Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.13 EPS

by · The Cerbat Gem

Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR – Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The company reported $1.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.36 by $0.13, FiscalAI reports. Shift4 Payments had a net margin of 2.34% and a return on equity of 25.42%. The firm had revenue of $1.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $652.39 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.47 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Shift4 Payments updated its FY 2026 guidance to 5.050-5.150 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Shift4 Payments’ conference call:

  • Shift4 delivered Q3 results in line with guidance, with 10% growth in gross revenue less network fees (9% organic constant-currency), 18% growth in payments-based revenue less network fees, and record adjusted free cash flow of $200 million.
  • The company lowered its Q4 outlook, citing travel disruption, a stronger U.S. dollar, softer restaurant sales, and deferred European commercial initiatives. Full-year adjusted EBITDA margin is now expected at 45%–46%, and management’s preliminary 2027 framework is mid- to high-single-digit organic growth.
  • International expansion is progressing, with Shift4 One live in 15 countries and Global Blue expected to exit 2026 with nearly $50 million in annualized synergies. Management said travel disruption remains a headwind and pointed to 2027 as the year it expects the new markets to begin generating more sales traction.
  • Shift4 returned about $200 million to shareholders through Q3 repurchases and authorized a new $1 billion buyback program starting in 2027. Management said it had repurchased roughly 16% of shares over the past year and expects year-end net leverage of about 3.6x, including the anticipated Paramount Commerce acquisition.

Shift4 Payments Trading Up 2.6%

Shares of NYSE:FOUR traded up $1.09 during trading on Friday, reaching $43.88. 3,625,016 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,164,280. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.85, a P/E/G ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 1.50. Shift4 Payments has a 52-week low of $34.56 and a 52-week high of $75.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.07. The business’s fifty day moving average is $40.31 and its 200-day moving average is $45.97.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on FOUR. Susquehanna cut their price objective on Shift4 Payments from $63.00 to $56.00 and set a “positive” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Shift4 Payments from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “sell (d)” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Raymond James Financial reduced their target price on shares of Shift4 Payments from $51.00 to $50.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. BMO Capital Markets set a $46.00 target price on shares of Shift4 Payments in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Shift4 Payments from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Shift4 Payments has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $53.86.

Read Our Latest Research Report on Shift4 Payments

Shift4 Payments News Summary

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

  • Positive Sentiment: Shift4 reported third-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.49, above the roughly $1.36 consensus, while revenue grew 10% year over year. The company also raised its 2026 EPS outlook to $5.05–$5.15, above the cited $4.98 consensus. Earnings report
  • Positive Sentiment: The company authorized a $1 billion share buyback, which could support per-share results and signal confidence in the business. Buyback announcement
  • Neutral Sentiment: Shift4 outlined mid- to high-single-digit organic growth for 2027 and a fourth-quarter gross revenue less network fees outlook of $625 million–$640 million. Investors will weigh that growth outlook against the company’s longer-term expectations. Growth outlook
  • Negative Sentiment: The earnings beat did not prevent a sharp selloff: reports said third-quarter sales missed expectations, raising concern about growth and overshadowing stronger EPS and guidance. Sales and stock reaction
  • Negative Sentiment: Several firms cut their price targets on FOUR, including RBC ($67 to $49), Wells Fargo ($59 to $46), Susquehanna ($63 to $56), and B. Riley ($94 to $77). Their ratings remained positive or bullish, but the broad reductions suggest more cautious assumptions about upside. RBC rating

Shift4 Payments Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Shift4 Payments, Inc (NYSE: FOUR) is a payment technology company that provides integrated commerce solutions for businesses and organizations. Its platform supports payment acceptance across in-person, online and mobile channels, combining payment processing with point-of-sale, commerce management and reporting tools.

The company serves merchants and enterprises in industries including restaurants, hospitality, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, gaming, retail and e-commerce. Its offerings include payment gateways, point-of-sale systems, mobile and contactless payment capabilities, fraud prevention, chargeback management and business analytics.

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