RH
Repay Holdings Corp (RPAY)·Q4 2024 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q4 2024 delivered “another quarter of profitable growth”: Revenue $78.3M (+3% YoY), Gross Profit $59.7M (+2% YoY), Adjusted EBITDA $36.5M (+9% YoY), and Free Cash Flow $23.5M (64% conversion) .
- Segment mix bifurcated: Business Payments Gross Profit +60% YoY on political media tailwinds; Consumer Payments Gross Profit −5% YoY due to specific client roll-offs and in‑house transitions .
- Management initiated a comprehensive strategic review and refrained from providing a 2025 outlook, a potential stock catalyst depending on outcomes (M&A, sale/take-private, structural changes) .
- Working capital timing boosted 2H’24 FCF by
$25M ($20M in Q3, ~$5M in Q4); ~$20M expected to reverse in Q1 2025, normalizing conversion in forward periods .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Business Payments momentum: “gross profit grew 60% year-over-year” in Q4, supported by strong AP and political media, plus new enterprise wins (e.g., Fairview Health Services) .
- Cash generation and margin discipline: Adjusted EBITDA grew ~9% YoY to $36.5M with ~47% margin (“approximately 47%”), and FCF conversion reached 64% (Q4) and 75% for FY 2024 .
- Platform scale: AP supplier network surpassed 360,000 (+38% YoY), software partners reached 280, instant funding volumes +34% YoY; “We remain dedicated to delivering the best payment experience…” (CEO) .
What Went Wrong
- Consumer softness and attrition: Management cited “pockets of consumer softness” in auto and ARM, plus RCS client roll-off (acquired), and a lending communications client moving in-house; impacts were isolated but notable .
- Strategic migration impact: Shifting certain AP clients to TotalPay led to expected volume loss in the quarter to improve future monetization (paid ACH plus virtual card) .
- No 2025 guidance: With the strategic review underway, management withheld FY25 outlook, limiting near-term visibility; ~$20M of working capital benefit expected to reverse in Q1 2025 .
Financial Results
Quarterly Key Financials (oldest → newest)
Q4 YoY Comparison (Q4 2024 vs Q4 2023)
Segment Breakdown (Q4 2024 vs Q4 2023)
KPIs and Operating Metrics (oldest → newest)
Guidance Changes
Notes: Reported FY 2024 FCF conversion ended at 75% after favorable working capital timing (~$25M) with ~$20M expected to reverse in Q1 2025 .
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Q4 closed out the year with another quarter of profitable growth at REPAY… strong double digit Adjusted EBITDA growth and accelerating Free Cash Flow Conversion from 42% in 2023 to 75% in 2024.” – John Morris, CEO .
- “With the Board’s support, we have commenced a comprehensive strategic review… including M&A, a sale or take private… and other structural changes… to enhance shareholder value.” – Company statement; reiterated on call .
- “Consumer Payments growth was partially impacted… RCS client rolling off…, lapping contributions from a large personal lender in 2023, and a client loss within the lending communication solutions business moving in-house.” – John Morris .
- “Q4 adjusted EBITDA was $36.5 million… margins ~47%… Fourth quarter adjusted net income was $22.4 million or $0.24 per share.” – Tim Murphy, CFO .
- “Free cash flow benefited from… managing operating expenses and CapEx… favorably impacted by over $20 million in positive net working capital changes that we expect to reverse in Q1 2025.” – Tim Murphy .
Q&A Highlights
- Attrition drivers: Three client losses largely tied to acquisitions and one in-house transition; no broader trend change observed .
- Consumer softness: Continued headwinds in auto (used car affordability) and ARM (depressed volumes); normalization expected but timing uncertain .
- Business Payments outlook: Core AP growing low-to-mid teens ex one-offs; AR emphasis reduced to focus on AP .
- TotalPay migration mechanics: Strategic move from VC-only to TotalPay to monetize paid ACH and TPV; accepted short-term volume loss for longer-term economics .
- FCF conversion normalization: Comparable conversion when stripping working capital impacts in both periods; CapEx as % of revenue declining supports sustained conversion .
- Strategic review scope: Full range of alternatives; no further updates until completed .
Estimates Context
- Wall Street consensus (S&P Global) for Q4 2024 revenue and EPS was unavailable due to S&P Global request limits at the time of retrieval; as a result, beat/miss vs consensus cannot be quantified in this report [SPGI access error].
- Directionally, results show YoY growth in revenue (+3%) and Adjusted EBITDA (+9%) with adjusted EPS $0.24, but we do not opine on Street comparison without S&P Global data .
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Mix-driven quarter: Business Payments outperformed (political media), while Consumer Payments saw isolated attrition and macro softness; expect non-recurring media tailwind to roll off in 2025 .
- Strong profitability and cash generation: Adjusted EBITDA margin ~47% and FCF conversion robust, but normalize for ~$25M working capital timing in 2H’24 with ~$20M reversal in Q1’25 .
- Strategic review is a catalyst: Potential outcomes (M&A, sale/take-private, structural changes) could reshape valuation; lack of FY25 guidance increases event risk/optionality .
- Monetization strategy in AP: TotalPay migration and paid ACH enhance economics over time; expect near-term noise with longer-term accretion as TPV capture improves .
- 2025 growth drivers: Auto captive ramp, mortgage debit acceptance rollout, enterprise software partnerships (e.g., Blackbaud) underpin medium-term growth trajectory .
- Balance sheet flexibility:
$190M cash and $250M undrawn revolver ($440M liquidity), net leverage ~2.3x; maturities staggered across 2026 and 2029 convertibles . - Trading lens: Watch Q1 2025 for working capital reversal impact on FCF; monitor strategic review headlines; assess sustainability of AP growth as political tailwinds fade and TotalPay mix shifts .
Sources
- Q4 2024 Earnings Press Release (Full Year results, segment detail, reconciliations, balance sheet/cash flow):
- Q4 2024 Earnings Call Transcript (prepared remarks, Q&A):
- Q3 2024 Press Release and Transcript (trend analysis):
- Q2 2024 Press Release and Transcript (trend analysis):
- Investor presentation 8-K references (FCF timing detail):
- Pre-announcement press release (call details):