GLOBAL PAYMENTS INC 10-K

ITEM 7 - MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with "Item 8 - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements about our plans and expectations of what may happen in the future. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that are inherently subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and our actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated by our forward-looking statements as a result of many known and unknown factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in "Item 1A - Risk Factors" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. See "Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" located above in "Item 1 - Business" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We operate in two reportable segments: Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. During the second quarter of 2023, we completed the sale of the consumer portion of our Netspend business, which comprised our former Consumer Solutions segment. Our consolidated financial statements include the results of our former Consumer Solutions segment for periods prior to disposition. See "Note 18—Segment Information" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for additional information about our segments. Discussion of our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 that have been omitted under this item can be found in "Part II, Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on February 14, 2024. 38 Table of Contents Executive Overview We are a leading payments technology company delivering innovative software and services to our customers globally. Our technologies, services and team member expertise allow us to provide a broad range of solutions that enable our customers to operate their businesses more efficiently across a variety of channels around the world. We have grown organically, as well as through acquisitions, and continue to invest in new technology solutions, infrastructure to support our growing business and the ongoing consolidation and enhancement of our operating platforms. These investments include new product development and innovation to further enhance and differentiate our suite of technology and solutions available to customers, along with migration of certain underlying technology platforms to cloud environments to enhance performance, improve speed to market and drive cost efficiencies. We also continue to execute on integration and business transformation activities, such as combining business operations, streamlining technology infrastructure, eliminating duplicative corporate and operational support structures and realizing scale efficiencies. We have furthered our business strategy through the following key transactions during 2024: • We completed the sale of AdvancedMD, Inc. ("AdvancedMD") in December 2024 for approximately $1 billion, subject to certain closing adjustments, and up to $125 million contingent upon the purchaser achieving certain specified returns. AdvancedMD is a provider of software-as-a-service solutions to small-to-medium sized ambulatory physician practices in the United States and was included in our Merchant Solutions segment prior to disposition. We recognized a gain on the sale of $273.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. • Our capital structure initiatives during 2024 included the issuance of $2.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.500% convertible senior notes due March 2031 through a private placement. In connection with the issuance of the notes, we entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions to hedge the potential dilutive effect upon conversion of the notes, or offset our cash obligation if the cash settlement option were to be elected, for amounts in excess of the principal amount of converted notes up to a cap price. Highlights related to our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2024 include the following: • Consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased to $10,105.9 million, compared to $9,654.4 million for the prior year. The increase in consolidated revenues was primarily due to growth in transaction volume. The year-over-year favorable effect on revenues from the EVO business acquired in March 2023 was offset by the unfavorable effect on revenues from the dispositions of our gaming and consumer businesses in April 2023. • Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions segment operating income and operating margin for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased compared to the prior year primarily due to the favorable effect of increases in revenues, as certain fixed costs do not vary with revenues. Merchant Solutions operating income for the year ended December 31, 2024 also reflected an increase related to the acquired EVO business, as the year ended December 31, 2023 only included the acquisition for a portion of the period. • Consolidated operating income for the year ended December 31, 2024 included the favorable effects of the increase in revenues as compared to the prior year, as well as lower acquisition and integration expenses and share-based compensation expense. These favorable effects were offset by expenses related to business transformation activities, a technology asset charge and an increase in amortization of acquired intangibles, primarily related to the acquisition of EVO as discussed in further detail below. Consolidated operating income for the year ended December 31, 2024 included the gain on the sale of AdvancedMD described above. Consolidated operating income for the year ended December 31, 2023 included the effects of the gain on the sale of our gaming business and the loss on the sale of our consumer business. 39 Table of Contents Strategy and Business Transformation Early in 2024, we launched a holistic review of our business to examine our strategy, operations and ability to deliver sustainable performance. We have refreshed our strategy and are focusing our resources, efforts and investments on the areas of the business that will drive the best opportunities for growth. These strategic, organizational and operational transformation activities are expected to continue over the next few years. As we focus on executing and delivering transformation initiatives, we have incurred and anticipate incurring incremental expenses related to the transformation and potential additional asset impairment charges through early 2027. We are also undertaking a strategic review of our business portfolio to evaluate potential assets for disposition to further streamline our business and create value for shareholders. We currently expect our transformation initiatives to generate more than $600 million of annual run-rate operating income benefit by the first half of 2027. Refer to "Item 1 - Business" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details regarding this business transformation initiative. Continuing and Emerging Trends The payments technology industry continues to evolve and grow worldwide and as a result, certain large payment technology companies, including us, have expanded operations globally by pursuing acquisitions and creating alliances and joint ventures. We expect to continue to expand into new markets and pursue additional acquisitions and joint ventures in existing markets to increase our scale and improve our competitiveness. The industry continues to grow globally as a result of wider merchant acceptance and increased use of credit and debit cards, advances in payment processing technology and migration to ecommerce, omnichannel and contactless payment solutions. The proliferation of credit and debit cards, as well as other digital payment solutions, has made the acceptance of digital payments a virtual necessity for many businesses, regardless of size, in order to remain competitive. Furthermore, the expanding digitization of the economy and availability and access to financial services increases the demand for cards and digital payment solutions, which in turn drives growth in acceptance and transaction volumes. We believe the increased use of cards and the availability of more sophisticated technology services to all market segments will continue to result in an increasingly competitive and specialized industry. The use of digital payment solutions, the need for development of technologies and digital-based solutions and expansion of ecommerce, omnichannel and contactless payment solutions has accelerated. We believe that the number of digital payment transactions will continue to grow and that an increasing percentage of these will be facilitated through emerging technologies. As a result, we expect an increasing portion of our future capital investment will be allocated to support the development of new and emerging technologies, including technology modernization, innovation and integration through strategic partnerships. We also believe new markets will continue to develop and expand in areas that have been previously dominated by paper-based transactions. We expect industries such as education, government and healthcare, as well as recurring payments and business-to-business ("B2B") payments, to continue to see transactions migrate to digital-based solutions. We anticipate that the continued development of new services and technologies, the emergence of new vertical markets and continued expansion of technology-enabled ecommerce and omnichannel solutions, including expanded scale and market reach through new innovative cloud-based capabilities and strategic partnerships, will be a factor in the growth of our business and our revenues in the future. Furthermore, due to its benefits and growth potential, we anticipate the increased exploration of use of AI in the payments industry. For a further discussion of trends, uncertainties and other factors that could affect our continuing operating results, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Macroeconomic Effects and Other Global Conditions We are exposed to general economic conditions, including currency fluctuations, inflation, rising interest rates and other conditions that affect the overall level of consumer, business and government spending, which could negatively affect our financial performance. When adverse macroeconomic conditions arise, we evaluate where we may be able to implement cost-saving measures, including those related to headcount and discretionary expenses. We may also experience the effects of heightened geopolitical and economic instability or increased difficulty of conducting business in a country or region due to actual or potential political or military conflict or action. 40 Table of Contents Certain of our operations are conducted in foreign currencies. Consequently, a portion of our revenues and expenses has been and may continue to be affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. A strengthening of the U.S. dollar or other significant fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could result in an adverse effect on our future financial results; however, we are unable to predict the extent of the potential effect on our financial results. We have sought to reduce our interest rate risk through the issuance of fixed rate debt in place of variable rate debt and through interest rate swap hedging arrangements that convert a significant portion of the eligible variable rate borrowings under our revolving credit facility to a fixed rate. However, inflationary pressure or interest rate fluctuations could adversely affect our business and financial performance as a result of higher costs and/or lower consumer spending. In addition, continued inflation or a rise in interest rates could have an adverse effect on our future financial results and the recoverability of assets. However, as the future magnitude, duration and effects of these conditions are difficult to predict, we are unable to project the extent of the potential effect on our financial results. We regularly maintain cash balances with financial institutions in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limit or the equivalent outside the U.S. A disruption in financial markets could harm our banking partners, which could affect our ability to access our cash or cash equivalents, our ability to provide settlement services or our customers' ability to access their existing cash to fulfill their payment obligations to us. The occurrence of these events could negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. For a further discussion of trends, uncertainties and other factors that could affect our future operating results, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Results of Operations Key Drivers of our Results of Operations Our revenues for both of our segments are dependent upon the volume of payment transactions we process, cardholder accounts on file and other factors (referred to herein as "transaction volume"). As the majority of our services are priced as a percentage of transaction value or specified fee per unit or transaction, many under multi-year customer arrangements, our revenues generally grow period-over-period in line with the rate of increase in transaction volume. Our operating expenses consist primarily of amortization of intangible assets, the cost of the technology to provide services to our customers and our people costs to support the operations. Many of those costs do not vary directly with the level of payment transactions we process for our customers, generating operating leverage. As revenues increase, operating income and operating margin (operating income as a percentage of revenues) generally increase. We also grow our business through strategic acquisitions of similar businesses. Our revenues increase from the transaction volume from the customers of the acquired businesses. As we integrate the businesses, we also are able to improve operating income and operating margin by generating synergies to lower the cost base of those businesses. Revenues Merchant Solutions. The majority of our Merchant Solutions segment revenues is generated by services priced as a percentage of transaction value or a specified fee per transaction, depending on card type or industry vertical. We also earn software subscription and licensing fees, as well as other fees for specific value-added services that may be unrelated to the number or value of transactions. Merchant Solutions segment revenues depend upon a number of factors, such as demand for and price of our services, the technological competitiveness of our offerings, our reputation for providing timely and reliable service, competition within our industry and general economic conditions. We provide payment technology and software solutions to customers and fund settlement either directly, in markets where we have direct membership with the payment networks, or through our relationship with a member financial institution in markets where we are sponsored. Revenues are generally recognized as billed to the customer, net of interchange fees and payment network fees. We market our services through a variety of distribution channels, including a direct sales force, trade associations, agent and enterprise software providers and referral arrangements with value-added resellers ("VARs"). We also provide services to merchants referred by ISOs, payment facilitators and financial institutions. In certain of these arrangements, the external partner receives a share of the customer profitability in the form of a monthly residual payment, which is reflected as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income. 41 Table of Contents Issuer Solutions. Issuer Solutions segment revenues are primarily derived from long-term processing contracts with financial institutions and other financial services providers. Payment processing services revenues are generated primarily from charges based on the number of accounts on file, transactions and authorizations processed, statements generated and/or mailed, managed services, cards embossed and mailed and other processing services for cardholder accounts on file. Most of these customer contracts have prescribed annual minimums, penalties for early termination and service level agreements that may affect contractual fees if specific service levels are not achieved. Issuer Solutions revenues also include loyalty redemption services, professional services, and fees from B2B payments services and other financial service solutions marketed to businesses, including software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) offerings that automate key procurement processes, provide invoice capture, coding and approval, and enable virtual cards and integrated payments options across a variety of key vertical markets. Consumer Solutions. During the second quarter of 2023, we completed the sale of the consumer portion of our Netspend business, which comprised our former Consumer Solutions segment. For the periods prior to disposition, our Consumer Solutions arrangements included a stand-ready performance obligation to provide account access and facilitate purchase transactions. Revenues principally consisted of fees collected from cardholders and fees generated by cardholder activity in connection with the programs that we managed. Customers were typically charged a fee for each purchase transaction made using their cards, unless the customer was on a monthly or annual service plan, in which case the customer was instead charged a monthly or annual subscription fee, as applicable. Customers were also charged a monthly maintenance fee after a specified period of inactivity. We also charged fees associated with additional services offered in connection with our accounts, including the use of overdraft features, a variety of bill payment options, card replacement, foreign exchange and card-to-card transfers of funds initiated through our call centers. Revenues were recognized net of fees charged by the payment networks for services they provided in processing transactions routed through them. Operating Expenses Cost of Service. Cost of service consists primarily of salaries, wages and related expenses paid to operations and technology-related personnel, including those who monitor our transaction processing systems and settlement functions; the cost of transaction processing systems, including third-party services; the cost of network telecommunications capability; depreciation and occupancy costs associated with the facilities supporting these functions; amortization of intangible assets; costs to fulfill customer contracts; provisions for operating losses; and, when applicable, integration costs. In our Issuer Solutions segment, cost of service also includes out-of-pocket reimbursable costs, such as postage and other production items. Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries, wages, commissions and related expenses paid to sales personnel, customer support functions other than those supporting revenues, administrative employees and management; share-based compensation; costs to obtain customer contracts; residuals paid to ISOs; fees paid to VARs, independent contractors and other third parties; other selling expenses; depreciation and occupancy costs of leased space directly related to these functions; advertising costs; and, when applicable, acquisition and integration costs and business transformation costs. Operating Income and Operating Margin For the purpose of discussing segment operations, we refer to "operating income," which is calculated by subtracting segment direct expenses, including both cost of service and selling, general and administrative expenses, from segment revenues. Overhead and shared expenses, including share-based compensation, are not allocated to segment operations; they are reported in the caption "Corporate." Impairment of goodwill and gains or losses on business dispositions are also not included in determining segment operating income. In addition, in discussing segment operations we refer to "operating margin," which is calculated by dividing segment operating income by segment revenues. Equity in Income of Equity Method Investments We have equity method investments, including a 45% interest in China UnionPay Data Co., Ltd., which we account for using the equity method of accounting. Equity in income of equity method investments reflects our proportional share of earnings from these investments. 42 Table of Contents Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2023 The following table sets forth key selected financial data for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, this data as a percentage of total revenues, and the changes between periods in dollars and as a percentage of the prior-period amount. The income statement data for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 is derived from the accompanying consolidated financial statements included in "Item 8 - Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Year Ended December 31, Year Ended December 31, (dollar amounts in thousands) 2024 % of Revenue (1) 2023 % of Revenue (1) Change % Change Revenues (2) : Merchant Solutions $ 7,688,703 76.1 % $ 7,151,793 74.1 % $ 536,910 7.5 % Issuer Solutions 2,483,657 24.6 % 2,398,870 24.8 % 84,787 3.5 % Consumer Solutions — — % 182,740 1.9 % (182,740) (100.0) % Intersegment eliminations (66,466) (0.7) % (78,984) (0.8) % 12,518 (15.8) % Consolidated revenues $ 10,105,894 100.0 % $ 9,654,419 100.0 % $ 451,475 4.7 % Operating expenses (2) : Cost of service: Merchant Solutions $ 2,008,126 $ 1,925,880 $ 82,246 4.3 % Issuer Solutions 1,795,001 1,738,047 56,954 3.3 % Consumer Solutions — 120,436 (120,436) (100.0) % Intersegment eliminations (43,011) (56,842) 13,831 (24.3) % Consolidated cost of service $ 3,760,116 37.2 % $ 3,727,521 38.6 % $ 32,595 0.9 % Selling, general and administrative: Merchant Solutions $ 3,067,662 $ 2,880,658 $ 187,004 6.5 % Issuer Solutions 246,214 251,016 (4,802) (1.9) % Consumer Solutions — 66,212 (66,212) (100.0) % Corporate 994,886 898,024 96,862 10.8 % Intersegment eliminations (23,455) (22,142) (1,313) 5.9 % Consolidated selling, general and administrative $ 4,285,307 42.4 % $ 4,073,768 42.2 % $ 211,539 5.2 % Net (gain) loss on business dispositions (273,134) 136,744 (409,878) NM Consolidated operating expenses $ 7,772,289 76.9 % $ 7,938,033 82.2 % $ (165,744) (2.1) % Operating income (loss) (2) : Merchant Solutions $ 2,612,915 $ 2,345,255 $ 267,660 11.4 % Issuer Solutions 442,442 409,807 32,635 8.0 % Consumer Solutions — (3,908) 3,908 (100.0) % Corporate (994,886) (898,024) (96,862) 10.8 % Net gain (loss) on business dispositions 273,134 (136,744) 409,878 NM Consolidated operating income $ 2,333,605 23.1 % $ 1,716,386 17.8 % $ 617,219 36.0 % Operating margin (2) : Merchant Solutions 34.0 % 32.8 % 1.2 % Issuer Solutions 17.8 % 17.1 % 0.7 % Consumer Solutions — % (2.1) % NM NM = Not meaningful 43 Table of Contents (1) Percentage amounts may not sum to the total due to rounding. (2) Revenues, operating expenses, operating income and operating margin reflect the effects of acquired businesses from the respective acquisition dates and the effects of disposed businesses through the respective disposal dates. See “Note 2—Acquisitions” and “Note 3—Business Dispositions” for further discussion. Operating income included acquisition and integration expenses of $211.6 million and $341.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, which were primarily included within Corporate selling, general and administrative expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, operating loss for Corporate also included $13.4 million and $18.5 million, respectively, of other charges related to facilities exit activities. During the year ended December 31, 2024, Corporate expenses also reflected costs of $99.1 million associated with our business transformation initiative, employee termination benefits of $99.6 million, which included $19.4 million of share-based compensation expense, and charges of $55.8 million for technology assets that will no longer be utilized under a revised technology architecture development strategy. Revenues Consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $451.5 million, or 4.7%, to $10,105.9 million from $9,654.4 million in the prior year. Merchant Solutions Segment. Revenues from our Merchant Solutions segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $536.9 million, or 7.5%, to $7,688.7 million from $7,151.8 million in the prior year. The increase in segment revenues was primarily due to the $479.5 million effect of higher transaction volume. In addition, our acquisition of EVO in March 2023 contributed $189.3 million to segment revenue growth during the year ended December 31, 2024, as the year ended December 31, 2023 only included the acquisition for a portion of the period. The revenues of the EVO business include the cross-selling of our service offerings into the acquired EVO customer base and other benefits to revenues from initiatives of the combined organization. There were no other material factors contributing to the change in segment revenues. Issuer Solutions Segment. Revenues from our Issuer Solutions segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $84.8 million, or 3.5%, to $2,483.7 million from $2,398.9 million in the prior year. The increase in revenues was primarily due to an increase in transaction volume of $74.3 million driven by cardholder activity. Consumer Solutions Segment. The year ended December 31, 2023 included revenues of $182.7 million related to the consumer business disposed of in April 2023. Operating Expenses Cost of Service. Cost of service for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $32.6 million, or 0.9%, to $3,760.1 million from $3,727.5 million in the prior year. Cost of service as a percentage of revenues decreased to 37.2% for the year ended December 31, 2024 from 38.6% in the prior year. Merchant Solutions Segment. Cost of service from our Merchant Solutions segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $82.2 million, or 4.3%, to $2,008.1 million from $1,925.9 million in the prior year. Cost of service as a percentage of segment revenues decreased to 26.1% for the year ended December 31, 2024 from 26.9% in the prior year. The effects of the acquired EVO business on cost of service was an increase of $73.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year, and an unfavorable impact on cost of service as a percentage of segment revenues of 0.3%. Cost of service as a percentage of revenue was lower due to improved operating leverage and synergies related to the EVO acquisition. Issuer Solutions Segment. Cost of service from our Issuer Solutions segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $57.0 million, or 3.3%, to $1,795.0 million from $1,738.0 million in the prior year due to costs that vary with revenues. Cost of service as a percentage of segment revenues decreased to 72.3% for the year ended December 31, 2024 from 72.5% in the prior year primarily as a result of costs that do not vary with revenues, including the effects of amortization and depreciation as discussed below, generating operating leverage. 44 Table of Contents Consumer Solutions Segment. The year ended December 31, 2023 included cost of service of $120.4 million related to the consumer business disposed of in April 2023. Our consumer business had a higher cost of service as a percentage of segment revenues relative to our Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions segments and the disposition had the effect of reducing consolidated cost of service as a percentage of revenues by 0.5% for the year ended December 31, 2023. Amortization of Acquired Intangible Assets. The most significant component of our cost of service is amortization of acquired intangibles, which was $1,369.3 million and $1,318.5 million, or approximately 36% and 35% of cost of service for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. These costs generally do not vary in proportion to changes in revenues, but rather are most significantly affected by acquisition activities. The effects of the acquired EVO business on amortization expense was an increase of $67.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $211.5 million, or 5.2%, to $4,285.3 million from $4,073.8 million in the prior year. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues was 42.4% for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 42.2% in the prior year. Merchant Solutions Segment. Selling, general and administrative expenses from our Merchant Solutions segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $187.0 million, or 6.5%, to $3,067.7 million from $2,880.7 million in the prior year. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of segment revenues was 39.9% for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 40.3% in the prior year. The effects of the acquired EVO business on selling, general and administrative expenses was an increase of $72.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year, and a favorable impact on selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of segment revenues of 0.1%. The remainder of the increase in selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 was due to costs that vary with revenues of $32.0 million, depreciation expense of $32.4 million and software license related expenses of $23.1 million. Issuer Solutions Segment. Selling, general and administrative expenses from our Issuer Solutions segment for the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased by $4.8 million, or 1.9%, to $246.2 million from $251.0 million in the prior year. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of segment revenues was 9.9% for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 10.5% in the prior year, primarily due to fixed costs that do not vary with revenues. Consumer Solutions Segment. The year ended December 31, 2023 included selling, general and administrative expenses of $66.2 million related to the consumer business disposed of in April 2023. The disposition had the effect of increasing consolidated selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues by 0.1% for the year ended December 31, 2023. Corporate. Corporate expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased by $96.9 million, or 10.8%, to $994.9 million from $898.0 million in the prior year. The higher amount of corporate expenses was primarily driven by charges incurred in the year ended December 31, 2024, including $99.1 million associated with our business transformation initiative, $80.1 million related to employee termination benefits, which excludes share-based compensation expense, and $55.8 million for technology assets that will no longer be utilized under a revised technology architecture development strategy. These increases were partially offset by lower acquisition and integration expenses of $130.3 million, as we completed the acquisition of EVO in March 2023, and lower share-based compensation expense of $44.8 million. The lower share-based compensation expense is primarily due to higher expense in the year ended December 31, 2023 related to the retirement of eligible executives and departure of our previous CEO. Operating Income and Operating Margin Consolidated operating income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $2,333.6 million, compared to $1,716.4 million for the prior year. Consolidated operating margin for the year ended December 31, 2024 was 23.1% compared to 17.8% for the prior year. • Consolidated operating income and operating margin for the year ended December 31, 2024 included the effects of a $273.1 million gain on the sale of AdvancedMD, compared to a $243.6 million net loss on the sale of our consumer business and a $106.9 million gain on the sale of our gaming business in the prior year. The combination of these items increased operating income by $409.9 million and had a favorable effect on operating margin of approximately 4.1% for the year ended December 31, 2024; • Consolidated operating income reflected higher corporate costs, as described above, which had an unfavorable effect on operating margin of approximately 2.5% for the year ended December 31, 2024; 45 Table of Contents • Merchant Solutions segment operating income increased $267.7 million and operating margin increased 1.2% primarily due to the favorable effect of the increase in revenues, since certain fixed costs do not vary with revenues. In addition, the inclusion of EVO had an unfavorable effect on the Merchant Solutions operating margin of 0.3% for the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to the prior year; and • Issuer Solutions segment operating income increased $32.6 million and operating margin increased 0.7% primarily due to the favorable effect of the increase in revenues, since certain fixed costs do not vary with revenues. Other Income and Expense, Net Interest and other income for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased $55.5 million to $169.2 million, compared to $113.7 million for the prior year primarily due to an increase of $31.6 million in interest income on the seller financing notes that were issued in connection with the sales of our consumer and gaming businesses in April 2023 and a gain of $18.8 million recognized during the year ended December 31, 2024 in connection with the release and conversion of a portion of our Visa convertible preferred shares. See "Note 8—Other Assets" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for a further discussion of our Visa preferred shares. Interest and other expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 decreased $26.2 million to $634.0 million, compared to $660.2 million for the prior year primarily due to lower average interest rates on outstanding borrowings. Interest and other expense for the year ended December 31, 2023 also included a noncash charge of $15.2 million for the estimated future credit losses on the new seller financing notes receivable. Income Tax Expense Our effective income tax rates for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were 15.8% and 17.9%, respectively. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2024 was lower because the effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 reflects recognition of a gain on the dispositions of our consumer and gaming businesses for income tax reporting purposes, while an aggregate net loss on the dispositions was recognized for financial reporting purposes. On August 16, 2022, the U.S. government enacted the Inflation Reduction Act into law, which, among other things, implemented a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax based on global adjusted financial statement income and a 1% excise tax on share repurchases effective beginning January 1, 2023. The corporate alternative minimum tax did not have a material effect on our reported results, cash flows or financial position. During the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we reflected excise taxes of $15.6 million and $3.9 million, respectively, within equity as part of the cost of common stock repurchased, net of share issuances, during the period. During the year ended December 31, 2024, additional jurisdictions globally enacted local legislation formally adopting the Global Anti-Base Erosion Model Rules ("Pillar Two"), which generally provides for a minimum effective tax rate of 15%, as established by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ("OECD") Pillar Two Framework. The effective dates are generally January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, for different aspects of the rules and vary by jurisdiction. Additional jurisdictions are expected to implement the model rules under local law in the future, with varying effective dates. The Pillar Two directive did not have a material effect on our financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, and we are continuing to evaluate the potential effect on future periods of the Pillar Two implementation, pending legislative adoption by additional individual countries and the ongoing issuance of additional administrative guidance by the OECD. Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests increased $31.2 million to $73.8 million, compared to $42.6 million for the prior year primarily due to redemption price adjustments related to our subsidiary in Greece, which is discussed in further detail in "Note 16—Noncontrolling Interests" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Net Income Attributable to Global Payments Net income attributable to Global Payments was $1,570.4 million compared to $986.2 million for the prior year, reflecting the changes noted above. 46 Table of Contents Diluted Earnings per Share Diluted earnings per share was $6.16 compared to $3.77 for the prior year. Diluted earnings per share for the year ended December 31, 2024 reflects the changes in net income noted above and a decrease in diluted weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year primarily due to the cumulative effect of share repurchases. Liquidity and Capital Resources We have numerous sources of capital, including cash on hand and cash flows generated from operations as well as various sources of financing. In the ordinary course of our business, a significant portion of our liquidity comes from operating cash flows and borrowings, including the capacity under our revolving credit facility. Our capital allocation priorities are to pay dividends, to repurchase shares of our common stock, to pursue acquisitions that meet our corporate objectives, to make planned capital investments in our business and to pay principal and interest on our outstanding debt. Our significant contractual cash requirements also include ongoing payments for lease liabilities and contractual obligations related to service arrangements with suppliers for fixed or minimum amounts, which primarily relate to software, technology infrastructure and related services. Commitments under our borrowing arrangements are further described in "Note 9—Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and below under "Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit." For additional information regarding our other cash commitments and contractual obligations, see "Note 7—Leases" and “Note 19—Commitments and Contingencies” in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Our capital plan objectives are to support our operational needs and strategic plan for long-term growth while optimizing our cost of capital and financial position. To supplement cash from operating activities, we use a combination of bank financing, such as borrowings under our credit facilities, commercial paper program and senior note issuances for general corporate purposes and to fund acquisitions. Our commercial paper program provides a cost effective means of addressing our short-term liquidity needs and is backstopped by our revolving credit agreement, in that the amount of commercial paper notes outstanding cannot exceed the undrawn portion of our revolving credit facility. Finally, specialized lines of credit are also used in certain of our markets to fund merchant settlement prior to receipt of funds from the card networks. We regularly evaluate our liquidity and capital position relative to cash requirements, and we may elect to raise additional funds in the future through the issuance of debt or equity or by other means. Accumulated cash balances are invested in high-quality, marketable short-term instruments. We believe that our current and projected sources of liquidity will be sufficient to meet our projected liquidity requirements associated with our operations for the near and long term. At December 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents totaling $2,538.4 million. Of this amount, we considered $1,067.5 million to be available for general purposes, of which $60.5 million is undistributed foreign earnings considered to be indefinitely reinvested outside the United States. The available cash of $1,067.5 million does not include the following: (i) settlement-related cash balances, (ii) funds held as collateral for merchant losses ("Merchant Reserves") and (iii) certain funds held for customers. Settlement-related cash balances represent funds that we hold when the incoming amount from the card networks precedes the funding obligation to the merchant. Settlement-related cash balances are not restricted in their use; however, these funds are generally paid out in satisfaction of settlement processing obligations the following day. Merchant Reserves serve as collateral to minimize contingent liabilities associated with any losses that may occur under the merchant's agreement. While this cash is not restricted in its use, we believe that designating this cash as a Merchant Reserve strengthens our fiduciary standing with our member sponsors. Funds held for customers, which are not restricted in their use, include amounts collected before the corresponding obligation is due to be settled to or at the direction of our customers. We also had restricted cash of $197.6 million as of December 31, 2024, representing amounts under legal restriction, amounts deposited by customers for prepaid card transactions and funds held as a liquidity reserve. These balances are subject to local regulatory restrictions requiring appropriate segregation and restriction in their use. Operating activities provided net cash of $3,532.7 million and $2,248.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, which reflect net income adjusted for noncash items, including depreciation, amortization, the provision for credit losses and the net gain or loss on business dispositions, and changes in operating assets and liabilities. The increase in cash flows from operating activities from the prior year was due to general improvement in the results of the business and assets and liabilities that are affected primarily by timing of month-end and transaction volume, including changes in settlement processing assets and obligations. 47 Table of Contents We used net cash in investing activities of $173.9 million and $4,361.1 million during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Cash used for investing activities primarily represents cash used to fund acquisitions and capital expenditures. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we used cash of $487.1 million and $4,225.6 million, respectively, for acquisitions. We made capital expenditures of $674.9 million and $658.1 million during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. These investments include software and hardware to support the development of new technologies, infrastructure to support our growing business and the consolidation and enhancement of our operating platforms. These investments also include new product development and innovation to further enhance and differentiate our suite of technology and cloud-based solutions available to customers. We expect to continue to make capital investments in the business, and we anticipate capital expenditures to be approximately $800 million during the year ending December 31, 2025. Additionally, investing cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2024 includes net cash received of $981.4 million from the sale of AdvancedMD and our investments in Visa common shares. Investing cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the net effect on cash from the sale of our consumer and gaming businesses, and cash received from the sale of our investments in Visa common shares of $42.1 million. Financing activities include borrowings and repayments made under our various debt arrangements, as well as borrowings and repayments made under specialized lines of credit to fund daily settlement activities. Our borrowing arrangements are further described in "Note 9—Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and below under "Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit." Financing activities also include cash flows associated with common stock repurchase programs and share-based compensation programs, cash distributions made to our shareholders and cash contributions from and distributions to noncontrolling interests. We used net cash in financing activities of $2,766.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2024, and financing activities provided net cash of $2,141.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2023. Proceeds from long-term debt were $9,635.0 million and $10,336.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Repayments of long-term debt were $8,334.8 million and $9,099.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Proceeds from and repayments of long-term debt consist of borrowings and repayments that we make with available cash, from time to time, under our revolving credit facility, as well as scheduled principal repayments we make on our senior notes, finance leases and other vendor financing arrangements. During the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we had net repayments of $1,371.6 million and net borrowings of $1,371.6 million, respectively, under our commercial paper program. Furthermore, in connection with the issuance of convertible notes in February 2024, we paid $256.3 million to purchase privately negotiated capped call transactions to hedge the potential dilutive effect upon conversion of the notes, or offset our cash obligation if the cash settlement option were to be elected. See section "Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit" below for further discussion of our recent debt transactions. Activity under our settlement lines of credit is affected primarily by timing of month-end and transaction volume. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we had net repayments of $442.7 million and net borrowings of $220.7 million, respectively, under our settlement lines of credit. We repurchase our common stock mainly through open market repurchase plans and, at times, through accelerated share repurchase ("ASR") programs. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we used $1,552.0 million and $418.3 million, respectively, to repurchase and retire 12.7 million and 4.1 million shares of our common stock, respectively. The share repurchase activity for the year ended December 31, 2024 included the repurchase of 1,414,759 shares using a portion of the net proceeds from our offering of 1.500% convertible senior notes due March 2031 through privately negotiated transactions with purchasers of notes in the offering, or one of their respective affiliates. The purchase price per share of the common stock repurchased in such transactions equaled the closing price of the common stock on February 20, 2024, which was $130.80 per share. The share repurchase activity for the year ended December 31, 2024 also included the repurchase of 5,320,781 shares at an average price of $112.77 per share under an ASR agreement we entered into on October 30, 2024 with a financial institution to repurchase an aggregate of $600.0 million of our common stock during the ASR program purchase period. This ASR program was completed on December 20, 2024. On October 24, 2024, our board of directors approved an increase to our existing share repurchase program authorization, which raised the total available authorization to $2.5 billion. As of December 31, 2024, the remaining amount available under our share repurchase program was $1,850.0 million. We paid dividends to our common shareholders in the amounts of $252.8 million and $260.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. We made distributions to noncontrolling interests in the amount of $38.1 million and $33.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. 48 Table of Contents On January 30, 2025, our board of directors declared a cash dividend of $0.25 per share payable on March 28, 2025 to common shareholders of record as of March 14, 2025. Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit Senior Notes We have $11.1 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes outstanding as of December 31, 2024, which mature at various dates ranging from February 2025 to August 2052. Interest on the senior notes is payable annually or semi-annually at various dates. Each series of the senior notes is redeemable, at our option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time at the redemption prices set forth in the related indenture. On March 17, 2023, we issued €800 million aggregate principal amount of 4.875% senior unsecured notes due March 2031 and received net proceeds of €790.6 million, or $843.6 million based on the exchange rate on the issuance date. We issued the senior notes at a discount of $2.8 million, and we incurred debt issuance costs of $7.2 million, including underwriting fees, fees for professional services and registration fees, which were capitalized and reflected as a reduction of the related carrying amount of the notes in our consolidated balance sheet. Interest on the senior unsecured notes is payable annually in arrears on March 17 of each year, commencing March 17, 2024. The notes are unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The net proceeds from the offering were used for general corporate purposes. On August 22, 2022, we issued $2.5 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes consisting of the following: (i) $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.950% senior notes due August 2027; (ii) $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.300% senior notes due August 2029; (iii) $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.400% senior notes due August 2032; and (iv) $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.950% senior notes due August 2052. We issued the senior notes at a total discount of $5.2 million, and we incurred debt issuance costs of $24.8 million, including underwriting fees, fees for professional services and registration fees, which were capitalized and reflected as a reduction of the related carrying amount of the notes in our consolidated balance sheet. Interest on the senior unsecured notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing February 15, 2023. The notes are unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The net proceeds from the offering were used to refinance the outstanding indebtedness under our credit facility, to make cash payments and pay transaction fees and expenses in connection with the acquisition of EVO and for general corporate purposes. On November 22, 2021, we issued $2.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes consisting of the following: (i) $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 1.500% senior notes due November 2024; (ii) $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 2.150% senior notes due January 2027; and (iii) $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 2.900% senior notes due November 2031. We incurred debt issuance costs of approximately $14.4 million, including underwriting fees, fees for professional services and registration fees, which were capitalized and reflected as a reduction of the related carrying amount of the notes in our consolidated balance sheet. Interest on the senior unsecured notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 for the 2024 and 2031 notes and January 15 and July 15 on the 2027 note, commencing May 15, 2022 for the 2024 note and the 2031 note and July 15, 2022 for the 2027 note. The notes are unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. We used the net proceeds from the offering to repay the outstanding indebtedness under our prior credit facility and for general corporate purposes. In November 2024, we repaid our $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 1.500% senior notes upon maturity. We have $1.1 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.200% senior unsecured notes due March 2026. We incurred debt issuance costs of approximately $8.6 million, including underwriting fees, fees for professional services and registration fees, which were capitalized and reflected as a reduction of the related carrying amount of the notes in our consolidated balance sheet. Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing September 1, 2021. The notes are unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. We used the net proceeds from this offering to fund the redemption in full of the 3.800% senior unsecured notes due April 2021, to repay a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under our prior credit facility and for general corporate purposes. 49 Table of Contents We have $1.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of 2.900% senior unsecured notes due May 2030. Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing November 15, 2020. The notes are unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other outstanding unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. We issued the senior notes at a total discount of $3.3 million and capitalized related debt issuance costs of $8.4 million. We have $3.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes consisting of the following: (i) $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 2.650% senior notes due 2025; (ii) $1.25 billion aggregate principal amount of 3.200% senior notes due 2029; and (iii) $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.150% senior notes due 2049. Interest on the senior notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on each February 15 and August 15, beginning on February 15, 2020. Each series of the senior notes is redeemable, at our option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time at the redemption prices set forth in the related indenture. We issued the senior notes at a total discount of $6.1 million and capitalized related debt issuance costs of $29.6 million. In addition, in connection with our merger with Total System Services, Inc. ("TSYS") in September 2019 (the "TSYS Merger"), we assumed $3.0 billion aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes of TSYS, consisting of the following: (i) $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.800% senior notes due 2021, which were redeemed in February 2021; (ii) $550.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.750% senior notes due 2023, which were redeemed in June 2023; (iii) $550.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.000% senior notes due 2023, which were redeemed in June 2023; (iv) $750 million aggregate principal amount of 4.800% senior notes due 2026; and (v) $450 million aggregate principal amount of 4.450% senior notes due 2028. For the 4.800% senior notes due 2026, interest is payable semi-annually each April 1 and October 1. For the 4.450% senior notes due 2028, interest is payable semi-annually each June 1 and December 1. The difference between the acquisition-date fair value and face value of senior notes assumed in the TSYS Merger is recognized over the terms of the respective notes as a reduction of interest expense. The amortization of this fair value adjustment was $15.7 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. Convertible Notes 1.500% Convertible Notes due March 1, 2031 On February 23, 2024, we issued $2.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.500% convertible senior notes due March 2031 through a private placement. The net proceeds from this offering were approximately $1.97 billion reflecting debt issuance costs of $33.5 million, which were capitalized and reflected as a reduction of the related carrying amount of the convertible notes in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024. Interest on the convertible notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, beginning on September 1, 2024, to the holders of record on the preceding February 15 and August 15, respectively. Prior to December 1, 2030, the notes are convertible at the option of the holders only under certain conditions, including: (i) if the last reported sale price of our common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price for at least 20 trading days within the last 30 consecutive trading days of the immediately preceding calendar quarter; (ii) for a five business day period following a ten-day consecutive trading period where the trading price of the notes is less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of our common stock and the conversion rate; (iii) if we call any or all of the notes for redemption; or (iv) upon the occurrence of certain corporate events. On or after December 1, 2030, the notes are convertible at the option of the holders at any time until the second scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date. The notes are convertible into cash and shares of our common stock based on a conversion rate of 6.371 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the convertible notes (which is equal to a conversion price of approximately $156.96 per share), subject to customary adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. Upon conversion, the principal amount of, and interest due on, the convertible notes are required to be settled in cash and any other amounts may be settled in shares, cash or a combination of shares and cash at our election. We may not redeem the notes prior to March 6, 2028. On or after March 6, 2028, we have the option to redeem all or any portion of the notes for cash if the last reported sale price of our common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price for at least 20 trading days within the last 30 consecutive trading day period at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest. If certain corporate events that constitute a fundamental change (as defined in the indenture governing the notes) occur, any holder of the notes may require that we repurchase all or a portion of their notes for cash at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, if certain corporate events that constitute a make-whole fundamental change (as defined in the indenture governing the notes) occur, then the conversion rate will in certain circumstances be increased. The notes include customary covenants for notes of this type, as well as customary events of default, which may result in the acceleration of the maturity of the convertible notes. 50 Table of Contents In connection with the issuance of the notes, we entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions with certain of the initial purchasers of the notes and other financial institutions to cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of common stock initially underlying the notes. The economic effect of the capped call transactions is to hedge the potential dilutive effect upon the conversion of the notes, or offset our cash obligation if the cash settlement option is elected, for amounts in excess of the principal amount of converted notes subject to a cap. The initial cap price of the capped call transactions is $228.90 per share. The capped call transactions meet the accounting criteria to be reflected in stockholders’ equity and not accounted for as derivatives. The cost of $256.3 million incurred in connection with the capped call transactions was reflected as a reduction to paid-in-capital in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024, net of applicable income taxes. 1.000% Convertible Notes due August 15, 2029 We also have $1.5 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.000% convertible notes due August 2029, which were issued during 2022 in a private placement pursuant to an investment agreement with Silver Lake Partners. The net proceeds from this offering were approximately $1.44 billion, reflecting an issuance discount of $37.5 million and $20.4 million of debt issuance costs, which were capitalized and reflected as a reduction of the related carrying amount of the convertible notes in our consolidated balance sheet. Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, beginning on February 15, 2023, to the holders of record on the preceding February 1 and August 1, respectively. The notes are convertible at the option of the holder at any time after the date that is 18 months after issuance (or earlier, upon the occurrence of certain corporate events) until the scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date and are presented within long-term debt in our consolidated balance sheet based on our intent and ability to refinance on a long-term basis should a conversion event occur. The notes are convertible into cash and shares of our common stock based on a conversion rate of 7.1727 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the convertible notes (which is equal to a conversion price of approximately $139.42 per share), subject to customary anti-dilution and other adjustments upon the occurrence of certain events. Upon conversion, the principal amount of, and interest due on, the convertible notes are required to be settled in cash and any other amounts may be settled in shares, cash or a combination of shares and cash at our election. The notes are not redeemable by us. If certain corporate events that constitute a fundamental change (as defined in the indenture governing the notes) occur, any holder of the notes may require that we repurchase all or any portion of their notes for cash at a purchase price of par plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the repurchase date. In addition, if certain corporate events that constitute a make-whole fundamental change (as defined in the indenture governing the notes) occur, then the conversion rate will in certain circumstances be increased for a specified period of time. The notes include customary covenants for notes of this type, as well as customary events of default, which may result in the acceleration of the maturity of the convertible notes. In connection with the issuance of the notes, we entered into privately negotiated capped call transactions with certain financial institutions to cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of common stock initially underlying the notes. The economic effect of the capped call transactions is to hedge the potential dilutive effect upon conversion of the notes, or offset our cash obligation if the cash settlement option is elected, up to a cap price determined based on a hedging period that commenced on August 9, 2022 and concluded on August 25, 2022. The capped call had an initial strike price of $140.67 per share and a cap price of $229.26 per share. The capped call transactions meet the accounting criteria to be reflected in stockholders’ equity and not accounted for as derivatives. The cost of $302.4 million incurred in connection with the capped call transactions was reflected as a reduction to paid-in-capital in our consolidated statement of changes in equity during the year ended December 31, 2022, net of applicable income taxes. Revolving Credit Facility On August 19, 2022, we entered into a credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, and a syndicate of financial institutions, as lenders and other agents. The credit agreement provides for an unsubordinated unsecured $5.75 billion revolving credit facility. We capitalized debt issuance costs of $12.3 million in connection with the issuances under the revolving credit facility. The revolving credit facility matures in August 2027. Borrowings under the revolving credit facility may be repaid prior to maturity without premium or penalty, subject to payment of certain customary expenses of lenders and customary notice provisions. 51 Table of Contents Borrowings under the revolving credit facility are available to be made in US dollars, euros, sterling, Canadian dollars and, subject to certain conditions, certain other currencies at our option. Borrowings under the revolving credit facility will bear interest, at our option, at a rate equal to (i) for Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") based currencies or certain alternative currencies, a secured overnight financing rate (subject to a 0.00% floor) plus a 0.10% credit spread adjustment or an alternative currency term rate (subject to a 0.00% floor), as applicable, (ii) for US dollar borrowings, a base rate, (iii) for US dollar borrowings, a daily floating secured overnight financing rate (subject to a 0.00% floor on or after January 1, 2023) plus a 0.10% credit spread adjustment or (iv) for certain alternative currencies, a daily alternative currency rate (subject to a 0.00% floor), in each case, plus an applicable margin. The applicable margin for borrowings under the revolving credit facility will range from 1.125% to 1.875% depending on our credit rating. In addition, we are required to pay a quarterly commitment fee with respect to the unused portion of the revolving credit facility at an applicable rate per annum ranging from 0.125% to 0.300% depending on our credit rating. We may issue standby letters of credit of up to $250.0 million in the aggregate under the revolving credit facility. Outstanding letters of credit under the revolving credit facility reduce the amount of borrowings available to us. The amounts available to borrow under the revolving credit facility are also determined by a financial leverage covenant. As of December 31, 2024, there were borrowings of $1,500.0 million outstanding under the revolving credit facility with an interest rate of 5.86%, and the total available commitments under the revolving credit facility were $3.7 billion. Commercial Paper We have a $2.0 billion commercial paper program under which we may issue senior unsecured commercial paper notes with maturities of up to 397 days from the date of issue. The program is backstopped by our revolving credit agreement, in that the amount of commercial paper notes outstanding cannot exceed the undrawn portion of our revolving credit facility. As such, we could draw on the revolving credit facility to repay commercial paper notes that cannot be rolled over or refinanced with similar debt. Commercial paper notes are expected to be issued at a discount from par, or they may bear interest, each at commercial paper market rates dictated by market conditions at the time of their issuance. The proceeds from issuances of commercial paper notes will be used primarily for general corporate purposes but may also be used for acquisitions, to pay dividends, for debt refinancing or for other purposes. As of December 31, 2024 , we ha d no borrowings outstanding under our commercial paper program. Compliance with Covenants The convertible notes include customary covenants and events of default for convertible notes of this type. The revolving credit agreement contains customary affirmative covenants and restrictive covenants, including, among others, financial covenants based on net leverage and interest coverage ratios, and customary events of default. The required leverage ratio was increased as a result of the acquisition of EVO, and will gradually step-down over eight quarters to the original required ratio of 3.75 to 1.00. As of December 31, 2024, the required leverage ratio was 4.00 to 1.00, and the required interest coverage ratio was 3.00 to 1.00. We were in compliance with all applicable covenants as of December 31, 2024. Settlement Lines of Credit In various markets where we do business, we have specialized lines of credit that are restricted for use in funding settlement. The settlement lines of credit generally have variable interest rates, are subject to annual review and are denominated in local currency but may, in some cases, facilitate borrowings in multiple currencies. For certain of our lines of credit, the available credit is increased by the amount of cash we have on deposit in specific accounts with the lender. Accordingly, the amount of the outstanding lines of credit may exceed the stated credit limit. As of December 31, 2024, a total of $71.2 million of cash on deposit was used to determine the available credit. As of December 31, 2024, we had $503.4 million outstanding under these lines of credit with additional capacity to fund settlement of $2,280.3 million. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the maximum and average outstanding balances under these lines of credit were $1,283.4 million and $502.7 million, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on these borrowings was 5.24% at December 31, 2024. 52 Table of Contents See "Note 9—Long-Term Debt and Lines of Credit" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information about our borrowing agreements. BIN/ICA Agreements In certain markets, we enter into sponsorship or depository and processing agreements with banks. These agreements allow us to use the banks' identification numbers, referred to as Bank Identification Number ("BIN") for Visa transactions and Interbank Card Association ("ICA") number for Mastercard transactions, to clear credit card transactions through Visa and Mastercard. Certain of such agreements contain financial covenants, and we were in compliance with all such covenants as of December 31, 2024. Future Obligations We have contractual obligations related to service arrangements with suppliers for fixed or minimum amounts. Future minimum payments for purchase obligations at December 31, 2024 are disclosed in “Note 19—Commitments and Contingencies” in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Critical Accounting Estimates Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, which often require the judgment of management in the selection and application of certain accounting principles and methods. We consider the following accounting policies and estimates to be critical to understanding our consolidated financial statements because the application of these policies requires significant judgment on the part of management, and as a result, actual future developments may be different from those expected at the time that we make these important judgments. We have discussed these critical accounting policies and estimates with the audit committee of the board of directors. Accounting estimates necessarily require subjective determinations about future events and conditions. Therefore, the following descriptions of our critical accounting estimates are forward-looking statements, and actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated by these forward-looking statements. You should read the following in conjunction with "Note 1—Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" to the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the risk factors contained in "Item 1A - Risk Factors" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Business Combinations From time to time, we make strategic acquisitions that may have a material effect on our consolidated results of operations and financial position. The measurement principle for the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed in a business combination is at estimated fair value as of the acquisition date, with certain exceptions. The excess of the total consideration transferred over the amount of the net identifiable assets acquired determined in accordance with the measurement guidance for such items is recognized as goodwill. The estimates we use to determine the fair value of long-lived assets, such as intangible assets, can be complex and require significant judgments. We use information available to us to make fair value determinations, and we engage independent valuation specialists, when necessary, to assist in the fair value determination of significant acquired long-lived assets. The estimated fair values of customer-related and contract-based intangible assets are generally determined using the income approach, which is based on projected cash flows discounted to their present value using discount rates that consider the timing and risk of the forecasted cash flows. The discount rates used represent a risk adjusted market participant weighted-average cost of capital, derived using customary market metrics. These measures of fair value also require considerable judgments about future events, including forecasted revenue growth rates, forecasted customer attrition rates, contract renewal estimates and technology changes. Acquired technologies are generally valued using the replacement cost method, which requires us to estimate the costs to construct an asset of equivalent utility at prices available at the time of the valuation analysis, with adjustments in value for physical deterioration and functional and economic obsolescence. Trademarks and trade names are generally valued using the "relief-from-royalty" approach. This method assumes that trademarks and trade names have value to the extent that their owner is relieved of the obligation to pay royalties for the benefits received from them. This method requires us to estimate the future revenues for the related asset, the appropriate royalty rate and the weighted-average cost of capital. This measure of fair value requires considerable judgment about the value a market participant would be willing to pay in order to achieve the benefits associated with the trademark or trade name. 53 Table of Contents While we use our best estimates and assumptions to determine the fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed, our estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, we make adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recognized in our consolidated statements of income. We are also required to estimate the useful lives of intangible assets to determine the period over which to recognize the amount of acquisition-related intangible assets as an expense. We periodically review the estimated useful lives assigned to our intangible assets to determine whether such estimated useful lives continue to be appropriate. Goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets are also regularly evaluated for impairment, which requires the use of significant estimates and assumptions as further described below. A change in estimated fair value could result in an impairment charge, which could be material to our consolidated financial statements. Goodwill We test goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level annually (in the fourth quarter) and more often if an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying amount. We have the option of performing a qualitative assessment of impairment to determine whether any further quantitative assessment for impairment is necessary. The election of whether or not to perform a qualitative assessment is made annually and may vary by reporting unit. Factors we consider in the qualitative assessment include general macroeconomic conditions, industry and market conditions, cost factors, overall financial performance of our reporting units, events or changes affecting the composition or carrying amount of the net assets of our reporting units, our share price, and other relevant entity-specific events. If we elect to bypass the qualitative assessment or if we determine, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying amount, a quantitative test would be required. When applying the quantitative assessment, we determine the fair value of our reporting units based on a weighted average of multiple valuation techniques, principally a combination of an income approach and a market approach. The income approach calculates a value based upon the present value of estimated future cash flows, while the market approach uses earnings multiples of similarly situated guideline public companies. Determining the fair value of a reporting unit involves judgment and the use of significant estimates and assumptions, which include assumptions regarding the revenue growth rates and operating margins used to calculate estimated future cash flows, risk-adjusted discount rates and future economic and market conditions . As of October 1, 2024, our reporting units consisted of the following: North America Payments Solutions, Vertical Market Software Solutions, Europe Merchant Solutions, Spain Merchant Solutions, Asia-Pacific Merchant Solutions, Latin America Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. As of October 1, 2024, we performed a quantitative assessment of impairment for our Issuer Solutions, Europe Merchant Solutions, Spain Merchant Solutions and Latin America Merchant Solutions reporting units and a qualitative assessment for all other reporting units. We determined on the basis of the quantitative assessments of our Issuer Solutions, Europe Merchant Solutions, Spain Merchant Solutions and Latin America Merchant Solutions reporting units that the fair value of each reporting unit was greater than its respective carrying amount, indicating no impairment. Additionally, we determined on the basis of the qualitative factors that the fair value of other reporting units was not more likely than not less than the respective carrying amounts. We believe that the fair value of each of our reporting units is substantially in excess of its carrying amount, except for our Issuer Solutions reporting unit, whose fair value exceeded its carrying amount by approximately 7% as of October 1, 2024. During the quarter ended December 31, 2024, we realigned our reporting units based on strategic and organizational changes. The new reporting units are Core Payments Solutions, Integrated and Embedded Solutions, Point-of-Sale and Software Solutions, International Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. Upon realignment of our reporting units, we performed a quantitative assessment of impairment for our Core Payments Solutions, Integrated and Embedded Solutions and Point-of-Sale and Software Solutions reporting units, and determined on the basis of those assessments that the fair value of each reporting unit was substantially in excess of its respective carrying amount, indicating no impairment. Additionally, our International Merchant Solutions reporting unit was an aggregation of existing reporting units, and we concluded that the fair value was substantially in excess of the carrying amount. The realignment did not affect our Issuer Solutions reporting unit. We continue to closely monitor developments related to global events and macroeconomic conditions. The future magnitude, duration and effects of these events and conditions are difficult to predict at this time, and it is reasonably possible that future developments could have a negative effect on the estimates and assumptions utilized in our goodwill impairment assessments and could result in material impairment charges in future periods. 54 Table of Contents Intangible and Long-lived Assets We regularly evaluate whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the carrying amount of property and equipment, lease right-of-use assets and finite-life intangible assets may not be recoverable. When factors indicate that these long-lived assets should be evaluated for possible impairment, we assess the potential impairment by determining whether the carrying amount of such long-lived assets will be recovered through the future undiscounted cash flows expected from use of the asset and its eventual disposition. The evaluation is performed at the asset group level, which is the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. If the carrying amount of the asset group is determined to be not recoverable and exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized, measured as the difference between the fair value and the carrying amount. Fair values are determined based on quoted market prices or discounted cash flow analysis as applicable. We classify an asset or business as a held for sale disposal group if we have committed to a plan to sell the asset or business within one year and are actively marketing the asset or business in its current condition for a price that is reasonable in comparison to its estimated fair value. Disposal groups held for sale are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. Subsequent changes to the estimated selling price of an asset or disposal group held for sale are recognized as gains or losses in our consolidated statement of income and any subsequent gains are limited to the cumulative losses previously recognized. During the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we recognized net losses of $243.6 million and $71.9 million, respectively, on the consumer business disposition to reduce the carrying amount of the consumer disposal group to estimated fair value less costs to sell, including the effects of incremental negotiated closing adjustments, changes in the estimated fair value of the seller financing and the effects of the final tax structure of the transaction. Capitalization of Internal-Use Software Costs We develop software that is used in providing services to customers. Capitalization of internal-use software costs, primarily associated with operating platforms, occurs when we have completed the preliminary project stage, management authorizes the project, management commits to funding the project, it is probable the project will be completed and the project will be used to perform the function intended. The preliminary project stage consists of the conceptual formulation of alternatives, the evaluation of alternatives, the determination of existence of needed technology and the final selection of alternatives. Costs incurred during the preliminary project stage are recognized as expense as incurred. Currently unforeseen circumstances in software development, such as a significant change in the manner in which the software is intended to be used, obsolescence or a significant reduction in revenues due to customer attrition, could require us to implement alternative plans with respect to a particular effort, which could result, and from time to time has resulted, in an impairment charge related to previously capitalized software development costs. The carrying amount of internal-use software, including work-in-progress, at December 31, 2024 was $1,202.1 million. Costs capitalized during the year ended December 31, 2024 totaled $339.3 million. In addition, we capitalize implementation costs associated with cloud computing arrangements that are service contracts following the same internal-use software capitalization criteria. Our cloud computing arrangements involve services we use to support certain internal corporate functions as well as technology associated with revenue-generating activities. We regularly evaluate whether events or circumstances have occurred that indicate the carrying amount of the capitalized implementation costs may not be recoverable. As of December 31, 2024, capitalized implementation costs, net of accumulated amortization, were $215.4 million and are presented within other noncurrent assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Costs capitalized during the year ended December 31, 2024 totaled $45.1 million. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a charge of $55.8 million for technology assets that will no longer be utilized under a revised technology architecture development strategy. Revenue Recognition In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"), we apply judgment in the determination of performance obligations, in particular related to large customer contracts within the Issuer Solutions segment. Performance obligations in a contract are identified based on the goods or services that will be transferred to the customer that are both capable of being distinct, whereby the customer can benefit from the service either on its own or together with other resources that are readily available from third parties or from us, and are distinct in the context of the contract, whereby the transfer of the services is separately identifiable from other promises in the contract. To the extent a contract includes multiple promised services, we must apply judgment to determine whether promised services are capable of being distinct and are distinct in the context of the contract. If these criteria are not met, the promised services are combined and accounted for as a single performance obligation. In addition, a single performance obligation may comprise a series of distinct goods or services that are substantially the same and that have the same pattern of transfer to the customer. 55 Table of Contents Income Taxes We determine our provision for income taxes using management's judgments, estimates and interpretation and application of complex tax laws in each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. Judgment is also required in assessing the timing and amounts of deductible and taxable items. Such differences in timing result in deferred tax assets and liabilities in our consolidated balance sheet. We believe our tax return positions are fully supportable; however, we recognize the benefit for tax positions only when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained based on its technical merits. Issues raised by a tax authority may be resolved at an amount different than the related benefit recognized. When facts and circumstances change (including an effective settlement of an issue or statute of limitations expiration), the effect is recognized in the period of change. The unrecognized tax benefits that exist at December 31, 2024 would affect our provision for income taxes in the future, if recognized. Judgment is required to determine whether or not some portion or all of our deferred tax assets will not be realized. To the extent that we determine that we will not realize the benefit of some or all of our deferred tax assets, these deferred tax assets are adjusted via a valuation allowance through our provision for income taxes in the period in which this determination is made. See "Note 12 — Income Tax" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information regarding the changes in the amount of unrecognized tax benefits and deferred tax valuation allowances during the year ended December 31, 2024. Redeemable noncontrolling interests Redeemable noncontrolling interests in our subsidiaries in Greece, Chile, and Germany relate to the portion of equity in each of those subsidiaries not attributable, directly or indirectly, to us, which is redeemable upon the occurrence of an event that is not solely within our control. The redeemable noncontrolling interest for each subsidiary is reflected at the higher of: (i) the initial carrying amount, increased or decreased for the noncontrolling interest's share of comprehensive income (loss), c apital contributions and distributions or (ii) the redemption price . Estimates of redemption price are based on projected operating performance of each subsidiary, including key assumptions - revenue growth rates, current and expected market conditions and weighted-average cost of capital. Refer to “Note 16—Noncontrolling Interests” in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for further information. Effect of New Accounting Pronouncements and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other standards setting bodies that may affect our current and/or future financial statements. See "Note 1—Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" in the notes to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for a discussion of recently adopted accounting pronouncements and recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted.