Acquisitions, Transaction Volume Lift Cardtronics' Q2 Earnings

Recent acquisitions combined with rising transaction volume helped Cardtronics Inc. post double-digit second-quarter gains in revenue and net income.

Consolidated revenue for the period ended June 30 totaled $192 million, up 30.3% from $147.3 million during the same period last year, the ATM independent sales organization reported July 31. Net income attributable to Cardtronics' controlling interests was $9.7 million, up 11.5% from $8.7 million.

Of the year-over-year increase in revenue, 18% was driven by businesses acquired during the second half of 2011, Cardtronics said. These include EDC Holding Co. LLC, Access to Money Inc., Mr. Cash ATM Network Inc. and LocatorSearch LLC.

Of the remaining 12% organic revenue increase, 9% was attributable to a rise in transactions per ATM in the United States and United Kingdom, unit growth expansion and increased revenue from managed-services agreements, Cardtronics said. Allpoint, the company's surcharge-free network, also grew.

Partially offsetting the increases in organic revenue was a decline in interchange caused by network rate reductions that became effective during the quarter.

By region, U.S. revenue totaled $156 million, up 34.8% from $115.7 million. UK revenue was up 13.2%, to $28.3 million from $25 million, and other international revenue grew by 16.7%, to $7.7 million from $6.6 million.

Surcharge revenue was up 25.8%, to $87.4 million from $69.5 million, while interchange revenue totaled $58.2 million, up 31.4% from $44.3 million.

The average number of owned ATMs transacting for the quarter was 34,980, up 4.8% from 33,370. Managed ATMs averaged 5,215, up 26.1% from 4,135.

Transactions initiated on machines owned by Cardtronics totaled 149.2 million, up 23.4% from 120.9 million, while managed ATM activity was up 50.8%, to 9.2 million from 6.1 million.

"On the heels of an exceptional first quarter, we had another really good quarter with continued very strong revenue growth of 30% and adjusted earnings growth of 12%," Steve Rathgaber, Cardtronics' CEO, said in the company's earnings release. "Additionally, we executed several new branding contracts during the quarter with both existing bank partners and new financial institutions that see the value in our leading retail ATM footprint and superior execution capabilities."

Cardtronics in April struck a deal to deploy NCR SelfServ 22e ATMs in Canada's 7-Eleven Inc. stores. And in June, it said Scotiabank had agreed to brand the 470 machines and provide its customers with surcharge-free access.

This week, PNC bolstered its ATM presence in the Southeast through a deal to brand 191 Cardtronics machines deployed in Harris Teeter stores.