The major uses of cash for investing activities in 2018 were for acquisitions, purchases of property and equipment, the purchase of licensed computer software and internal development of computer software. The primary uses of cash for investing activities in 2017 and 2016 were for acquisitions, purchases of property and equipment, additions to contract acquisition costs, internally developed computer software and licensed computer software from vendors.
Cash Used in Acquisitions
In 2018, the Company completed the acquisition of Cayan in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $1.05 billion. In 2016, the Company used cash of $2.3 billion in connection with the acquisition of TransFirst.
Property and Equipment
Capital expenditures for property and equipment were $113.3 million in 2018, compared to $70.0 million in 2017 and $51.1 million in 2016. The majority of capital expenditures in 2018, 2017 and 2016 related to computer processing hardware.
Additionally, 2018 capital expenditures included TSYS’ interest in corporate assets purchased as part of the collaborative arrangement discussed in Note 24 in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form8-K.
Internally Developed Computer Software Costs
Additions to capitalized software development costs, including enhancements to, and development of, processing systems were $39.2 million in 2018, $30.3 million in 2017 and $34.0 million in 2016. The changes in capitalized software development costs in 2018, as compared to 2017, were the result of an increase in the level of activity of initiatives that consist of enhancing TSYS’ Consumer Solutions and Issuer Solutions platforms. The changes in capitalized software development costs in 2017, as compared to 2016, were the result of a decrease in the level of activity in a multi-year, multi-phase initiative that consists of enhancing TSYS’ issuing processing platforms.
Licensed Computer Software from Vendors
Capital expenditures for licensed computer software from vendors for increases in processing capacity were $89.8 million in 2018, compared to $25.9 million in 2017 and $11.6 million in 2016. The increase in expenditures during 2018 relate to new or extended software agreements with certain vendors.
Contract Cost Assets
TSYS makes cash payments for processing rights, third-party development costs and other direct salary-related costs in connection with converting new customers to the Company’s processing systems. As discussed earlier, upon the Company’s adoption of ASC 606 as of January 1, 2018, costs to obtain or fulfill a contract are classified as contract cost assets and payments for processing rights or signing incentives are classified as contract assets in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. Prior to the Company’s adoption of ASC 606, contract cost assets were referred to as contract acquisition costs and included both conversion costs and payments for processing rights (signing incentives). The Company’s investments in contract acquisition costs were $69.8 million in 2017 and $45.8 million in 2016. The Company made cash payments for processing rights of $48.6 million and $25.8 million in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Conversion cost additions were $21.3 million and $20.0 million in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Purchases of Private Equity Investments
The Company is a party to partnership agreements in connection with investing in two Atlanta-based venture capital funds focused exclusively on investing in technology-enabled financial services companies. Pursuant to each limited partnership agreement, the Company has committed to invest up to $20.0 million in each fund so long as its ownership interest in each fund does not exceed 50%. The Company made investments in the funds of $6.6 million, $2.7 million and $4.9 million in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
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