Visa reports net income of $2.1 billion for Q1 2017 

• GAAP net income of $2.1 billion or $0.86 per share, an increase of 7% and 7%, respectively
• Adjusted net income and earnings per share growth of 23% and 23%, respectively
• Net operating revenue of $4.5 billion, an increase of 25%
• Accelerating growth in payments volume, cross-border commerce and processed transactions

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) today announced financial results for the Company’s fiscal first quarter 2017, ended December 31, 2016. GAAP net income for the quarter was $2.1 billion or $0.86 per share, an increase of 7% and 7%, respectively, over the prior year’s results. Exchange rate shifts versus the prior year negatively impacted earnings per share growth by approximately 3 percentage points.

Excluding a $255 million non-cash, non-operating income item recorded upon the remeasurement of the Visa Europe put option in fiscal first quarter 2016, net income and earnings per share for the fiscal first quarter 2017 increased 23% and 23%, respectively, over the prior year’s adjusted results. All references to earnings per share assume fully-diluted class A share count, inclusive of series B and C convertible participating preferred stock, unless otherwise noted. The Company’s adjusted quarterly net income and earnings per share of class A common stock are non-GAAP financial measures that are reconciled to their most directly comparable GAAP measure in the accompanying financial tables.

Net operating revenue in the fiscal first quarter of 2017 was $4.5 billion, an increase of 25%, driven by the inclusion of Europe and continued growth in processed transactions and nominal payments volume. Exchange rate shifts versus the prior year negatively impacted reported net operating revenue growth by approximately 3 percentage points.

“Visa’s fiscal 2017 is off to a terrific start with a strong first quarter of revenue and earnings growth driven by accelerating growth in payments volume, cross-border commerce and processed transactions in virtually all regions around the world,” said Alfred F. Kelly, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Visa Inc. “As we look ahead, we continue to see good momentum in the business driven by domestic and cross-border volumes, increasing consumer participation in electronic payments in developing markets, and the further acceleration of e-commerce in developed markets,” added Kelly. “We remain focused on the integration of Europe which is proceeding well.”

Fiscal First Quarter 2017 Financial Highlights:

Payments volume growth, on a constant dollar basis, for the three months ended September 30, 2016, on which fiscal first quarter service revenue is recognized, was 47% over the prior year at $1.9 trillion.

Payments volume growth, on a constant dollar basis, for the three months ended December 31, 2016, was 39% over the prior year at $1.8 trillion. Effective with the three months ended December 31, 2016, Europe co-badge volume is no longer included in reported volume. Excluding Europe co-badge payments volume from the three months ended September 30, 2016, growth was 38.5%, flat compared to the three months ended December 31, 2016. For additional information, refer to the Europe Co-badge Payments Volume Growth Impact table included in the Operational Performance Data.

Cross-border volume growth, on a constant dollar basis, was 140% for the three months ended December 31, 2016. Cross-border volume growth, on a constant dollar basis when normalized for Europe, was 12% over the prior year. Normalized for Europe includes Europe in prior year results.

Total processed transactions, which represent transactions processed by Visa, for the three months ended December 31, 2016, were 27.3 billion, a 44% increase over the prior year. Total processed transactions growth, when normalized for Europe, was 13% over the prior year.

Fiscal first quarter 2017 service revenues were $1.9 billion, an increase of 17% over the prior year, and are recognized based on payments volume in the prior quarter. All other revenue categories are recognized based on current quarter activity. Data processing revenues rose 28% over the prior year to $1.9 billion. International transaction revenues grew 44% over the prior year to $1.5 billion. Other revenues were $203 million, an increase of 2% over the prior year. Client incentives, which are a contra revenue item, were $1.0 billion and represent 18.9% of gross revenues.

GAAP operating expenses were $1.4 billion for the fiscal first quarter 2017, a 16% increase over the prior year’s results, primarily driven by the inclusion of Europe and increases in personnel, marketing, and general and administrative expenses.

GAAP effective income tax rate was 30.5% for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.

Cash, cash equivalents, and available-for-sale investment securities were $13.2 billion at December 31, 2016.

The weighted-average number of diluted shares of class A common stock outstanding was 2.42 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.

Notable Events:

In December 2016, the Company issued $567 million of commercial paper with a weighted-average interest rate of 0.79% and remaining maturities from 37 days to 66 days.

During the three months ended December 31, 2016, the Company repurchased 22.3 million shares of class A common stock, at an average price of $79.77 per share, using $1.8 billion of cash on hand. At December 31, 2016, the Company had $3.9 billion of remaining funds, authorized by the board of directors, available for share repurchase under the current programs.

On January 31, 2017, the board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.165 per share of class A common stock (determined in the case of class B and C common stock and series B and C convertible participating preferred stock on an as-converted basis) payable on March 7, 2017, to all holders of record of the Company’s common and preferred stock as of February 17, 2017.

In addition, on January 31, 2017, the Company held its 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders during which holders of the Company’s class A common stock at the close of business on December 2, 2016, voted on proposals enumerated in the Company’s proxy statement. Each of the nine nominees were elected to the Company’s Board of Directors; an advisory vote to approve our executive compensation and the ratification of KPMG as our independent auditor for fiscal year 2017 each were approved; and the frequency to hold an advisory vote to approve the Company’s executive compensation recommended by our stockholders was one year.

Financial Outlook for Fiscal Full-Year 2017:

Visa Inc. affirms its financial outlook for the following GAAP metrics for fiscal full-year 2017:

• Client incentives as a percent of gross revenues: 20.5% to 21.5% range;
• Annual operating margin: Mid 60s; and
• Effective tax rate: Low 30s.

Visa Inc. updates its financial outlook for the following GAAP metrics for fiscal full-year 2017:

• Annual net revenue growth: 16% to 18% range on a nominal dollar basis, including 2.0 to 2.5 ppts of negative foreign currency impact; and
• Annual diluted class A common stock earnings per share growth: Low 30s on a GAAP nominal dollar basis and mid-teens on an adjusted, non-GAAP nominal dollar basis (see note below), both including 2.5 to 3.0 ppts of negative foreign currency impact.

Note: The financial outlook for fiscal full-year 2017 includes Visa Europe integration expenses of approximately $80 million for the full-year. Annual adjusted diluted class A common stock earnings per share growth is derived from adjusted full-year 2016 earnings per share results of $2.84. Refer to the accompanying financial tables for further details and a reconciliation of the adjusted fiscal full-year 2016 results.

 

Source: Visa

---