Alliance Data Q3 Earnings Rise; Lifts Annual Profit Outlook - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - Business services firm Alliance Data Systems Corp. (ADS) Thursday reported third-quarter net earnings which increased, helped by growth in the LoyaltyOne and private label services segments. The company also raised its annual adjusted earnings outlook.

For the 3-month period, net earnings were $164.2 million or $2.74 per share, up from $132.9 million or $2.01 per share a year earlier.

Excluding certain items, earnings totaled $207.7 million or $3.47 per share, compared with $176.1 million or $2.67 per share a year ago.

Analysts polled by Thomson-Reuters had a consensus earnings estimate of $3.31 per share. Analysts' estimates typically exclude one-time items.

Adjusted EBITDA stood at $376 million, compared with $328.5 million a year ago.

Revenues increased to $1.32 billion, from $1.09 billion last year, but were shy of the $1.33 billion Wall Street expected.

For the full year, the company raised its core earnings guidance to $12.40, from the $12.35 previously projected. Alliance Data reiterated its annual revenue outlook of $5.3 billion.

For 2015, the company expects core earnings of $14.8 to $15.0 per share on revenues of $6.62 billion.

Analysts expect earnings for 2014 of $12.44 on revenues of $5.31 billion, and earnings for 2015 of $14.54 on revenues of $5.02 billion.