ISOs

Stronger demand for its payment terminals in certain emerging markets helped Hypercom Corp. produce higher-than-expected first-quarter revenues, according to analysts, as the company draws closer to its planned acquisition later this year by VeriFone Systems Inc.

Merrick Bank Corp. has signed on to offer Secure Vault Payments to merchants through its ISO network, and sources say the fledgling payment method may become available to 17 million consumers before the end of this month and to 50 million by year’s end.

When the financial-services industry came together this year to oppose the Durbin amendment to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, retail ATM deployers were ready to do their part with the help of the ATM U.S. Defense Fund.

First Data Corp. has named Mark Herrington executive vice president of global product management and innovation, and appointed him to the company’s executive committee.

A new payment card shows users their balances right away with the technology they already have — no chips, fancy apps or even bookmarked mobile websites required.

Total System Services Inc., or TSYS, is continuing to expand its presence in the merchant-acquiring industry with the purchase of TermNet Merchant Services Inc.

Cocard Marketing Group LLC, a Nashville, Tenn.-based independent sales organization with more than 90 offices across the nation, has renewed its card-processing contract with National Processing Co. LLC.

Helped by an increase in service and data-processing revenue and strong international transaction growth, Visa Inc. on May 5 reported a fiscal second quarter profit of $881 million, up 23.6% from $713 million a year earlier. Net operating revenue increased 14.8%, to $2.25 billion from $1.96 billion.

CHICAGO—Further delay in U.S. migration to EMV chip-and-PIN technology might be another unintended consequence if the Federal Reserve Board’s proposed 12-cent cap on debit card interchange is enforced, two analysts agreed during a panel discussion here at the Smart Card Alliance’s annual conference.

WASHINGTON —Financial services rarely play much of a role in political campaigns, but the battle over the Durbin interchange amendment has become an unusually prominent part of the re-election race of Sen. Jon Tester.

Cocard Marketing Group LLC, a Nashville, Tenn.-based independent sales organization with more than 90 offices across the nation, has renewed its card-processing contract with National Processing Co. LLC.

Cocard Marketing Group LLC, a Nashville, Tenn.-based independent sales organization with more than 90 offices across the nation, has renewed its card-processing contract with National Processing Co. LLC.

Merchant e-Solutions Inc. is rolling out a suite of mobile-payment applications on its new PayEverywhere platform.

Heartland Payment Systems Inc. is adding merchant accounts and processing more transactions for its established merchants, thanks to a well-honed sales effort and a healthier economy.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla.--Merchant-funded loyalty is getting a great deal of buzz in the card-issuing community, but not all retailers are convinced the programs represent the next big trend.

Strong processing volume among small and midsize merchants and growth in noncard operations contributed to an 13.7% increase in Heartland Payment Systems Inc. first-quarter total revenue, to $467.7 million from $411.2 million during the same period last year. Net income was down 44.4%, to $7.9 million from $14.2 million.

Cardtronics Inc. on May 3 announced the election of Juli Spottiswood to the company’s board of directors. Spottiswood is president and CEO of rewards-program provider Parago Inc.

MasterCard this morning reported a 23.6% surge in first quarter profits, as the number and dollar amount of debit transactions continued to lead its growth.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has developed a Concept of Operations for a contactless fare-payment system, the transit agency announced this week.

Visa Inc. is working with clothing retailer Gap Inc. to deliver discounts to cardholders via mobile phone SMS text messages.