Q2 EPS Estimates for Western Union Cut by Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its Q2 2026 EPS estimate for Western Union to $0.42 (from $0.45); the company also missed Q1 EPS ($0.25 vs. $0.40 expected) and issued FY2026 guidance of $1.75–$1.85.
• Analyst sentiment is negative, with MarketBeat showing a consensus rating of Reduce, an average price target of $8.82, and multiple recent Hold/Sell opinions.
• Western Union pays a high dividend yield of 10.4% (annualized $0.94) with a 69.1% payout ratio, while shares trade near $9 and carry a P/E of 6.64, underscoring a strong income profile but potential sustainability concerns.

The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU - Free Report) - Equities research analysts at Zacks Research reduced their Q2 2026 earnings estimates for shares of Western Union in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, May 7th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the credit services provider will earn $0.42 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $0.45. The consensus estimate for Western Union's current full-year earnings is $1.76 per share.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded shares of Western Union to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c-)" rating on shares of Western Union in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $8.82.

Western Union Stock Performance

Western Union stock opened at $9.04 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $2.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.50. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $9.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $9.23. Western Union has a fifty-two week low of $7.85 and a fifty-two week high of $10.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.88, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.11.

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Western Union

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Western Union by 15.1% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 7,902,175 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $68,989,000 after buying an additional 1,039,604 shares during the period. Parallel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Western Union by 197.3% during the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 6,516 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $57,000 after buying an additional 4,324 shares during the period. KBC Group NV increased its position in shares of Western Union by 65.9% during the first quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 12,701 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $111,000 after buying an additional 5,044 shares during the period. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Western Union during the first quarter valued at about $79,000. Finally, German American Bancorp Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Western Union during the first quarter valued at about $184,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.81% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Benjamin Carlton Adams sold 19,924 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.23, for a total transaction of $183,898.52. Following the transaction, the insider owned 234,689 shares in the company, valued at $2,166,179.47. The trade was a 7.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Giovanni Angelini sold 6,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.47, for a total transaction of $56,820.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 311,292 shares in the company, valued at $2,947,935.24. This represents a 1.89% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. 3.29% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Western Union Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th were paid a dividend of $0.235 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $0.94 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 10.4%. Western Union's payout ratio is presently 69.12%.

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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