Publicly traded since 2001, Atlanta-based Global Payments provides payment-processing services. Many of its customers are small- and mid-sized merchants in the U.S., where Global Payments is a key conduit in the chain that links the end consumer to the institutions behind the credit-card infrastructure. The company has been actively growing its presence in overseas markets in regions such as Europe and Asia. Its North America segment accounts for about 70% of revenue, with the balance coming from the international segment.