DOW JONES NEWSWIRES Total System Services Inc.'s (TSS) second-quarter profit fell 7% amid a decline in the company's North America revenue. Still, results topped analysts' expectations and shares recently traded up 1.7% to $14.40 after-hours. The payment-services provider on April 1 bought 51% of First National Solutions from the First National Bank of Omaha for $150.5 million. Chairman and Chief Executive Philip Tomlinson said Wednesday the deal allows Total System "to further diversify across the payments value chain to capture a larger share of dollars spent on payment services." It reported earnings of $49.7 million, or 25 cents a share, down from $53.5 million, or 27 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue increased 5.3% to $433.8 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters estimated earnings of 23 cents on revenue of $425 million. Revenue in the North America services segment--by far its largest on that basis--fell 11% while they rose 2% abroad. Merchant-services revenue jumped 58% to $126.8 million on the First National deal. -By Yogita Patel and Jennifer Cummings, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2262; yogita.patel@dowjones.com
