Alliance Data Systems Q2 Profit Beats View, Lifts 2015 Earnings Outlook

(RTTNews) - Alliance Data Systems Corp. (ADS) reported second-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of $131.3 million or $2.11 per share, down from $137.4 million or $2.19 per share in the prior-year period.

Core earnings for the latest second quarter were $3.32 per share, compared with $2.90 per share in the year-ago quarter. On average, 22 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $3.25 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

Revenue for the quarter grew 19 percent to $1.50 billion from $1.27 billion in the same period last year. Analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of $1.53 billion for the quarter.

Looking ahead to the third quarter, Alliance Data Systems forecasts core earnings of $3.90 per share and revenue of about $1.52 billion. Street expects the company to report third-quarter earnings of $3.97 per share on revenue of $1.62 billion.

For fiscal 2015, the company raised its outlook for core earnings to $15.00 per share from the prior outlook of $14.90 per share, but maintained its revenue guidance of $6.5 billion.

Analysts expect the company to report fiscal 2015 earnings of $14.97 per share on revenue of $6.56 billion.