ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) AI Stock Analysis
ACIW AI stock analysis summary
AI ResearchACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW) provides software solutions for real-time digital payments across banks, merchants, and billers. In FY2025, revenue grew 10.4% to $1.76B, generating free cash flow of $309.9M. For the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2026, revenue stood at $1.82B with quarterly earnings expanding 165.2%.
- Market cap
- $5.33B
- Revenue (TTM)
- $1.82B
- P/E
- 24.1x fwd 12.6x
- 1Y return
- 9.6% S&P 500 16.8%
- Avg. target
- $64.50 22.2% vs last close
Bull case
- Annual revenue growth accelerated to 10.4% in FY2025, lifting revenue to $1.76B and generating $309.9M in free cash flow.
- Operating margin strengthened from 15.3% in FY2021 to 18.7% in FY2025, supporting a quarterly earnings growth rate of 165.2% in the quarter ended June 30, 2026.
- Analyst consensus sets a mean price target of $64.50, implying 22.2% upside from the recent price of $52.80.
Bear case
- The company carries net debt of $682.1M as of June 30, 2026, with total debt at $849.5M exceeding cash reserves of $167.4M.
- Gross margin steadily decreased over five fiscal years, falling from 53.4% in FY2021 to 49.0% in FY2025.
- The stock underperformed the broader market over the trailing year, gaining 9.6% against a 16.8% return for the S&P 500.
What ACI Worldwide does
ACI Worldwide, Inc. develops, markets, installs, and supports software solutions facilitating domestic and international digital payments. Operating across three segments—Banks, Merchants, and Billers—the company delivers merchant management through ACI Acquiring, payment issuing solutions via ACI Issuing, and transaction orchestration through the ACI Enterprise Payments Platform. Its infrastructure includes ACI Low Value Real-Time Payments and ACI High Value Real-Time Payments with multi-currency and SWIFT capabilities. ACI Worldwide also provides ACI Omni Commerce, ACI Secure eCommerce, ACI Fraud Management for real-time fraud defense, and ACI Speedpay for digital billing and disbursements across consumer finance, insurance, and healthcare.
Growth and profitability
ACI Worldwide expanded annual revenue from $1.37B in FY2021 to $1.76B in FY2025, achieving a 5-year revenue CAGR of 6.3%. Revenue growth accelerated from 2.2% in FY2023 to 9.8% in FY2024 and 10.4% in FY2025. Gross margin contracted slightly over this span from 53.4% in FY2021 to 49.0% in FY2025, while operating margin rose from 15.3% to 18.7%. Net income advanced to $226.7M in FY2025 with net margin reaching 12.9%, up from $127.8M and 9.3% in FY2021. For the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2026, revenue reached $1.82B with a 12.4% profit margin. In the quarter ended June 30, 2026, revenue grew 7.3% and earnings surged 165.2% year-over-year.
Balance sheet and cash flow
As of June 30, 2026, ACI Worldwide held $167.4M in cash and short-term investments against total debt of $849.5M, resulting in net debt of $682.1M. Shareholders' equity was $1.50B, yielding a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, with a current ratio of 1.58. In FY2025, operating cash flow reached $322.8M and capital expenditures were $12.9M, leaving $309.9M in free cash flow. Capital allocation prioritized share repurchases, with $202.6M spent on buybacks in FY2025, helping reduce the share count by 13.9% over five years.
Valuation and performance
At a last close of $52.80 on October 16, 2026, ACI Worldwide traded at a market capitalization of $5.33B and an enterprise value of $5.65B. The stock's trailing P/E of 24.1x and forward P/E of 12.6x both sit below the median of its US-listed Technology peers (28.1x and 18.8x, respectively). Its EV/EBITDA of 12.1x is also below the peer median of 16.6x, while its price-to-sales multiple of 2.9x slightly exceeds the peer median of 2.8x. Over the past year, ACIW gained 9.6% compared to 16.8% for the S&P 500.
What analysts expect
Among 4 analysts covering ACI Worldwide, 3 assign a Strong Buy rating and 1 maintains a Hold rating. The mean price target is $64.50, representing a 22.2% upside compared to the last close of $52.80. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates project revenue of $1.91B and EPS of $3.60, representing 27.1% earnings growth. Over the last four quarters, the company topped EPS expectations 3 times. The next earnings release is scheduled for November 5, 2026.
Key risks and what to watch
- Total debt stands at $849.5M compared to $167.4M in cash and short-term investments, making debt service dependent on sustained operating cash flow.
- Short interest accounts for 9.2% of the float, reflecting significant market skepticism despite recent operational performance.
- Quarterly revenue growth slowed to 7.3% year-over-year in the quarter ended June 30, 2026, down from 10.4% annual growth in FY2025.
- Gross margin compression from 53.4% in FY2021 to 49.0% in FY2025 could impair future profit margins if software delivery costs increase.
AI-generated research summary. Written with AI from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 and checked so every figure matches that data. For information only, not investment advice. Disclaimer
About this ACIW AI stock analysis
This page is an AI-written research summary of ACI Worldwide, Inc. (ACIW). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.
Related: ACIW income statement, ACIW balance sheet, ACIW key metrics, ACIW analyst forecast, ACIW chart. See the ACIW stock overview for the latest quote and news.
ACIW AI stock analysis FAQ
Does ACI Worldwide pay a dividend?
No, ACI Worldwide does not pay a dividend. In FY2025, the company allocated cash to capital expenditures of $12.9M and share buybacks of $202.6M.
When does ACI Worldwide report its next quarterly earnings?
The company is scheduled to report its next earnings results on November 5, 2026. ACI Worldwide beat consensus EPS estimates in 3 of the last 4 quarters.
What is ACI Worldwide's debt position?
As of June 30, 2026, ACI Worldwide held $167.4M in cash and short-term investments and $849.5M in total debt, resulting in net debt of $682.1M. Its debt-to-equity ratio was 0.57 with a current ratio of 1.58.
What are analysts forecasting for ACI Worldwide's earnings?
For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, analysts estimate EPS of $3.60, representing 27.1% growth, on projected revenue of $1.91B. For the following fiscal year, 4 analysts forecast EPS of $3.90 on revenue of $2.05B.