Global Payments Inc. provides payment technology and software solutions for card, electronic, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through three segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions, and Business and Consumer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization services, settlement and funding services, customer support and help-desk functions, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security services, consolidated billing and statements, and on-line reporting services. This segment also provides an array of enterprise software solutions that streamline business operations of its customers in various vertical markets; and value-added services, such as point-of-sale solutions, and analytic and engagement tools, as well as payroll and human capital management services. The Issuer Solutions segment offers solutions that enable financial institutions and retailers to manage their card portfolios through a platform; and commercial payments and ePayables solutions for businesses and governments. The Business and Consumer Solutions segment provides general-purpose reloadable prepaid debit and payroll cards, demand deposit accounts, and other financial service solutions to the underbanked and other consumers, and businesses under the Netspend brand. It markets its products and services through direct sales force, trade associations, agent and enterprise software providers, referral arrangements with value-added resellers, and independent sales organizations. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Global Payments Stock Performance
NYSE:GPN traded down $1.43 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $132.81. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,506,811 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,975,068. Global Payments has a 12 month low of $105.52 and a 12 month high of $175.73. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $119.23 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $128.55. The company has a market cap of $36.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 737.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45, a current ratio of 0.87 and a quick ratio of 0.87.
Global Payments (NYSE:GPN - Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 1st. The business services provider reported $2.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.34 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.09 billion. Global Payments had a return on equity of 9.24% and a net margin of 0.87%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 6.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.92 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Global Payments will post 9 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Global Payments Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 16th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 15th. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.75%. Global Payments's payout ratio is currently 555.59%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price objective on shares of Global Payments from $222.00 to $188.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 2nd. Robert W. Baird boosted their price objective on Global Payments from $144.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 2nd. Wolfe Research lowered their target price on Global Payments from $200.00 to $160.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 20th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on Global Payments from $175.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Monday, July 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Global Payments from $123.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 2nd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Global Payments has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $173.29.
Insider Activity
In related news, EVP David Lawrence Green sold 16,252 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.10, for a total value of $2,114,385.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 97,818 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $12,726,121.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Global Payments news, CAO David M. Sheffield sold 3,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.20, for a total value of $466,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 28,737 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,827,768.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP David Lawrence Green sold 16,252 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.10, for a total value of $2,114,385.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 97,818 shares of the company's stock, valued at $12,726,121.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.19% of the company's stock.
