The Western Union Company
- Open
- 7.14
- Day high
- 7.25
- Day low
- 7.10
- Prev close
- 7.16
- Volume
- 1.5M
- Mkt cap
- $2.2B
- P/E (TTM)
- 5.8
- EPS (TTM)
- $1.25
- P/B
- 2.5
- P/S
- 0.6
- Yield
- 6.52%
- Per share
- $0.47
The Western Union Company (WU) is a Financial Services company listed on NYSE. The stock is down 19% over the past year.
The Western Union Company (WU) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 7 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
WU earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 30, 2026 | $0.42 | $0.31 | -26.3% | $1.0B | -0.6% |
| Apr 24, 2026 | $0.40 | $0.25 | -37.5% | $983M | +2.3% |
| Feb 20, 2026 | $0.43 | $0.45 | +4.7% | $1.0B | +3.7% |
| Oct 23, 2025 | $0.43 | $0.47 | +9.3% | $1.0B | -0.9% |
| Apr 23, 2025 | $0.40 | $0.41 | +2.5% | $984M | -5.5% |
| Feb 4, 2025 | $0.42 | $0.40 | -4.8% | $1.1B | +3.1% |
| Oct 23, 2024 | $0.44 | $0.46 | +4.5% | $1.0B | +0.6% |
| Jul 30, 2024 | $0.45 | $0.44 | -2.2% | $1.1B | +0.4% |
| Feb 6, 2024 | $0.37 | $0.37 | +0.5% | $1.1B | +2.9% |
| Oct 25, 2023 | $0.39 | $0.43 | +10.8% | $1.1B | +5.5% |
| Jul 26, 2023 | $0.39 | $0.51 | +30.8% | $1.2B | +15.6% |
| May 2, 2023 | $0.34 | $0.43 | +26.1% | $1.0B | +3.7% |
WU insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 11, 2026 | Angelini Giovanniofficer: President Europe, Africa, MEPA | Grant | 33,423 | — |
| May 4, 2026 | Adams Benjamin Carltonofficer: Chief Legal Officer | Sell | 3,184 | $9.22 |
| May 4, 2026 | Adams Benjamin Carltonofficer: Chief Legal Officer | Sell | 12,592 | $9.23 |
| May 4, 2026 | Adams Benjamin Carltonofficer: Chief Legal Officer | Sell | 4,148 | $9.21 |
| Apr 30, 2026 | Angelini Giovanniofficer: President Europe, Africa, MEPA | Sell | 6,000 | $9.47 |
| Mar 17, 2026 | Pant Milinddirector | Grant | 16,905 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Axelrod Cherieofficer: Chief Enterprise Risk Officer | Grant | 41,737 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Cagwin Matthewofficer: Chief Financial Officer | Grant | 153,635 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Cagwin Matthewofficer: Chief Financial Officer | Grant | 451,924 | $9.56 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Cagwin Matthewofficer: Chief Financial Officer | Grant | 92,181 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | TRUJILLO SOLOMON Ddirector | Grant | 20,921 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | TRUJILLO SOLOMON Ddirector | Grant | 12,030 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Angelini Giovanniofficer: President Europe, Africa, MEPA | Grant | 39,226 | — |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Angelini Giovanniofficer: President Europe, Africa, MEPA | Grant | 192,308 | $9.56 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | Angelini Giovanniofficer: President Europe, Africa, MEPA | Grant | 65,377 | — |
Source: WU SEC Form 4 filings, latest Jun 11, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full WU insider & 13F page →The Western Union Company company profile
Overview
The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU) is a global financial services company founded in 1851 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Originally established as a telegraph company, Western Union evolved into one of the world's largest money transfer and payment services providers. The company went public in 2006 following its spin-off from First Data Corporation. Today, Western Union operates a vast network facilitating cross-border money transfers and payment solutions for consumers and businesses worldwide, serving millions of customers through both digital platforms and physical agent locations.
Business
Western Union operates in the global money transfer and payment services industry, providing financial infrastructure that enables people to send and receive money across borders. The company's core business revolves around remittances - the transfer of money by foreign workers to their home countries - which represents a critical financial lifeline for millions of families worldwide. The company operates through two primary business segments: **Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) Segment** (~89% of revenue): This segment facilitates money transfers between individual consumers through multiple channels. The Consumer Money Transfer (CMT) service allows customers to send money internationally or domestically through a network of approximately 500,000 agent locations worldwide, including retail stores, banks, and post offices. Recipients can collect cash at agent locations or receive funds directly to their bank accounts or mobile wallets. The segment also includes Western Union's Branded Digital Business, which enables customers to initiate transfers through websites and mobile applications, offering convenience and 24/7 accessibility. **Business Solutions Segment** (~11% of revenue): This division provides payment and foreign exchange solutions primarily for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), other organizations, and individuals conducting business transactions. Services include cross-border and cross-currency payments, foreign currency forward and option contracts, and specialized business payment solutions. The segment also encompasses Consumer Services, which includes bill payment services, money orders, and other financial products. The money transfer industry serves a fundamental need in the global economy, as migrant workers and diaspora communities send money to support families in their home countries. According to the World Bank, global remittance flows exceed $800 billion annually, making this a substantial and resilient market despite economic fluctuations.
Revenue model
Western Union generates revenue primarily through transaction fees and foreign exchange spreads. When customers send money, they pay a transfer fee that varies based on factors such as the destination country, transfer amount, payment method, and payout method. Additionally, when currency conversion is involved, Western Union earns revenue from the spread between the exchange rates it offers customers and the wholesale rates it obtains in foreign exchange markets. The company's paying customers are primarily individual consumers sending money to family members abroad, with the largest corridors being US-to-Mexico, US-to-Central America, and various intra-European routes. Business customers include SMEs conducting international trade and organizations making cross-border payments. Several factors influence Western Union's margins and profitability: **Positive margin drivers** include increasing digital adoption (which has lower operational costs than retail transactions), expanding into higher-margin services like digital wallets and banking products, operational efficiency improvements, and favorable foreign exchange volatility that can boost currency conversion revenues. The company's scale advantages in negotiating with agents and maintaining global compliance infrastructure also support margins. **Negative margin pressures** come from intense competition from fintech companies and digital-native money transfer services that often offer lower fees, regulatory compliance costs across multiple jurisdictions, macroeconomic factors affecting migration patterns and remittance volumes, and the need for continuous technology investments to remain competitive. Additionally, economic downturns in key sending or receiving countries can reduce transaction volumes and pressure pricing. The business model benefits from network effects - the more agents and payout locations Western Union has, the more valuable its service becomes to customers. However, this advantage is being challenged by digital competitors who can offer instant transfers to bank accounts and mobile wallets without requiring physical pickup locations.
Competitive moat
Western Union's competitive moat has historically been strong but is facing significant erosion from digital disruption. The company's primary moat elements include its extensive global agent network of approximately 500,000 locations, which provides unmatched reach in underbanked regions where recipients may not have bank accounts or reliable internet access. This physical infrastructure, built over decades, represents a substantial barrier to entry and switching cost for customers who value the reliability and ubiquity of cash pickup locations. The company also benefits from regulatory expertise and compliance infrastructure across hundreds of jurisdictions worldwide. Money transfer services are heavily regulated due to anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, and Western Union's established compliance systems and relationships with regulators create barriers for new entrants. Additionally, Western Union enjoys brand recognition and trust, particularly among older demographic segments and in regions where financial literacy is lower. Many customers prefer established, well-known brands when handling their hard-earned money. However, this moat is under significant pressure from digital-native competitors like Wise (formerly TransferWise), Remitly, and WorldRemit, which offer faster, cheaper, and more transparent services through mobile apps and online platforms. These competitors can operate with lower cost structures by avoiding physical agent networks and leveraging modern technology infrastructure. Cryptocurrency and blockchain-based solutions also pose potential long-term threats by enabling peer-to-peer transfers without traditional intermediaries. The strength of Western Union's moat varies by geographic market and customer segment. It remains stronger in rural areas with limited banking infrastructure and among older, less tech-savvy customers, but is weaker in urban markets and among younger, digitally native consumers. The company's ability to successfully transition to digital platforms while maintaining its physical network advantages will determine the durability of its competitive position.
Risks & safety
Western Union presents a moderate margin of safety with mixed financial health indicators: **Liquidity and Solvency:** - Strong cash position: $2.1 billion in cash and short-term investments as of Q1 2025 - Current ratio of 1.06, indicating adequate short-term liquidity but relatively tight - High debt-to-equity ratio of 2.97, reflecting significant leverage - Positive free cash flow generation: $145 million in Q1 2025, $369 million for full year 2024 **Valuation Metrics:** - Low P/E ratio of 7.2x based on recent earnings, suggesting potential undervaluation - EV/EBITDA of 6.9x, reasonable for a mature financial services company - Price-to-book ratio of 3.8x, elevated due to asset-light business model - Trading below historical averages, potentially reflecting market concerns about long-term competitiveness **Other Considerations:** - Stable dividend payments with current yield providing income support - Mature, cash-generative business model with predictable cash flows - Regulatory risks across multiple jurisdictions could impact operations - Technology transition costs and competitive pressures may affect future profitability
Recent development
Over the past few years, Western Union has been executing its "Evolve 2025" strategy, aimed at transforming from a transaction-focused business to a customer-relationship-focused financial services provider. Key strategic initiatives include launching a next-generation digital platform that has been rolled out to over 20 countries, significantly improving user experience and customer acquisition efficiency. The company has expanded beyond traditional money transfers into broader financial services through its Consumer Services segment, which now represents 11% of quarterly revenue and has shown strong growth of 23% in recent quarters. This includes bill payment services, foreign exchange solutions, and partnerships with retailers and financial institutions. Western Union has pursued strategic acquisitions to accelerate its digital transformation, including the purchase of digital wallet businesses in Singapore (Dash) and Mexico, as well as Eurochange in the UK to expand travel money services. The company has also launched digital banking and wallet services in several European countries, onboarding over 200,000 customers. Operationally, the company has invested heavily in modernizing its retail infrastructure, rolling out new cloud-based point-of-sale systems to 70,000 agent locations and expanding debit card acceptance capabilities. An operational efficiency program has generated $140 million in cost savings to date. The digital business has sustained double-digit transaction growth for multiple consecutive quarters, with branded digital revenue growing 8-14% year-over-year, while the retail business has shown signs of stabilization after years of decline.
WU company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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