Citigroup Has Lowered Expectations for Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) Stock Price

Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) had its price objective lowered by research analysts at Citigroup from $46.00 to $35.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 38.56% from the company’s current price.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Loop Capital set a $33.00 price target on Waystar in a research note on Wednesday. Evercore set a $27.00 target price on Waystar in a report on Wednesday. Mizuho set a $42.00 target price on shares of Waystar in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Zacks Research cut shares of Waystar from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Waystar in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $41.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $37.27.

Waystar Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:WAY traded up $0.95 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $25.26. The stock had a trading volume of 2,617,259 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,715,780. Waystar has a 1 year low of $21.13 and a 1 year high of $45.00. The company has a current ratio of 3.89, a quick ratio of 3.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $29.54 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $34.20. The company has a market capitalization of $4.83 billion, a PE ratio of 40.84, a P/E/G ratio of 0.28 and a beta of 0.75.

Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 17th. The company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.39 by ($0.03). Waystar had a net margin of 10.69% and a return on equity of 6.83%. The firm had revenue of $303.54 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $294.72 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.29 EPS. Waystar’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.3% on a year-over-year basis. Waystar has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.590-1.680 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Waystar will post 0.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Waystar

In other Waystar news, CTO Christopher L. Schremser sold 8,623 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.41, for a total value of $262,225.43. Following the sale, the chief technology officer owned 422,371 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,844,302.11. This represents a 2.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CMO Melissa F. (Missy) Miller sold 3,400 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total transaction of $125,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer owned 193,261 shares in the company, valued at $7,150,657. This represents a 1.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders sold 71,650 shares of company stock worth $2,258,535. 4.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Waystar

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Waystar by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,330,872 shares of the company’s stock worth $403,836,000 after acquiring an additional 41,062 shares during the last quarter. Advent International L.P. purchased a new stake in Waystar during the 4th quarter worth about $362,212,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC raised its stake in Waystar by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 5,282,220 shares of the company’s stock valued at $172,993,000 after purchasing an additional 19,033 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Waystar by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 4,134,052 shares of the company’s stock valued at $135,390,000 after purchasing an additional 159,183 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its holdings in Waystar by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 3,415,442 shares of the company’s stock valued at $129,514,000 after purchasing an additional 146,510 shares in the last quarter.

Key Waystar News

Here are the key news stories impacting Waystar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 revenue grew ~24% year‑over‑year and the company swung to profitability with solid margins; management provided FY2026 EPS guidance of $1.59–$1.68 and a revenue growth target that impressed investors. Waystar Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025 Results, Provides 2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Investors cheered the company’s pivot to profitability and a “double‑digit” growth outlook, which helped lift the stock after the print despite an EPS miss. Waystar shares rise over 3% as revenue growth and 2026 guidance impress
• Neutral Sentiment: Headline EPS of $0.36 missed consensus (~$0.39), but revenue beat estimates ($303.5M vs. ~$294.7M) — mixed fundamental print that leaves reaction dependent on whether investors prioritize top‑line strength and guidance or the EPS miss. Waystar Q4 earnings & conference call materials
• Negative Sentiment: Several analysts trimmed price targets (Truist cut to $38 from $51; Needham lowered to $33; Mizuho to $42) while generally keeping buy/outperform ratings — reduces implied upside and signals reassessed competitive/valuation risk. Waystar Holding (WAY) PT Lowered to $38 at Truist Securities Needham lowers PT to $33
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity showed a large uptick in put buying (5,167 puts) — a sign some traders are hedging or betting on near‑term downside/volatility.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and commentary flagged AI‑related legal, operational and competitive risks as Waystar expands automation and AI capabilities, adding a risk factor investors should watch. AI risks flagged for Waystar
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noted the stock briefly trading at a new 1‑year low after the report, underscoring mixed investor reaction and downside pressure even amid positive forward commentary. Waystar Hits New 1-Year Low Following Weak Earnings

Waystar Company Profile

Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) is a leading provider of cloud-based revenue cycle management and payment solutions for healthcare organizations. The company’s unified platform streamlines the entire financial continuum of patient care, from eligibility verification and claim submission to payment reconciliation and patient billing. By automating key processes and improving claim accuracy, Waystar helps providers reduce administrative overhead, accelerate cash flow and enhance overall revenue performance.

At the core of Waystar’s offering is a SaaS-based architecture that integrates seamlessly with existing electronic health record (EHR) systems and payer networks.