SUPERB RESULTS

REG - Optimal Payments PLC - Interim Results19 Sep 2012 - 07:01

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on the link below: http://pdf.reuters.com/Regnews/regnews.asp?i=43059c3bf0e37541&u=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20120919:nRSS5828Ma RNS Number : 5828M Optimal Payments PLC 19 September 2012 Optimal Payments Plc Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2012 Strong first half growth, on track to exceed full year market expectations Optimal Payments Plc (LSE: OPAY) ("Optimal Payments", the "Group" or the "Company"), a leading online payments provider, today announces its results for the six months ended 30 June 2012. Highlights · EBITDA(1) up 76% to $11.2m (H1 2011: $6.4m). · Revenues up 37% to $78.9m (H1 2011: $57.4m). Fixed costs marginally down following headcount reduction in Q1. · Profit before tax $1.7m (H1 2011: loss of $4.1m). · Strong organic growth from NETBANX Straight Through Processing division ("STP"), up 68% to $61.9m (H1 2011: $36.9m) with continued strength and growth in Asia. · NETELLER Stored Value ("SV") revenues down to $16.2m (2011:$18.0m(2)) principally as a result of the fallout from Black Friday(3) in H1 2011. § Initiatives undertaken in H1 have produced improved results in second half to date. Major investment in NETELLER SV platform now complete and cost base aligned. § US online gaming opportunity taking shape. · Strong demand from existing customers and from new customers won during the first half including Ford Credit, Hockey Canada and Rona. Commercial agreement signed with Lotus F1 Team. · Strong H1 revenue exit run rate positions the Company for further growth in second half and on track to exceed the market consensus full year expectations. Financial summary (unaudited) Six months ended 30 June 2012 2011(5) US$ million US$ million Revenue Straight Through Processing (NETBANX bureau & gateway services) 61.9 36.9 Stored Value (NETELLER eWallet & Net+ cards) 16.2 18.0 Stored Value - discontinued revenues (4) - 2.1 Investment income 0.7 0.4 Total Revenue 78.9 57.4 EBITDA (1) 11.2 6.4 Profit/(loss) before tax 1.7 (4.1) Tax (charge)/recovery (6) (2012 charge relates to 2004/5 period) (2.5) 0.5 Net loss for the period (0.8) (3.6) (1) EBITDA is defined as results of operating activities before depreciation and amortisation and exceptional non-recurring items which are defined as items of income and expense of such size, nature or incidence, that in the view of management their disclosure is relevant to explain the performance of the Group. (2) Excluding discontinued revenues - see note 4. (3) "Black Friday" refers to the regulatory action taken in April 2011 against certain major poker operators which resulted in many players ceasing to play poker worldwide. (4) Discontinued revenues were derived from e-money expiry which is now subject to different rules under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011. (5) 2011 comparables include only 5 months of revenues and costs from the OP Inc business acquired on 1 February 2011. (6) Tax charge in the period relates to expected reassessment of 2004/5 Canadian taxes following a review by the Canadian Revenue Agency which commenced in 2005. The Board has made a full provision for the amount it believes it is likely to be required to pay in respect of withholding taxes and interest. See note 17 in the Financial Statements for more detail. Commenting on today's results announcement, Joel Leonoff, President & CEO, said: The combination of NETELLER and OP Inc. has produced a multi-faceted payment product offering and positioned the emerged business Optimal Payments Plc to benefit from a rapidly evolving online payment market. Our efforts have resulted in a fully integrated and right-sized business with an efficient cost base. Our operationally geared business model, continued focus on product development and R&D, along with our strong presence in the internet payment market have combined to produce significant organic revenue and EBITDA growth. Our H1 results and strong foundation position the Company well for further growth in H2. The online payment industry continues to consolidate and the Group should benefit from the expected significant growth in both the online and mobile commerce markets. We see substantial opportunities to provide innovative solutions to merchants and consumers in both the NETELLER eWallet and NETBANX

Hopefully this will happen and even higher than that in the not too distant future.

Tomorrow may tell us some good results, not long to go now, good bad or indifferent. Don't know whether to phone money am tomorrow as every time I go to investors room I keep getting thrown into some betting programme, i.e. poker game, and various other betting sites. Anyone else experiencing this irritating experience?

Strange no probs here 3m.

Still cant find out how that bloke from shares mag knew trading statement was tomorrow but he swears blind.

I have actually looked during the course of the day on LSE comments and they are of the same opinion that the statement should come out tomorrow -there again I am not convinced that many of them on there are not on here also so who knows, we shall see. My other problem still persists so shall ring money a.m. or so be it there could be something in my computer like another bug, just for a change. Cheers gf.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Just had BET FRED on now, I am getting very irate. Have to keep calm and relax.

Far from a computer expert 3m, can you not do a computer restore to an earlier date that your computer worked fine .

Thank you dc but I don't know how to do that.

Just shut down the moneyam page, press the start button far left ,type in restore down the bottom corner in the search programmes and files box and run through the instructions given. The computer should throw up some dates you can restore your computer too.

Think you got some malware in your system somehow, do a scan with spybot search an destroy and malware bytes might be good. BB

Just accomplished that dc it said "none detected" so shall wait until tomorrow and see what happens, may I add since the problem started I have had a panel in the right hand of the screen which says related searches (all to do with stock market) which until the last couple of days I have never experienced. Getting tired now, well past bed time so see in the morning. Many thanks. Treating myself tomorrow at the Jaeger Sale so may OPAY bring me some good luck and many others. Nite Nite.

you know more than me, thanks Bb

Thank you bb will try tomorrow.

Crumbs, instead of treating myself I should be going on an anti spy ware course - I would not know where to begin but thanks bb I shall research how to do it.

Just throw it out the top window, works wonders. lol Good night 3m

Wish I could dc. will work it out tomorrow somehow. Many thanks.

OPTIMAL PAYMENTS PLC
Notice of Full Year 2013 Trading Update and Results
Optimal Payments Plc (LSE: OPAY), a leading provider of online payments, will release a trading update to the market of its results for the year ended 31 December 2013 on Monday 13 January 2014.
The full year results will be announced on Monday 31 March 2014, a presentation for analysts will be held at 9.00 a.m. that day at the offices of Canaccord Genuity at 88 Wood Street, London, EC2V 7QR.

Year End Trading Update

Optimal Payments Plc (LSE AIM: OPAY) (the "Group"), a leading international online payments provider, announces its trading update for the year ended 31 December 2013 ahead of its full year results on 31 March 2014.

Highlights

· Revenue and EBITDA for 2013 expected to be ahead of market expectations, following continued
strong performance in the second half of 2013 from both NETELLER and NETBANX.

· NETELLER eWallet initiatives continued to drive underlying growth in customer metrics and revenue in
second half.

· Strong performance by NETBANX straight-through-processing division, particularly in Asia, including some second half seasonality.

· Increased costs in H2 as a result of investment in our US gaming offering and increase in headcount to drive future growth.

· Strategic initiatives progressing well:

· Launch of US on-line payment solution for US regulated on-line gaming market. First US gaming
transactions processed in H2 2013; however, the timing and quantum of increased US revenues
remains uncertain.

· Principal Membership with Visa Europe and MasterCard Europe achieved enabling Optimal
Payments to offer acquiring to merchants in the European Union from H2 2014.

· Continued focus on identifying possible M&A candidates and pursuing potential acquisitions.


The Group now expects that reported revenue for the full year should not be less than $245.0 million (H1:$118.4 million) while reported EBITDA should not be less than $51.5 million (H1: $25.2 million).

Commenting on today's trading update, Joel Leonoff, President & CEO, said:"2013 has been an exceptional year for the Group with substantial growth in revenues and in particular EBITDA which evidences the strength of our operationally geared business model.

"We believe that the ongoing investment we are making in expanded infrastructure and US on-line gaming initiatives will help to drive sustained future growth in 2014, 2015 and beyond."



# # #

OUTSTANDING RESULTS

BEAT MARKET EXPECTATIONS.......

Highlights

· Revenue and EBITDA for 2013 expected to be ahead of market expectations, following continued
strong performance in the second half of 2013 from both NETELLER and NETBANX.

· NETELLER eWallet initiatives continued to drive underlying growth in customer metrics and revenue in
second half.

· Strong performance by NETBANX straight-through-processing division, particularly in Asia, including some second half seasonality.

· Increased costs in H2 as a result of investment in our US gaming offering and increase in headcount to drive future growth.

· Strategic initiatives progressing well:

· Launch of US on-line payment solution for US regulated on-line gaming market. First US gaming
transactions processed in H2 2013; however, the timing and quantum of increased US revenues
remains uncertain.

· Principal Membership with Visa Europe and MasterCard Europe achieved enabling Optimal
Payments to offer acquiring to merchants in the European Union from H2 2014.

· Continued focus on identifying possible M&A candidates and pursuing potential acquisitions.


The Group now expects that reported revenue for the full year should not be less than $245.0 million (H1:$118.4 million) while reported EBITDA should not be less than $51.5 million (H1: $25.2 million).

Commenting on today's trading update, Joel Leonoff, President & CEO, said:"2013 has been an exceptional year for the Group with substantial growth in revenues and in particular EBITDA which evidences the strength of our operationally geared business model.

"We believe that the ongoing investment we are making in expanded infrastructure and US on-line gaming initiatives will help to drive sustained future growth in 2014, 2015 and beyond."

RESEARCH ALERT-Optimal Payments: Canaccord Genuity raises target price

13 Jan 2014 - 07:58
Jan 13 (Reuters) - Optimal Payments PLC : * Canaccord Genuity raises target price to 460p from 380p; rating buy For a summary of rating actions and price target changes on European companies: Reuters Eikon users, click on [RCH/EUROPE] Reuters 3000Xtra users, double-click [RCH/EUROPE] Thomson ONE users, type in RT/RCH/EUROPE ((nyc.equities.newsroom@reuters.com); (Reuters Messaging: saqib.ahmed.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) ((Bangalore Newsroom +91 80 6749 1130; within U.S. +1 646 223 8780))