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

Update on Move to Main Market
13 October 2015 - Optimal Payments Plc (AIM: OPAY) (the "Company" or "Optimal Payments") advises that, further to previous announcements, it is continuing to seek the admission of its ordinary shares to listing on the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and admission to trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. The Company will make further announcements in due course, as the process continues to progress.

Following completion of the move to the Main Market, it is expected that the Company's ordinary shares would be eligible for inclusion in the FTSE 250 Index of the London Stock Exchange. The Company anticipates the earliest possible date at which the Company will be considered for inclusion in the FTSE 250 index will be the quarterly review in March 2016.

StockMarketWire.com
Optimal Payments is probing media claims personal data belonging to some of its customers has been breached. It said the claims were related to data breaches at two of its units in 2012, or earlier. Those units were subject to cyber-attack breaches in 2009 and 2010.

"In light of the information above, the Company has commenced an investigation into this matter and the veracity of the allegations, and has informed both the Information Commissioner and the FCA," the company said in a statement.

Let's hope this is a small issue in comparison with TalkTalk. I have bought into ISPY Cyber ETF. There's likely to be a lot more of this elsewhere.

Shore says "small amount" needs clarifying,
- a breach of financial data or sensitive personal data would be more damaging
- operations such as Optimal suffer lots of attacks, will incur small breaches
- cyber security pros were candid at a recent conference in acknowledging most firms suffer some breaches but most are minor

Just goes to show how confidence affects the markets at the moment. The slightest hint of bad news and the sp gets hit. This news doesn't change my positive stance on this stock.

Quite agree, markets are so jittery anyway and with technology playing such a big role in the economy particularly in this arena it doesn't cause much for upset. Concur with your positive stance though. I'm continuing to put funds into ISPY Cyber ETF as I expect this to only grow.

And they continue on down - 54 p right now , i agree with above the slightest negative news and shares get hammered .
I may buy in here when this settles .

That was a nice chance to top up in the 280s, back over 300p now

Am happy to wait before adding as I think there is more downside to come. Unless you are day trading, I would expect the trend over the next few weeks to be down. News flow is critical to move the sp either way.

Barclays reiterates overweight rec today, target 450p

I'm in today at least for the ride back to 350p ..

Date Broker New target Recomm.
30 Oct Barclays... 450.00 Overweight
28 Oct Canaccord... 425.00 Buy

More pain for OPAY today



extract from my thread

What's the pain mentor ???

Good support at 290p? Surely though, news (good or bad on the hacking story) will move the sp.

jimmy b

its a rhyme and at the same time it means a drop on share price

look a the 2 days chart, from reaching 330p late yesterday is now on a downtrend.

Maybe you could tell us your pay price on the afternoon as the share price was recovering

I made two trades yesterday mentor and still have the second in play ,still nicely in profit thanks .

nice to see the truth, but who will believe it is another thing

do I see a lie some where?
2 trades, second in play, I can not get that, could you explain?


I made two trades yesterday mentor and still have the second in play ,still nicely in profit thanks .

mentor i don't seem to have ever bothered you do i ?

So go back to your MONI and GBO and do your dosh you complete wanker !

hard to ignore it jimmy, as i know but mentor reckons everyone is lying unless they concur with him ..... and he'll become ever more vituperative if you persist