Short-seller target Wirecard eyes U.S. expansion

* Eyes "strong move" into U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . market via potential merger

* Posts 2015 post-tax profit up 32 percent

* Aims to raise annual dividend to 0.14 euro cents (Adds CEO comments on U.S. M&A plans, details, stock action)

By Eric Auchard

FRANKFURT, April 7 (Reuters) - German payments processor Wirecard AG (LSE: 0O8X.L - news) aims to expand into the U.S. market over the next year to become a global player, its chief executive said on Thursday, seeking to regain momentum after a battering from short-sellers.

The company earlier reported a 32 percent jump in full-year profit after tax and proposed a 7.7 percent increase to its annual dividend, supporting its share price.

Wirecard, based near Munich, processes payments for 22,000 retailers and online merchants worldwide.

It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) is the second largest payments processor in Europe behind WorldPay and has expanded through acquisitions in recent years into Southeast Asia, Middle East and Latin America. But it needs to expand in North America to become a global firm.

"We are very much still focusing on the U.S," Chief Executive Markus Braun told investors on a conference call following the publication of the company's annual report.

"I definitely can say in the next 12 to 16 months I am expecting a strong move," he said, referring to expansion plans.

Wirecard shares, which had traded up as much 4 percent following publication of results, fell back to trade down 1 percent at 33.55 euros at 1345 GMT.

The stock remains 18 percent below levels it was at in late February when previously unknown Zatarra Research accused the German company of misleading accounting and fraud, charges that the company has strongly denied.

Braun has sought to remain aloof from the research firm's repeated attacks, responding with broad-brush denials rather than refuting specific charges. "We have investigated all allegations. Every single point is wrong. These are baseless," the CEO told Reuters last month.

Instead, Wirecard has issued a series of announcements showing that it has the support of key regulators, financial institutions and its auditor, Ernst & Young GmbH.

This week, it said its recently acquired Indian unit GI Technology won a licence from the Reserve Bank of India to handle money transfers in the world's largest inward remittance market.

Wirecard also said it had entered into a licensing deal with credit card giant Visa (Xetra: A0NC7B - news) that gives it the status of an issuing bank in Singapore, a centre of its rapid Asia expansion.

Most sell-side analysts have stood by the stock despite repeated attacks by UK and U.S.-based hedge funds who are betting on a sharp fall in its shares. Twenty-one analysts rate Wirecard a buy, three are neutral and one advises investors to sell. ($1 = 0.8745 euros)

(Editing by David Goodman and Keith Weir)