Release Date: July 31, 2024
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
- Wolters Kluwer NV (WOLTF, Financial) achieved a 6% organic growth in the first half of 2024, with growth across all divisions.
- The company improved its adjusted operating profit margin by 40 basis points to 26.5%.
- Diluted adjusted EPS increased by 11% in constant currencies.
- Recurring cloud-based software grew 16% organically, indicating strong demand for digital solutions.
- The company made significant progress in integrating GenAI features into its platforms, enhancing its technological capabilities.
Negative Points
- Adjusted free cash flow declined by 10% in constant currencies, primarily due to the timing of large vendor payments.
- Net debt-to-EBITDA increased to 1.6 times, slightly higher than a year ago.
- The Health division's operating margin declined due to onetime write-offs.
- The tax and accounting division experienced a slight moderation in growth in Spain and Germany.
- The company faced challenges in its Asia Pacific and Rest of World revenues, with a 1% organic decline.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Your organic revenue growth is higher in the first half of 2024 compared to 2023, largely due to FCC transactional volumes. Can you sustain this growth?
A: Nancy McKinstry, CEO: We remain confident in sustaining our organic growth levels. The underlying trends in our divisions are strong, with robust renewals and new sales. The stabilization of FCC transaction volumes has helped, and we are optimistic about long-term growth prospects, supported by recurring revenues and expert solutions.
Q: Regarding the acquisition of Isabel Group's accountancy portfolio, how can you enhance this business and expand geographically?
A: Nancy McKinstry, CEO: The acquisition includes five accounting solutions focused on pre-accounting, e-invoicing, and secure data exchange. We plan to leverage our existing partnership to upsell in Belgium and expand the e-invoicing solution across Europe, adapting to local regulations.
Q: On the U.S. Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), are penalties necessary for compliance, and how does this affect your revenue expectations?
A: Nancy McKinstry, CEO: There are penalties for non-compliance, but enforcement details are still emerging. We see growing demand as awareness increases, and we expect this to continue as the filing deadline approaches. The CTA represents an ongoing opportunity, not just a one-time event.
Q: How do you view the overall software demand, particularly in cloud services, and what is the outlook for FCC's organic growth?
A: Nancy McKinstry, CEO: Our software pipelines remain robust, with strong demand for cloud solutions. We expect to meet our software targets for the year. Kevin Entricken, CFO: FCC's 4% organic growth in the first half was driven by recurring revenues and stabilization in nonrecurring revenues, informing our updated guidance.
Q: Can you provide insights into the trends within the Corporate Performance and ESG division, and what is the mid-term growth outlook?
A: Nancy McKinstry, CEO: The division's premise remains strong, with demand for cloud-based solutions driving growth. Short-term volatility is due to client preferences for cloud over on-premise solutions and the use of third-party services for larger deals. We remain bullish on long-term opportunities.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
