Western Union (NYSE:WU) stock moved lower on Friday following the release of its quarterly earnings report on Thursday after the market close, alongside subsequent bearish analyst revisions.
The company reported quarterly earnings of 31 cents per share, missing the analyst consensus estimate of 42 cents, a decrease from earnings of 42 cents per share recorded in the same period last year.
Quarterly sales stood at $1.013 billion, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.029 billion, a decrease from sales of $1.026 billion in the prior-year period, according to Benzinga Pro.
Guidance Reduction for Fiscal Year 2026
Western Union lowered its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $1.25 to $1.35 from the previous $1.75 to $1.85, compared to the analyst estimate of $1.73.
The company also lowered its full-year adjusted sales outlook to $4.213 billion to $4.294 billion from $4.237 billion to $4.357 billion, versus the consensus estimate of $4.211 billion.
Analyst Price Forecast Action
Following the earnings report on Friday, several Wall Street firms updated their outlook on Western Union. Morgan Stanley reiterated its Underweight rating while lowering its price forecast to $6.
Susquehanna maintained a Neutral rating and reduced its price forecast to $8, while Barclays also reaffirmed its Underweight rating and cut its price forecast to $6.
Management Commentary
“In the second quarter, we did not see the improvement in Americas Retail that we had expected, and the delayed close of our Intermex acquisition pushed out expected synergies, contributing to meaningful margin pressure and lower-than-expected EPS. This difficult operating environment requires us to accelerate cost reductions more forcefully in the second half of the year,” said Devin McGranahan, President and CEO.
WU Stock: Critical Levels To Watch
The chart is firmly bearish on longer-term trend: WU is trading about 19% below its 20-day SMA ($8.06), about 17% below its 50-day SMA ($7.84), and about 26% below its 200-day SMA ($8.84). That distance from the major averages suggests sellers have stayed in control, and rallies have struggled to hold.
Momentum is the key story, with RSI at 25.45—deep in oversold territory after the latest leg down. Structurally, the “death cross” that formed in May (50-day SMA below the 200-day SMA) keeps the longer-term bias pointed lower, and the stock is now trading below its prior 52-week low ($6.91).
- Key Resistance: $7.84
- Key Support: $6.91
WU Price Action: Western Union shares were down 15.36% at $6.50 at the time of publication on Friday. The stock is trading at a new 52-week low, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Image via Shutterstock
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