Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) Releases FY 2026 Earnings Guidance
by Sarita Garza · The Markets DailyShift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR – Get Free Report) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of 5.500-5.700 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 5.630. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.5 billion-$2.6 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $3.9 billion.
Shift4 Payments Stock Performance
Shares of FOUR stock traded down $9.32 on Thursday, hitting $48.06. 6,720,681 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,262,971. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $61.83 and its two-hundred day moving average is $72.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.27. Shift4 Payments has a one year low of $46.26 and a one year high of $108.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.26 billion, a PE ratio of 22.55, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.63.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research firms have recently issued reports on FOUR. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and set a $105.00 target price on shares of Shift4 Payments in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Susquehanna cut their price objective on shares of Shift4 Payments from $115.00 to $101.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on Shift4 Payments from $127.00 to $96.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Shift4 Payments in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Shift4 Payments in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $90.26.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on FOUR
Insider Buying and Selling at Shift4 Payments
In other news, CEO David Taylor Lauber sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.00, for a total value of $828,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 273,588 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,877,572. This represents a 4.20% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Nancy Disman sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.50, for a total value of $347,500.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 130,420 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,064,190. This trade represents a 3.69% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 25.15% of the company’s stock.
Key Stories Impacting Shift4 Payments
Here are the key news stories impacting Shift4 Payments this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations: Shift4 reported $1.60 EPS (vs. consensus ~ $1.56–$1.57) and year-over-year revenue growth of ~50.6%, showing solid near-term operating momentum and expanding margins. Shift4 Payments (FOUR) Q4 Earnings Surpass Estimates
- Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options activity: Large call buying was reported (about 6,948 calls, ~120% above typical daily call volume), indicating some investors were positioning for upside ahead of the print or reaction. (No article link provided)
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and valuation commentary: Post-earnings coverage is reassessing FOUR’s valuation, growth prospects and a recently announced stablecoin/payments platform — material for longer-term thesis but unlikely to drive the immediate price move as much as guidance. Assessing Shift4 Payments (FOUR) Valuation After Earnings Growth Hopes And Stablecoin Platform Launch
- Neutral Sentiment: Peer comparison: A head-to-head analysis with payment peer WEX is available for investors evaluating relative positioning and multiples; useful for context but not the primary driver of today’s move. Head-To-Head Analysis: Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) & WEX (NYSE:WEX)
- Negative Sentiment: Disappointing FY2026 revenue guidance: Management gave FY2026 EPS guidance of $5.50–$5.70 (roughly in line/slightly below consensus) but set revenue guidance at ~$2.5–$2.6 billion versus street expectations near ~$3.9 billion — a large shortfall that likely prompted today’s selling as it reduces near-term top-line visibility. (Guidance reported 2/26/2026)
Institutional Trading of Shift4 Payments
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Shift4 Payments by 37.2% during the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 12,169 shares of the company’s stock worth $766,000 after purchasing an additional 3,299 shares during the period. Alberta Investment Management Corp bought a new position in Shift4 Payments during the fourth quarter worth $1,285,000. Galaxy Group Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Shift4 Payments during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $561,000. Vident Advisory LLC boosted its stake in Shift4 Payments by 32.8% during the 4th quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 5,973 shares of the company’s stock valued at $376,000 after purchasing an additional 1,476 shares during the period. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC bought a new stake in shares of Shift4 Payments during the 4th quarter worth about $43,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.87% of the company’s stock.
About Shift4 Payments
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.