revenue of $615.37M vs Street $605.67M and GAAP diluted EPS of $1.75; on an S&P “Primary EPS” basis, actual was $1.56 vs $1.50 consensus. Bold beat on both lines, aided by stronger core/complementary growth and operating leverage [*S&P Global].
- Operating margin expanded to 25.3% (+290 bps YoY) on disciplined cost control and mix shift to recurring cloud/processing; non-GAAP adjusted operating margin was 23.2% (+150 bps YoY) .
- FY2026 guidance initiated: GAAP revenue $2.475–$2.504B, GAAP operating margin 24.0–24.2%, GAAP EPS $6.32–$6.44; non-GAAP adjusted revenue $2.459–$2.488B and adjusted operating margin 23.4–23.6% (new guide) .
- Near-term cadence: management flagged a $16M YoY revenue headwind from a third‑party agreement (mostly Q1), and quarterly non‑GAAP revenue expected ~100 bps above FY midpoint in Q1 and ~100 bps below in Q2; Connect event shifts from Q2 FY2025 to Q1 FY2026, modestly redistributing revenues/expenses .
- Strategic catalysts: “Rapid Transfers” and Tap2Local are live/entering rollout and support SMB deposit/fee strategies; continued market share gains with 51 core wins in FY2025 and ongoing pivot to larger institutions underpin medium‑term thesis .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Record revenue and operating income for FY2025; Q4 GAAP revenue grew 9.9% YoY and operating income rose 23.9% YoY on strength in core, complementary, and cloud/processing .
- Mix shift: recurring cloud (+11.8% in Q4 services & support) and processing (card +6.7%, transaction/digital +16.4%, payment processing +10.0%) drove scalable margin and non-GAAP margin expansion .
- Management execution and pipeline: “We again produced record revenue and operating income… strong wins… healthy pipeline… well positioned for long‑term growth” — CEO Greg Adelson (prepared remarks) ; CFO emphasized “compounded margin expansion” with non-GAAP operating income up nearly 10% for the year .
What Went Wrong
- Deconversion revenue added lumpiness: Q4 deconversion revenue was $20.5M (excluded from non‑GAAP), complicating YoY comparisons and masking core operational run‑rate in services & support .
- Non-key revenue headwinds: license and hardware contraction tempered services & support; management previously cited hardware delays and some post‑core project timing slips (Q3 call) .
- Payments sub-mix pressures: management noted lower growth in risk management and third‑party revenue in Payments and a restructured third‑party agreement imposing a $16M FY‑over‑FY revenue headwind (minimal margin impact) .
Financial Results
Headline Results vs prior periods and estimates
Notes: Consensus values from S&P Global; Primary EPS basis may differ from GAAP diluted EPS. Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment Revenue (GAAP)
KPIs and Operating metrics
Guidance Changes
Additional guidance context: A restructured third‑party agreement creates a $16M FY‑over‑FY revenue headwind ($12M in Q1 FY2026), with minimal margin impact; already contemplated in FY2026 guidance .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO: “We again produced record revenue and operating income in fiscal year 2025… strong fourth‑quarter sales wins… success winning larger financial institutions… well positioned for long‑term growth” — Greg Adelson .
- CFO: “Strong growth in strategic recurring areas of revenue, led by public and private cloud at 11% and processing at nearly 8%… disciplined approach to controlling costs led to non‑GAAP operating income growth of nearly 10%, delivering on compounded margin expansion” — Mimi Carsley .
- Analyst FAQ (Company): FY2026 cadence around midpoint; industry consolidation pressuring short‑term deconversion dynamics; $16M headwind from a restructured third‑party agreement (mostly Q1); tax legislation expected to restore historical FCF conversion (85–100%) .
Q&A Highlights
- Hardware/post‑core timing: Management emphasized delays concentrated in non‑recurring hardware and select post‑core products, not in core migrations; some customers delay hardware pending private cloud moves .
- Deconversions trajectory: Acceleration in industry consolidation; FY2025 deconversion revenue raised to $22–$28M (actual FY came in at $33.9M), with broader FY2026 implications; convert‑merge work recognized later .
- Payments volumes and mix: Card volumes tracked broader trends; faster payments (PayCenter) “send” use cases becoming meaningful; mix effects across Payments sub‑lines .
- Competitive positioning and pricing: Win rates strong, particularly up‑market; some renewal‑driven price compression offset by product attach over time .
- Cloud penetration/margins: Private cloud at mid‑70s% penetration; secular migrations continue, underpinning recurring revenue and operating leverage .
Estimates Context
- Q4 FY2025 consensus (S&P Global): Revenue $605.67M vs actual $615.37M (beat); Primary EPS $1.50 vs S&P “Primary EPS” actual $1.56 (beat). GAAP diluted EPS reported was $1.75 (different basis than S&P Primary EPS). Values retrieved from S&P Global.
| Metric | Q4 2025 Consensus | Q4 2025 Actual (S&P basis) | Source | |--------|--------------------|----------------------------|--------| | Revenue ($USD Millions) | 605.67 [*S&P Global] | 615.37 [*S&P Global] | S&P Global, Company PR | | Primary EPS ($) | 1.50 [*S&P Global] | 1.56 [*S&P Global] | S&P Global | | GAAP Diluted EPS ($) | n/a | 1.75 | Company PR |
Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Implication: Street likely revises FY2026 models for margin resilience and recurring mix, while embedding the $16M headwind and quarterly cadence; EPS basis differences (GAAP vs “Primary”) should be aligned in comps going forward .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Quality beat: Revenue and EPS outperformed on both GAAP and S&P “Primary EPS” bases; margin expansion confirms operating leverage in recurring cloud/processing [*S&P Global].
- Guidance de‑risked: FY2026 outlook initiates with explicit deconversion, cost, and gain assumptions; quarterly cadence and third‑party headwind transparent, limiting surprise risk .
- SMB monetization runway: Rapid Transfers and Tap2Local broaden fee/deposit strategies for banks/credit unions on Banno; early commercialization supports medium‑term fee income growth .
- M&A creates churn but net tailwinds: Elevated deconversions drive near‑term lumpiness and EPS optics, but Jack Henry’s positioning in winner‑mergers and attach opportunities should offset over time .
- Cash discipline intact: FY2025 FCF conversion ~90% (ex proceeds adjustment) and ROIC 22.1%; federal tax changes position FY2026–FY2027 for 85–100% FCF conversion .
- Watch items: Payments sub‑mix (risk/third‑party), hardware/post‑core timing, and debit vs credit mix; these are manageable within current guidance envelope .
- Trading lens: Beat + new guide with clear cadence/headwind disclosures and product catalysts should support multiple stability; monitor Q1 FY2026 (third‑party headwind) and SMB rollout milestones for near‑term narrative shifts .