Should NIC Have Risen 10% After Earnings?

Thomson Reuters had the consensus EPS target at $0.16 and had revenues pegged at $76.3 million..

NIC breaks its revenues out on existing state revenues versus new business. The company said that total revenues increased 7% on a same-state basis. Transaction-based revenues from Interactive Government Services rose by 11%, and transaction-based revenues from Driver History Records (DHR) rose by 3% (due mainly to price increases in two states). Same-state portal software development revenues rose by about 6% in the quarter (due mainly to new projects in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Colorado).

NIC’s portal gross profit percentage was 40% in the current quarter, down from 41% in the second quarter of 2014.

It is always interesting when you see companies rise or fall by 10% or more after earnings. Friday’s reaction was up 10.3% at $19.87 in late-Friday trading just minutes ahead of the closing bell. NIC has a consensus price target of $20.42. There are only 6 analysts covering the company, and the range of estimates ahead of earnings was a low as $16.00 and as high as $23.50.

NIC’s 52-week range is $15.16 to $20.15, with that 52-week high also from Friday. The 800,000 shares that had traded hands shortly before the close was roughly 4 times the average daily volume.

NIC Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Harry Herington, said:

I am pleased with the results NIC produced during the second quarter of 2015. Our teams continue to be focused on what drives our core business — launching new transaction-based online government services and looking for ways to harness new innovation for the development of future services.

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