Canada
Nuvei Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results
Nuvei Corporation, the global payment technology partner of thriving brands, today reported financial results for its third quarter of 2020.
“I am incredibly proud of all that we accomplished in the third quarter, as we embarked on our journey as a publicly-traded company. We believe our performance, which included total volume* of $11.5 billion along with strong revenue growth, is a testament to the strength of our technology, business model and focus on high growth verticals,” said Philip Fayer, Nuvei’s chairman and CEO. “Furthermore, we made significant progress executing our growth strategy, broadening our capabilities and footprint, as well as winning many notable clients. We earned regulatory approval in the states of Indiana and Colorado for sports betting, and launched local acquiring in Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, Brazil, and Columbia, meaningfully expanding our total addressable market. Lastly, we were thrilled last week to announce the closing of the Smart2Pay acquisition, which not only strengthens our global presence in high-growth markets including digital gaming, but allows us to offer a more complete, robust alternative payment solution. Looking ahead, we are well positioned to continue to scale the business and drive shareholder value.”
Financial Highlights for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2020
- Total volume was $11.5 billion, an increase of 62% as compared to $7.1 billion in the third quarter of 2019
- Revenue was $93.6 million, an increase of 32% as compared to $70.8 million in the third quarter of 2019
- Net loss in the quarter was $77.9 million, as compared to $65.7 million in the third quarter of 2019
- Net loss included $83.4 million in non-cash finance costs resulting from the Company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) and associated valuation
- Adjusted EBITDA** was $41.0 million, an increase of 59% as compared to $25.8 million in the third quarter of 2019
- Adjusted net income** was $16.5 million, as compared to $2.2 million in the third quarter of 2019
- Following Nuvei’s successful IPO in September, the Company used the net proceeds for the repayment of debt. The Company ended the quarter with $99.4 million in usage of its credit facilities (net of unamortized transaction costs), down from $717.8 million (net of unamortized transaction costs) as at December 31, 2019. In addition, unsecured convertible debentures and liability classified common and preferred shares were fully converted or repaid as a result of the IPO.
Recent Operational Highlights
- The Company made significant progress on its strategic plan to support the fast-growing U.S. sports betting industry launching its first pilot merchant, Carousel, in Colorado. In August, Nuvei was awarded a certificate of registration for sports wagering from the Indiana Gaming Commission, and in September, the Company received its sports betting vendor license from Colorado’s Division of Gaming. In addition, the Company is in the process of applying for approval in all other states that permit online sports betting and gaming.
- Nuvei has accelerated its new client wins by signing many notable merchants in the quarter including Kwiff, Maxbet, Superbet, Wargaming, Oanda, Pepperstone, and Rinascente, across the gaming, financial services, and marketplace verticals. This provides strong momentum into the fourth quarter and 2021.
- Nuvei continued to execute on its strategic plan by expanding its footprint geographically, launching local processing solutions in Hong Kong, Singapore, Russia, Brazil, and Colombia. These new markets enlarge the Company’s total addressable market, providing extended reach for existing merchants and enabling Nuvei to win new merchants in those countries.
- The Company expanded its support for cryptocurrency exchanges, onboarding two exchanges during the quarter.
- The Company continues to enhance its offering including foreign exchange services, PSD2 mandate support, early warning dispute management solutions and payout capabilities that includes the launch of Mastercard MoneySend.
Initial Public Offering
On September 22, 2020, Nuvei announced the successful closing of its IPO. The IPO, along with a concurrent private placement, raised $833 million in aggregate proceeds resulting in $758 million of proceeds to the Company.
Subsequent Event
On November 2, 2020, the Company announced the completion of its previously disclosed acquisition of Smart2Pay Global Services B.V. (“Smart2Pay”), demonstrating the Company’s commitment to growth through strategic acquisitions. The total consideration was settled with $82.9 million in cash, and the balance with 6,711,923 shares issued by the Company. The Smart2Pay acquisition strengthens Nuvei’s presence in the high-growth digital gaming space and further expands the Company’s geographic footprint in additional regions including Russia, Brazil, as well as adding UnionPay processing. Furthermore, the transaction creates one of the largest and most complete alternative payment method (“APM”) solution providers in the world, with 450 APMs supporting global commerce, all through a single integration.
Outlook
Total volume in the fourth quarter of 2020 to date continues to be strong with year-over-year growth in line with the third quarter of 2020. The following should also be considered for the fourth quarter of 2020:
- The results of Smart2Pay will be included in the Company’s results as of the date of closing, November 2, 2020.
- The fourth quarter of 2020 will represent the Company’s first full quarter as a public company. As a result, incremental costs pertaining to being a public company will be incurred in the quarter.
- The Company continues to invest in its direct sales force.
*Total volume does not represent revenue earned by the Company, but rather the total dollar value of transactions processed by merchants under contractual agreement with the Company. Total volume is explained in further detail in the Company’s MD&A.
**Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted net income are non-IFRS measures. Reconciliations of these non-IFRS measures to the most directly comparable IFRS financial measures are included in the tables at the end of this press release. An explanation of these measures and how they are calculated are also included under the heading “Non-IFRS Financial Measures”.
The conference call will be webcast live from the Company’s investor relations website at https://investors.nuvei.com/ under the “Events & Presentations” section. The conference call can also be accessed live over the phone by dialing 877-425-9470 (US/Canada Toll-Free), or 201-389-0878 (International). A replay will be available approximately two hours after the call, and can be accessed by dialing 844-512-2921 (US/Canada Toll-Free), or 412-317-6671 (International); the conference ID is 13711347. The replay will be available until Wednesday, November 25, 2020. An archive of the webcast will be available at the same location on the website shortly after the call has concluded.
The complete financial results are available at Sedar (www.sedar.com), as well as at Nuvei’s investor relations website.
About Nuvei:
We are Nuvei, the payment technology partner of thriving brands. We provide the intelligence and technology businesses need to succeed locally and globally, through one integration – propelling them further, faster. Uniting payment technology and consulting, we help businesses remove payment barriers, optimize operating costs and increase acceptance rates. Our proprietary platform offers direct connections to all major payment card schemes worldwide, supports 450 local and alternative payment methods and nearly 150 currencies. Our purpose is to make our world a local marketplace. For more information, visit www.nuvei.com.
Canada
IAGR announces Toronto as host city for 2025 conference
Hot on the heels of its most attended conference in history, the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) is excited to announce that its 2025 conference will take place in Toronto, Canada, from October 20 to 23, 2025.
The event will be held in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) at the Westin Harbour Castle, offering stunning waterfront views and a premier, downtown Toronto location.
‘Fresh off the success of our Rome conference, we’re thrilled to continue the momentum with next year’s event in Toronto,’ said Ben Haden, IAGR President.
‘The IAGR 2025 conference promises to be another unparalleled opportunity for our global community to come together, collaborate and shape the future of gaming regulation. We’re looking forward to working with AGCO to bring it all together.’
AGCO CEO and Registrar Dr. Karin Schnarr, added, ‘We’re excited to welcome IAGR and its members to Toronto. This partnership provides a great opportunity to share Ontario’s innovative regulatory practices and foster meaningful discussions that drive positive change in the industry.’
Stay tuned for registration details early next year.
Canada
ESE Entertainment Completes Acquisition of Gaming Production Company, Bombee Americas
ESE Entertainment Inc., a gaming company that provides a range of services to leading video game developers and publishers, has announced that it has acquired Bombee Global Entertainment Ltd. (Bombee Americas), the North American arm of Bombee Event Production AB, (Bombee), a global production company specialized in live production, special effects, broadcast, and event management for the gaming sector.
Bombee has successfully collaborated with ESE to bring its premier event production services and world class customer service to North America and beyond. The North American arm of Bombee, Bombee Americas, will continue to grow and scale in this new organizational structure under ESE, while maintaining its entire team and global support.
Konrad Wasiela, CEO of ESE, said: “Today marks the next stage of ESE—a 2.0 version of our company. With the acquisition of Bombee Americas, we are not only solidifying our presence in North America but also paving the way for growth and innovation in the gaming industry. This is a major step, positioning us to deliver even greater value to our partners and elevate the gaming experience for our clients globally. We’re thrilled about the opportunities ahead and the exceptional talent joining our team.”
Transaction Terms
The Acquisition was completed by way of a share purchase agreement (the SPA) among the Company, Bombee Americas, and the shareholders of Bombee Americas (the Vendors). Pursuant to the SPA, ESE acquired all of the outstanding shares of Bombee Americas in exchange for: (i) $750,000 in cash paid on closing, (ii) $375,000 in cash to be paid six (6) months following closing, subject to customary adjustments based on the working capital of Bombee Americas on closing, (iii) $375,000 in cash to be paid twelve (12) months following closing, and (iv) 30,000,000 common shares of ESE (the Consideration Shares), issued at a deemed issue price of $0.10 per share.
In connection with the Acquisition, the founders of Bombee Americas have signed three-year service agreements and will continue to run the business following the closing, along with the rest of the personnel of Bombee Americas who will remain in place, ensuring a smooth transition of operations. As part of the Acquisition, the Company has acquired the liabilities of Bombee Americas, mainly consisting of customary current obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business for Bombee Americas, which are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s operations or financial position.
No finder’s fees were paid or payable in conjunction with the Acquisition.
The Acquisition was an arm’s length transaction within the meaning of the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the Exchange) and constituted an “Expedited Acquisition” in accordance with Exchange Policy 5.3 – Acquisitions and Dispositions of Non-Cash Assets. The Acquisition remains subject to the final approval of the Exchange.
Canada
Suspected Digital Fraud Coming from Canada Up Nearly 11% Since H1 2023, Reveals New TransUnion Analysis
In the first half (H1) of 2024, Canada saw a significant increase in suspected Digital Fraud attempts, with nearly 5.74% of all attempted digital transactions where the consumer was located in Canada involving suspected Digital Fraud, revealed a new TransUnion® (NYSE: TRU) analysis. This is nearly an 11% year-over-year (YoY) rate increase from H1 2023, and TransUnion also documented an 11% increase in the volume of suspected Digital Fraud from Canada during this period, despite a less than a one percent (0.7%) YoY increase in the volume of transactions.
According to a recent TransUnion survey,1 more than half (54%) of Canadians said they were recently targeted by email, phone call or text message fraud attempts. Phishing was the most common scheme type (45%), followed by smishing (42%) and vishing (39%).
The increasing use of digital transactions, combined with rising suspected Digital Fraud attempts are also impacting businesses as they potentially face revenue losses and increased operational costs due to fraud. According to a TransUnion business survey for the H2 2024 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud report, 200 Canadian business leaders said their companies lost approximately 6% of equivalent revenue – representing $78 billion – over the past year due to fraud. The most prominent causes of fraud loss cited by them were:
- Scam/Authorized fraud (31%): Dishonest scheme intended to trick a person into giving up something of value (e.g., account access, money, information)
- Account takeover (19%): Unauthorized individuals taking over someone’s online account (e.g., bank, social media, email) without their permission
- Synthetic identity fraud (18%): Use of a combination of personal information to fabricate a person or entity to commit a dishonest act for financial or personal gain
TransUnion also found that suspected Digital Fraud attempts – where the consumer was transacting in Canada and targeted businesses globally – increased on average by 10.5% YoY in H1 2024 compared to H1 2023 and impacted all industries.
Top Three Industries Globally with Highest Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada in H1 2024
- Gambling (online sports betting, poker, etc.) – 9.6%
- Retail – 9.2%
- Government – 7.7%
Top Three Industries Globally with Highest YoY Increase (H1 2024 vs H1 2023) in the Rate of Suspected Digital Fraud Attempts Coming from Canada
- Logistics – 172.9%
- Gambling – 79.3%
- Video gaming – 67.8%
“Protecting customers and their businesses from fraud is essential to enabling safe and tailored consumer experiences. These findings reveal that despite the good-faith efforts that are being undertaken by companies to identify and prevent fraud to date, fraudsters continue to evolve and it’s vital that fraud prevention methods keep up with the changing times,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada.
“Businesses that aren’t already doing so should ensure that they are taking advantage of fraud prevention technologies such as identity verification, IP intelligence, device reputation and synthetic identity detection as critical components of their fraud prevention programs,” he added.
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