Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of 5.150-5.350 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 5.410. The company issued revenue guidance of -, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $4.6 billion.

Shift4 Payments Stock Down 18.5%

Shares of FOUR traded down $9.87 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $43.51. The company had a trading volume of 4,867,840 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,048,193. The stock has a market cap of $3.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.80, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.40. Shift4 Payments has a 52 week low of $34.56 and a 52 week high of $92.79. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $46.47 and its 200 day moving average price is $48.27. The company has a quick ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.22 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.55.

Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $1.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.07. Shift4 Payments had a return on equity of 33.55% and a net margin of 2.63%.The firm had revenue of $1.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $615.18 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.10 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 50.9% on a year-over-year basis. Shift4 Payments has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.150-5.350 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Shift4 Payments will post 4.68 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have issued reports on FOUR shares. Loop Capital assumed coverage on shares of Shift4 Payments in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. They set a “hold” rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. Seaport Research Partners downgraded shares of Shift4 Payments from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on Shift4 Payments from $73.00 to $65.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Shift4 Payments from $49.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered shares of Shift4 Payments from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $66.00.

Insider Activity

In related news, major shareholder Jared Isaacman purchased 195,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $41.41 per share, with a total value of $8,095,655.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider directly owned 1,594,455 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $66,026,381.55. This trade represents a 13.97% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.54% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Shift4 Payments

Here are the key news stories impacting Shift4 Payments this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Shift4 reported second-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.32, above the $1.19–$1.25 analyst estimates and up from $1.10 a year earlier. Revenue reached approximately $1.29 billion–$1.30 billion, increasing 50.9% year over year and substantially exceeding consensus estimates. Shift4 Payments Q2 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management continues to forecast 2026 gross revenue less network fees of approximately $2.48 billion to $2.53 billion, indicating expectations for substantial growth despite near-term disruptions. Shift4 forecasts 2026 GRLNF amid travel disruption impact
• Neutral Sentiment: BTIG Research lowered its price target from $70 to $60 but maintained a Buy rating, implying substantial potential upside if Shift4 executes against its revised outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Shift4 cut its fiscal 2026 EPS guidance to $5.15–$5.35, below the analyst consensus of $5.41. The reduction raises concerns about slower profitability growth and was the primary negative catalyst for investors. Shift4 Payments lowered 2026 EPS guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Management expects approximately $25 million of third-quarter impact from travel disruptions, including Middle East-related weakness. The hit adds uncertainty to transaction volumes and reinforces concerns about the company’s revised annual revenue and profit forecasts. Shift4 Payments shares slump after forecast cuts

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Shift4 Payments

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Wasatch Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Shift4 Payments by 16.4% during the second quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 6,338,567 shares of the company’s stock worth $628,215,000 after purchasing an additional 890,990 shares during the period. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in Shift4 Payments by 3,048.9% in the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 872,453 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,938,000 after buying an additional 844,746 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its holdings in Shift4 Payments by 97.2% during the fourth quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,655,485 shares of the company’s stock worth $104,246,000 after buying an additional 816,155 shares during the last quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP boosted its holdings in Shift4 Payments by 12.6% during the second quarter. Durable Capital Partners LP now owns 6,665,443 shares of the company’s stock worth $660,612,000 after buying an additional 745,650 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC grew its position in shares of Shift4 Payments by 311.7% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 793,116 shares of the company’s stock worth $49,943,000 after buying an additional 600,463 shares during the period. 98.87% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Shift4 Payments Company Profile

Shift4 Payments is a U.S.-based provider of integrated payment processing and technology solutions, serving merchants across the hospitality, retail, e-commerce, gaming and lodging industries. The company’s platform enables businesses to accept in-store, online and mobile payments through a combination of point-of-sale hardware, payment gateway services and back-office software. By centralizing transaction processing and reporting, Shift4 aims to simplify payments, enhance security and streamline operations for its merchant customers.

The company’s core offerings include encrypted point-of-sale terminals, cloud-based payment gateways, and developer-friendly APIs for online and mobile checkouts.