Insider Selling: Western Union (NYSE:WU) Insider Sells 19,924 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• Insider sale: Benjamin Carlton Adams sold 19,924 shares at an average price of $9.23 (proceeds ~$183,898), trimming his stake by 7.83% to 234,689 shares valued at about $2.17M.
• Earnings miss: Western Union reported Q1 EPS of $0.25 vs. $0.40 expected and revenue of $963.5M vs. $1.06B expected, though management reaffirmed FY26 guidance of 1.750–1.850 EPS amid execution and FX risks.
• Product development: Western Union launched USDPT, a Solana-based stablecoin (with Fireblocks and Anchorage support) initially rolling out in the Philippines and Bolivia, a move investors view as potentially lowering settlement costs and expanding digital payments revenue.

The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU - Get Free Report) insider Benjamin Carlton Adams sold 19,924 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $9.23, for a total value of $183,898.52. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 234,689 shares in the company, valued at $2,166,179.47. This trade represents a 7.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

Western Union Stock Down 0.5%

Western Union stock traded down $0.05 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $9.16. The company had a trading volume of 8,449,527 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,582,159. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.88. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $9.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $9.21. The Western Union Company has a 12 month low of $7.85 and a 12 month high of $10.35. The company has a market capitalization of $2.86 billion, a PE ratio of 6.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.50.

Western Union (NYSE:WU - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, April 24th. The credit services provider reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.40 by ($0.15). Western Union had a return on equity of 55.94% and a net margin of 10.88%.The company had revenue of $963.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.06 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.41 earnings per share. The company's revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Western Union has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.750-1.850 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Western Union Company will post 1.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Western Union Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th were paid a $0.235 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $0.94 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 10.3%. Western Union's payout ratio is currently 69.12%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c-)" rating on shares of Western Union in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded Western Union to a "strong sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Nine 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.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $8.82.

Western Union News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Western Union launched USDPT, a Solana-based, U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin intended to enable near-instant, 24/7 settlements and reduce reliance on legacy rails — a move that could lower settlement costs, free idle liquidity and expand digital payment revenue opportunities. Western Union Launches Solana-Based USDPT Stablecoin With Fireblocks Support
• Positive Sentiment: Western Union selected Fireblocks to provide wallet, settlement and financial operations infrastructure for USDPT, signaling enterprise-grade custody and orchestration that should ease partner integration and regulatory compliance as rollout expands. Western Union Selects Fireblocks to Power its First Stablecoin, USDPT
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage and market reaction noted an uptick in WU shares after the USDPT news — investors appear to view the stablecoin and partner stack (Anchorage issuance, Fireblocks support) as meaningful modernization that could reverse margin pressure over time. Western Union (WU) Stock Rises Following USDPT Stablecoin Introduction for Crypto Payments
• Neutral Sentiment: Initial USDPT rollout is targeted at the Philippines and Bolivia with broader global rollout planned through 2026; this staged approach reduces near-term execution risk but delays material scale and revenue visibility. Western Union Rolls Out USDPT With Anchorage on Solana
• Negative Sentiment: An insider (Benjamin Carlton Adams) sold 19,924 shares at an average $9.23, trimming his stake by ~7.8%; insider selling can be interpreted negatively by some investors even if it may be routine. SEC Filing - Insider Sale
• Negative Sentiment: WU reported a Q1 EPS miss (reported $0.25 vs. $0.40 expected) and revenue below estimates, which pressured near-term sentiment despite management reaffirming FY26 guidance; execution and FX headwinds remain risks. Seeking Alpha - Western Union analysis

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB raised its stake in shares of Western Union by 606.7% in the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 3,265 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 2,803 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. increased its position in Western Union by 260.7% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 3,593 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 2,597 shares during the last quarter. Ascentis Independent Advisors purchased a new stake in Western Union during the first quarter valued at $30,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC increased its position in Western Union by 1,546.5% during the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 3,326 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 3,124 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its position in Western Union by 67.0% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,331 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 1,336 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.81% of the company's stock.

About Western Union

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.

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