Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology

JKHY Q2 Deep Dive: Cloud Adoption and Product Expansion Drive Results Amid Guidance Headwinds

JKHY Cover Image

Financial technology provider Jack Henry & Associates (NASDAQ: JKHY) announced better-than-expected revenue in Q2 CY2025, with sales up 9.9% year on year to $615.4 million. On the other hand, the company’s full-year revenue guidance of $2.49 billion at the midpoint came in 1.2% below analysts’ estimates. Its GAAP profit of $1.75 per share was 10.7% above analysts’ consensus estimates.

Is now the time to buy JKHY? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Jack Henry (JKHY) Q2 CY2025 Highlights:

  • Revenue: $615.4 million vs analyst estimates of $604.8 million (9.9% year-on-year growth, 1.8% beat)
  • EPS (GAAP): $1.75 vs analyst estimates of $1.58 (10.7% beat)
  • Adjusted EBITDA: $189.2 million vs analyst estimates of $191.6 million (30.8% margin, 1.2% miss)
  • EPS (GAAP) guidance for the upcoming financial year 2026 is $6.38 at the midpoint, missing analyst estimates by 0.6%
  • Operating Margin: 25.3%, up from 22.4% in the same quarter last year
  • Market Capitalization: $11.7 billion

StockStory’s Take

Jack Henry’s Q2 results reflected steady execution in cloud-based banking solutions and ongoing demand across its core, payments, and complementary segments. Management credited recurring revenue growth and successful migrations to the private cloud for driving the quarter’s performance. CEO Greg Adelson highlighted, “We now host 77% of our core clients in Jack Henry’s private cloud environment,” emphasizing the firm’s ability to deliver operational efficiencies and win larger, upmarket deals. Notably, new product launches and a disciplined focus on cost management supported margin expansion, while temporary delays in consulting and implementation cycles—previously flagged by management—have largely abated.

Looking ahead, Jack Henry’s guidance incorporates industry headwinds such as ongoing bank mergers and renewal pricing pressure, which are expected to modestly dampen near-term revenue growth. Management’s outlook also accounts for macroeconomic uncertainty and slower account growth, particularly among credit union clients. CFO Mimi Carsley explained, “We anticipate some slight revenue headwinds from industry consolidation, the impact of renewal pricing pressure and macroeconomic uncertainty.” However, the company remains committed to margin expansion, supported by continued cloud adoption, new product rollouts, and operational efficiency initiatives.

Key Insights from Management’s Remarks

Management attributed the quarter’s performance to robust cloud migration, product innovation, and increasing traction with larger financial institutions, while noting near-term revenue guidance was tempered by industry M&A and renewal dynamics.

  • Cloud migration momentum: The shift to Jack Henry’s private cloud remained a primary growth engine, with 77% of core clients now hosted in this environment. Management cited both operational efficiencies and improved client retention as key outcomes of this migration trend.
  • Upmarket client wins: The company continued to secure larger core banking clients, nearly tripling the total assets of new core wins over the past three years. Sixteen of this year’s 51 new core deals were with institutions holding over $1 billion in assets, reflecting success in the mid-sized and larger bank segments.
  • Banno platform expansion: The Banno digital banking platform saw sustained demand, adding 26 new retail and 39 new business clients in the quarter. Registered users grew 17% year-over-year to 14.3 million. Notably, advanced features like Rapid Transfers and Tap2Local—developed in partnership with Moov—are now differentiating the platform in the small business market.
  • Complementary solutions growth: The complementary segment, anchored by digital and fraud prevention solutions such as Financial Crimes Defender, posted strong growth. Management highlighted robust adoption of fraud modules for real-time payments, addressing rising threats in digital transactions.
  • Efficiency and cost control: Margin expansion benefited from ongoing process improvement, minimal headcount growth, and increased automation—including more extensive use of artificial intelligence (AI) across operations. Carsley noted, “We remain committed to generating annual compounding margin expansion.”

Drivers of Future Performance

Management expects revenue growth to moderate in the near term due to industry consolidation and pricing pressure, while ongoing product launches and cloud adoption should support profitability and strategic positioning.

  • Industry consolidation headwinds: Increased bank mergers are expected to temporarily slow revenue growth, particularly as some deconversion revenue and contract renewals occur earlier than planned. Management stressed that while this may create short-term variability, long-term demand for Jack Henry’s solutions remains intact.
  • Pricing pressure on renewals: Renewal activity, especially with larger clients, is bringing heightened pricing pressure. While this may compress revenue in the near term, the company is adjusting its sales compensation and renewal strategies to mitigate the impact and unlock future upsell opportunities.
  • Product innovation and SMB strategy: The continued rollout of cloud-native offerings like Tap2Local and Jack Henry Rapid Transfers is central to the company’s strategy to capture more small and midsize business (SMB) deposits and payments activity. Management believes these solutions will help counteract slower organic account growth and broaden the company’s addressable market.

Catalysts in Upcoming Quarters

In the coming quarters, our analyst team will focus on (1) the pace and scale of Tap2Local and Rapid Transfers adoption across the Banno client base, (2) margin trends as the company balances cost control with continued investment in cloud and AI initiatives, and (3) any shifts in core banking demand from larger institutions as new product features roll out. Progress on expanding the SMB client segment and the impact of ongoing bank M&A activity will also be critical markers to watch.

Jack Henry currently trades at $163.21, up from $160.50 just before the earnings. Is the company at an inflection point that warrants a buy or sell? Find out in our full research report (it’s free).

Stocks That Trumped Tariffs

Donald Trump’s April 2025 "Liberation Day" tariffs sent markets into a tailspin, but stocks have since rebounded strongly, proving that knee-jerk reactions often create the best buying opportunities.

The smart money is already positioning for the next leg up. Don’t miss out on the recovery - check out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025).

Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.