What: Optimal Payments (LSE: OPAY) is up 15% at the time of writing, following a trading statement issued this morning in which the Isle of Man-based online payments company said that the strong trading it had reported in the first half of 2014 has continued into the second half across all of its markets
The company says that both its NETELLER and NETBANX businesses have delivered “good revenue growth and profitability” so far in 2014, and that it expects its full year results to be “at least in line” with market expectations.
So What: Optimal says it’s achieved a number of significant milestones in 2014. These include the US launch of its new NETELLER and NET+ offerings, which the company says leaves it well positioned for the re-opening US gaming market; the attainment of Principal Membership status with both Visa and MasterCard in Europe, which its says strengthens its NETBANX offering; and the successful completion of the Meritus and GMA acquisitions in July, which expand its US presence.Â
Optimal also says that, following the acquisitions of Meritus and GMA, its largest merchant now represents only approximately 25% of the company’s monthly revenues and that this percentage is expected to continue to reduce.
What Now: Commenting on the trading statement, President & CEOÂ Joel Leonoff said:
“We are finishing 2014 stronger and more diversified and, as a result, increasingly confident in the outlook for the accretive organic and inorganic growth opportunities available to us. I, and the rest of the management team, remain absolutely committed to the success of Optimal Payments and aim to continue to deliver value to our shareholders.“
Despite today’s 15% rise, at 367.5p Optimal’s share price is still only up 11% on this time last year. But that pales into insignificance for longer-term shareholders — over the past five years Optimal’s share price has rocketed 530%, compared with a mere 8.7% gain by the AIM All-Share index.
