WU +.04 to 10.15, rebounding nicely from the morning low of 9.61. I added shares this morning at $9.87 and wrote the Aug $10 covered calls at $0.56 for a cost basis of $9.31. The over 9% dividend yield coupled with hefty covered call premiums and very low 5.6 forward PE makes it attractive to me, despite the ongoing long term gradual business decline.
They met estimates and maintained guidance, albeit several analysts lowered price targets.
briefing -
Western Union reports EPS in-line, misses on revs; reaffirms FY25 EPS guidance, revs guidance (10.13 +0.13) :
Reports Q1 (Mar) earnings of $0.41 per share, excluding non-recurring items, in-line with the FactSet Consensus of $0.41; revenues fell 6.2% year/year to $983.6 mln vs the $994.65 mln FactSet Consensus.
Co reaffirms guidance for FY25, sees EPS of $1.75 to $1.85, excluding non-recurring items, vs. $1.78 FactSet Consensus; sees FY25 revs of $4.115 bln to $4.215 bln vs. $4.14 bln FactSet Consensus.
fly -
09:00 EDT WU
Western Union price target lowered to $10.50 from $11 at UBS
UBS analyst Timothy Chiodo lowered the firm's price target on Western Union to $10.50 from $11 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares.
08:47 EDT WU
Western Union price target lowered to $11 from $12 at Susquehanna
Susquehanna analyst James Friedman lowered the firm's price target on Western Union to $11 from $12 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm noted the company's improved Branded Digital transactions growth rising 14% while total Consumer Money Transfer adjusted revenue ex-Iraq fell -2%. Key themes from the quarter include improvement in Europe and durable digital transaction growth, offset by weakness in North America which remains unpredictable due to geopolitical and macroeconomic factors.
08:46 EDT WU
Western Union price target lowered to $11 from $12 at BMO Capital
BMO Capital lowered the firm's price target on Western Union to $11 from $12 and keeps a Market Perform rating on the shares after its in-line Q1 results. The stock remains a show-me story, and BMO believes investors should wait for more evidence of durable revenue growth, the analyst tells investors in a research note.
08:00 EDT WU
Monness Crespi cuts Western Union to Sell with headwinds 'increasingly apparent'
As previously reported, Monness Crespi analyst Gus Gala downgraded Western Union to Sell from Neutral with a $7.50 price target. Revenue came in below consensus as weakness in the North America CMT segment, particularly around retail and, to a lesser extent, slower consumer services, dragged, the analyst tells investors. Looking to calendar year 2025, reiterated guidance that assumes continued growth in digital, stable retail, and double-digit consumer services growth is "going to be challenging" considering the firm's concerns around retention in the digital channel and the company's commentary around pricing plans and a playbook similar to EU for the retail fleet, the analyst tells investors.
07:32 EDT WU
Western Union downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Monness Crespi
Monness Crespi analyst Gus Gala downgraded Western Union to Sell from Neutral with a $7.50 price target.
06:35 EDT WU
Western Union price target lowered to $11 from $12 at Keefe Bruyette
Keefe Bruyette lowered the firm's price target on Western Union to $11 from $12 and keeps a Market Perform rating on the shares.
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