Western Union (NYSE:WU) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Western Union (NYSE:WU) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Friday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.750-1.850 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.790. The company issued revenue guidance of $4.2 billion-$4.4 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $4.1 billion.

Western Union Stock Performance

NYSE WU traded down $0.19 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $9.25. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 20,272,596 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,875,179. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $9.51 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $8.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.80, a current ratio of 1.12 and a quick ratio of 1.12. The company has a market cap of $2.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 0.52. Western Union has a 12 month low of $7.85 and a 12 month high of $11.94.

Western Union (NYSE:WU) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 20th. The credit services provider reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.43 by $0.02. Western Union had a net margin of 18.80% and a return on equity of 60.85%. The firm had revenue of $1 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.04 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.40 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Western Union has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Western Union will post 1.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Western Union Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.235 per share. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 10.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 17th. Western Union’s payout ratio is currently 41.05%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently issued reports on WU. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Western Union in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Western Union from $8.50 to $9.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Susquehanna upped their price objective on Western Union from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on Western Union from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 2nd. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald raised Western Union to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Western Union currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $8.82.

Western Union News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Western Union this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 adjusted EPS beat estimates — WU reported $0.45 EPS vs. consensus $0.43, helped by lower costs and margin improvements. This supports near-term earnings resilience. Western Union (WU) Surpasses Q4 Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Company raised FY‑26 revenue target — Western Union provided revenue guidance of $4.2–$4.4B, above some Street estimates, signalling management expects recovery in some businesses. Western Union Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: High dividend/income thesis highlighted — Commentary pieces point to an attractive ~10% yield and a strategic push toward digital, which may appeal to income-focused investors if the transition continues. Western Union: Attractive 10% Yield From A Remittance Giant Going Digital
• Neutral Sentiment: Full Q4 call / transcript available — Management discussed drivers (digital growth, cost controls) and regional dynamics; read the full transcript for commentary that could change near‑term sentiment. The Western Union Company (WU) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Company filings and slide deck posted — Official press release and slides provide detail on one‑time items (GAAP vs adjusted) that explain the gap between adjusted EPS and GAAP figures. View Press Release / Slide Deck
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue missed estimates — Q4 revenue was ~$1.008B vs. Street ~$1.045B and declined roughly 4.7–5% YoY, a primary reason the stock sold off despite the EPS beat. What’s Going On With Western Union Stock Today?
• Negative Sentiment: Core Consumer Money Transfer business weakening — The legacy retail remittance segment fell (reported ~7% decline), underscoring competitive pressure from digital rivals and raising questions about sustainability of revenue. Does Western Union’s Earnings Beat Mean Its Transition Is Working?
• Negative Sentiment: Stock sold off on mixed print — Multiple market reports note shares fell on the quarter because the revenue miss and segment weakness outweighed the EPS beat and yield story for many investors. Western Union Stock Drops Amid Q4 Results

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Western Union

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in WU. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC lifted its holdings in Western Union by 15.5% in the 1st quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 39,859 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $422,000 after purchasing an additional 5,351 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Western Union by 27.4% during the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,964,972 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $20,789,000 after acquiring an additional 422,715 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its position in shares of Western Union by 9.0% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,861,908 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $19,699,000 after acquiring an additional 154,110 shares during the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth increased its holdings in Western Union by 93.5% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 27,535 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $291,000 after acquiring an additional 13,302 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Prudential Financial Inc. lifted its stake in Western Union by 24.7% in the 2nd quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 36,874 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $310,000 after purchasing an additional 7,314 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 91.81% of the company’s stock.

Western Union Company Profile

Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. The company enables individuals and businesses to send and receive money through a variety of channels, including its vast agent network, online platforms, and mobile applications. Core services include person-to-person money transfers, business-to-business cross-border payments, bill payment services and prepaid card programs.

Through its digital offerings, Western Union provides customers with the ability to initiate transfers via its website and mobile app, as well as track transactions in real time.