Shares of Evertec (NYSE: EVTC), a leading payment processing company, surged 5.13% in pre-market trading on Thursday. The stock's rally was fueled by two key developments:
Firstly, Susquehanna upgraded Evertec from Negative to Neutral and raised its price target to $30 from $28, citing the company's robust performance and growth prospects. This positive analyst action boosted investor confidence in the stock.
Secondly, Evertec reported strong financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024. Highlights included:
- Record revenue of $845.5 million for 2024, up 22% year-over-year, driven by the successful integration of Sinqia acquisition and growth in Latin America.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $340.2 million, up 17% year-over-year, with a margin of 40.2%.
- Adjusted EPS of $3.28, up 16% year-over-year.
- Returned $95 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.