PayPoint plc, the main cash and online payments operator
in the UK, has announced that its business in Romania has completed a highly
successful year, with 14 major clients signed up following the launch of its national bill
payment service, and the roll-out of its branded PayPoint network across the country.
During the year from April 2008 to March 2009, the number of terminals grew to 5,702,
up 42% compared to the previous year, of which more than 2,000 are fully branded as
PayPoint.
The announcement was made as PayPoint plc issued its financial results for the
financial year ending 29 March, 2009.
The group reported total revenues of 224 million GBP (257 million Euro), up 7% compared to
the previous year, resulting from an increase in the number of transactions processed
of 10% compared to 2008 on behalf of a greater number of organisations. At the same
time, the group reported operating profit of 33 million GBP (38 million Euro), up 20%
year-on-year.
"In 2009, the PayPoint group continued to grow and was strongly cash generative.
Revenue, margins, profits and dividends increased. Plans announced this time last
year to increase the UK terminal estate were exceeded. New terminals have continued
to be rolled out in Romania, primarily for our bill payment service, launched in August
2008 and for which we now have 14 clients contracted,” said David Newlands,
Chairman, PayPoint plc.
In Romania, the company officially launched its bill payment service under the
PayPoint brand in August 2008 and expanded its client portfolio by signing
partnerships with a range of companies in service sectors including utilities, financial -
insurance, cable TV and mobile temlecoms. Current clients include E.ON Gaz
Romania, E.ON Furnizare Moldova, Allianz Tiriac, Enel, Romtelecom, UPC Romania,
Telemobil (Zapp) and GDF Suez Energy Romania.
PayPoint also offers top-up services for all mobile operators (Cosmote, Orange,
Vodafone, Zapp), for landline operators providing international calls and Internet
Service Providers. PayPoint clients include EasyComm, Nobel and Worldtelecom
(Number One). For Focus Sat, PayPoint provides recharge vouchers for DTH service
users.
Mugur Dogariu, Managing Director, PayPoint Romania, said:
“Our operations here saw consistant growth during the latest financial year, as
Romanians quickly understood our services, how they work and what the advantages
of such services are for them. Every month, we are seeing more and more people
using the PayPoint network for bill payment instead of waiting in long queues
elsewhere, as utilities providers have rationalised money collection channels.”
PayPoint Romania is also benefiting from the trend to migrate from scratch cards to
electronic mobile top-up and the company plans to continue investing in the terminal
network, as well as in new partnerships with leading services providers to expand the
opportunities for bill payment throughout the Romanian economy.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
SAATCHI & SAATCHI PUBLIC RELATIONS
Tudor Mircea
tudor.mircea@saatchi.ro
Mob: +40 756 167 669
About PayPoint
PayPoint is the leading cash and internet payments company in the UK with operations
also in Ireland and Romania. It handles nearly £9 billion from over 540 million
transactions annually for more than 6,000 clients and merchants. The company
operates several payment networks:
• The PayPoint branded retail network numbers nearly 22,000 terminals located
in local shops (including Co-op, Spar, McColls, Costcutter, Sainsbury’s Local,
One Stop, Londis and thousands of independents) in all parts of the UK and
Ireland. Its terminals process gas and electricity meter prepayments, cash bill
payments, mobile phone top-ups, transport tickets, BBC TV licences and a wide
variety of other payment types for most leading utilities, telecommunications
suppliers and many consumer service companies
• An ATM network which has over 2,000 ‘LINK’ branded machines across the
UK, typically in convenience stores;
• PayPoint.net, an internet payment service provider, delivers secure online
credit and debit card payments for over 5,000 web merchants linking into all
major UK acquiring banks; and
• Pay Store SRL, trading as PayPoint Romania, a mobile top-up operator with
over 5,700 outlets equipped with electronic terminals. A bill payment service
has been added to increase the breadth of PayPoint’s offering in Romania,
emulating the UK branded retail network.
• Collect+ a joint venture with Home Delivery Network Limited to provide a parcel
collection and drop off service at its retailers.
PayPoint floated on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004 and the
company’s market capitalisation at 29 March 2009 was £254 million. PayPoint is
widely recognised for its leadership in prepayment systems, smart technology and
consumer service.
