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International Expansion And Automation Will Drive Long-Term Performance And Shareholder Value

Published
08 Aug 24
Updated
08 Nov 25
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AnalystConsensusTarget's Fair Value
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1Y
12.6%
7D
-0.6%

Author's Valuation

US$101.2216.8% undervalued intrinsic discount

AnalystConsensusTarget Fair Value

Last Update 08 Nov 25

Fair value Increased 0.77%

SSNC: Improved Margins And AI Initiatives Will Drive Long-Term Upside

Analysts have increased their price target for SS&C Technologies Holdings by $1, citing improved profit margin projections and continued confidence in the company's outlook.

Analyst Commentary

Recent analyst actions have highlighted areas of both optimism and caution regarding SS&C Technologies Holdings, with upward revisions in price targets reflecting changes in expectations for the company's profitability and strategic execution.

Bullish Takeaways

  • Bullish analysts see the raised price target as validation of SS&C's improved margin profile and ability to generate higher profitability over the near term.
  • Continued Buy ratings reflect confidence in management's execution of growth strategies and operational efficiencies.
  • Recent upgrades are supported by a robust outlook for recurring revenues, which strengthen the company's valuation fundamentals.
  • Analysts anticipate upside from ongoing technology investments, which are expected to enhance SS&C's competitive position and support sustainable earnings growth.

Bearish Takeaways

  • Bearish analysts remain cautious about the possibility of execution risk, particularly around integrating new clients and platforms at scale.
  • Some concerns persist regarding the competitive landscape, as increased industry focus on automation could pressure margins if SS&C does not maintain its innovation pace.
  • Macro headwinds, such as interest rate volatility and client budget constraints, may pose challenges to top-line growth despite improved profit forecasts.

What's in the News

  • Launched an AI agent catalogue for financial services and healthcare firms, offering outcome-focused AI agents for operations such as credit processing, contract validation, and trade reconciliation (Key Developments)
  • Successfully completed a share buyback, repurchasing over 3 million shares for $260.4 million through the program announced in May 2025 (Key Developments)
  • Partnered with The Trust Company of Tennessee to modernize its retirement plan services using the SS&C Retirement Recordkeeping platform, now supporting over $18 billion in assets (Key Developments)
  • Axcelus Financial selected SS&C to modernize IT operations and transition infrastructure, including migration to SS&C's secure private cloud and enhanced client support (Key Developments)
  • Announced an 8% increase in annual dividend to $1.08 per share, with the next quarterly dividend scheduled for September 2025 (Key Developments)

Valuation Changes

  • Fair Value Estimate has risen slightly, increasing from $100.44 to $101.22 per share.
  • Discount Rate has increased modestly from 7.59% to 7.75%. This indicates a marginally higher required return or perceived risk.
  • Revenue Growth Projection has decreased from 5.81% to 5.11%, reflecting slightly lower anticipated expansion rates.
  • Net Profit Margin has improved, rising from 15.72% to 17.34%. This signals stronger profitability outlooks.
  • Future Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio has fallen from 25.35x to 23.83x. This suggests a modest contraction in future valuation multiples.

Key Takeaways

  • International market expansion into Australia and the Middle East supports revenue growth through substantial client acquisitions and increased presence.
  • AI-driven automation and strategic collaborations, including with Insignia Financial, enhance operational efficiency and future revenue prospects.
  • Foreign exchange impacts, geopolitical uncertainties, and net debt levels pose risks to SS&C Technologies' revenue growth and financial stability amidst market volatility.

Catalysts

About SS&C Technologies Holdings
    Provides software products and software-enabled services to financial services and healthcare industries.
What are the underlying business or industry changes driving this perspective?
  • Expansion into international markets, particularly Australia and the Middle East, is a key growth catalyst for SS&C, with substantial client wins and increased presence expected to contribute positively to revenue.
  • The integration of AI-driven automation platforms like Blue Prism, designed to enhance operational efficiency, is anticipated to reduce costs and improve net margins over time.
  • The strategic lift-out agreement with Insignia Financial is set to contribute significantly to SS&C's revenue in the latter half of 2025, supporting a stronger revenue forecast.
  • Continued focus on private markets and retail alternatives, particularly through the GlobeOp business, is expected to drive organic revenue growth due to high demand for higher yield investments.
  • Ongoing share buybacks are likely to enhance EPS growth as capital is returned to shareholders, reducing the share count over time.

SS&C Technologies Holdings Earnings and Revenue Growth

SS&C Technologies Holdings Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

How have these above catalysts been quantified?
  • Analysts are assuming SS&C Technologies Holdings's revenue will grow by 4.8% annually over the next 3 years.
  • Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 13.3% today to 17.2% in 3 years time.
  • Analysts expect earnings to reach $1.2 billion (and earnings per share of $4.74) by about September 2028, up from $806.4 million today.
  • In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 23.8x on those 2028 earnings, down from 26.9x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Professional Services industry at 26.3x.
  • Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 1.4% per year for the next 3 years.
  • To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 7.59%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

SS&C Technologies Holdings Future Earnings Per Share Growth

SS&C Technologies Holdings Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?
  • The unfavorable impact from foreign exchange rates has affected revenue, signaling potential ongoing market volatility and currency risk, which could impact future revenue growth projections.
  • Despite reporting organic growth, the adjusted growth rate has built-in conservatism due to geopolitical uncertainties, which suggests a slower growth outlook and potential revenue constraints.
  • The dissolution of a joint venture with State Street is not expected to significantly impact revenue or EBITDA, indicating potential missed growth opportunities or underperformance in that area.
  • The healthcare business showed flat performance, and potential lumpiness due to dealing with large-scale clients could result in unpredictable revenue streams and margin pressures in future quarters.
  • While SS&C's net leverage is manageable, the company carries $6.4 billion in net debt, which could pose a risk to earnings and cash flow should interest rates increase beyond current expectations.

Valuation

How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?
  • The analysts have a consensus price target of $97.889 for SS&C Technologies Holdings based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $110.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $88.0.
  • In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $7.0 billion, earnings will come to $1.2 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 23.8x, assuming you use a discount rate of 7.6%.
  • Given the current share price of $88.78, the analyst price target of $97.89 is 9.3% higher.
  • We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.

How well do narratives help inform your perspective?

Disclaimer

AnalystConsensusTarget is a tool utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) that ingests data on consensus price targets, forecasted revenue and earnings figures, as well as the transcripts of earnings calls to produce qualitative analysis. The narratives produced by AnalystConsensusTarget are general in nature and are based solely on analyst data and publicly-available material published by the respective companies. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in nature. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. The price targets and estimates used are consensus data, and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that AnalystConsensusTarget's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

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