Shift4 Payments, Inc. (NYSE:FOUR) is one of the best FinTech stocks to buy in 2026. Freedom Capital Markets initiated coverage on Shift4 Payments on December 11 at Buy with an $80 price target. The firm’s analyst called Shift4 a leading integrated payments and SaaS platform across verticals such as restaurants, hospitality, and stadiums, while noting the stock’s recent slump. In its note, Freedom tied that underperformance to a mix of leadership changes, management’s mixed-macro commentary with choppy sam ...

Core Insights - The University of Illinois Foundation has acquired a new position in Shift4 Payments, purchasing 115,848 shares valued at approximately $8.97 million, which represents about 3.17% of the foundation's total U.S. equity holdings of approximately $283.22 million [1][2][3] Company Overview - Shift4 Payments is a leading provider of technology-driven payment processing and software solutions, employing over 4,000 staff and serving a diverse range of merchants [5] - The company offers a comprehensive suite of services for both in-person and digital commerce, enhancing operational efficiency and customer engagement [5][8] - As of November 11, 2025, Shift4 Payments had a market capitalization of $4.91 billion, with a revenue of $3.88 billion and a net income of $170 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [3][11] Investment Context - The new stake in Shift4 Payments is notable as it is the sixth-largest holding for the University of Illinois Foundation, which typically maintains a concentrated portfolio of only 12 different stocks [6][9] - The stock price of Shift4 Payments has decreased by 31.94% over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 43.34 percentage points [7][9] - The acquisition appears to be a strategic move to capitalize on a potentially undervalued stock, as it has fallen nearly 50% from its 52-week high of over $127 per share [9][10]

Core Viewpoint - The report summarizes significant rating changes from various investment firms that are expected to impact the market. Upgraded Ratings - Jefferies upgraded Roku (ROKU) from "Hold" to "Buy," raising the target price from $100 to $135, anticipating over 20% growth in platform revenue under optimistic scenarios [5] - Piper Sandler upgraded Unity (U) from "Neutral" to "Outperform," increasing the target price from $43 to $59, citing a favorable outlook for the mobile app advertising market entering 2026 [5] - Citigroup upgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) from "Neutral" to "Buy," raising the target price from $580 to $660, expecting benefits from increased pharmaceutical spending and local industry advantages [5] - Bank of America upgraded Synopsys (SNPS) from "Neutral" to "Buy," increasing the target price from $500 to $560, noting reduced risks in sales to China and Intel, and potential for attractive rebound [5] - Bank of America upgraded Visa (V) from "Neutral" to "Buy," setting a target price of $382, indicating attractive return potential after recent underperformance [5] Downgraded Ratings - Bank of America downgraded PayPal (PYPL) from "Buy" to "Neutral," lowering the target price from $93 to $68, citing delays in revitalizing core payment business growth [5] - Harbor Research downgraded General Electric Energy (GEV) from "Buy" to "Neutral," without providing a target price, stating current valuation is reasonable [5] - Bank of America downgraded Alcon (ALC) from "Buy" to "Underperform," reducing the target price from $100 to $75, due to limited upside and market uncertainties [5] - Deutsche Bank downgraded Norfolk Southern Railway (NSC) from "Buy" to "Hold," setting a target price of $297, attributing the downgrade to unresolved merger issues with Union Pacific Railway (UNP) [5] - Deutsche Bank downgraded Union Pacific Railway from "Buy" to "Hold," setting a target price of $245, despite strong performance over two quarters, citing poor stock performance [5] Initiated Coverage - Freedom Capital initiated coverage on Shift4 Payments (FOUR) with a "Buy" rating and a target price of $80, viewing recent pullbacks as an attractive entry point [5] - Bernstein initiated coverage on BridgeBio Pharma (BBIO) with an "Outperform" rating and a target price of $94, suggesting that short-term expectations are reasonable but long-term may be overly optimistic [5] - B. Riley initiated coverage on Chime Bank (CHYM) with a "Buy" rating and a target price of $35, indicating a 40% potential upside, highlighting its profitable and high-growth digital banking services [5] - Morgan Stanley initiated coverage on Elbit Systems (ESLT) with a "Hold" rating and a target price of $531, noting that most growth potential is already reflected in the current stock price after a 95% increase this year [5] - Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) with a "Buy" rating and a target price of $120, favoring companies with store expansion capabilities and pricing power in the apparel retail sector [5]

Group 1: Fund Performance - Brown Brothers Harriman's BBH Select Series - Mid Cap Fund decreased by -0.9% in Q3 2025, underperforming the Russell Midcap Index which returned 5.3% [1] - Year-to-date, the fund has a total return of -1.8%, compared to the Index's 10.4% [1] - The third quarter saw a continuation of the low-quality rally that began late last year, gaining momentum throughout 2025 [1] Group 2: Shift4 Payments, Inc. Overview - Shift4 Payments, Inc. (NYSE:FOUR) experienced a one-month return of -8.58% and a 52-week decline of 34.27%, closing at $66.90 per share with a market capitalization of $5.929 billion on December 09, 2025 [2] - In Q3 2025, Shift4 Payments was one of the largest detractors to the fund's performance, declining -21.9% during the quarter [3] - The company specializes in integrated payment processing solutions for the hospitality sector, including restaurants and lodging [3] Group 3: Financial Performance and Guidance - Shift4 Payments slightly missed consensus estimates on volumes, EBITDA, and EPS, while beating on net revenue and free cash flow [3] - The company raised its annual guidance for net revenue, excluding the recent acquisition of Global Blue, but the overall guidance was below consensus estimates for volumes [3] - Shift4 continues to expect over 20% organic net revenue growth for the year and is tracking toward the high end of its intermediate-term guidance issued in January [3] Group 4: Hedge Fund Interest - Shift4 Payments, Inc. was held by 45 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2025, down from 55 in the previous quarter [4] - While the potential of Shift4 Payments is acknowledged, certain AI stocks are considered to offer greater upside potential with less downside risk [4]

CENTER VALLEY, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Shift4 Payments, Inc. ("Shift4†or "Our†) (NYSE: FOUR), a leader in integrated payments and commerce technology, today announced that its subsidiaries, Shift4 Payments, LLC and Shift4 Payments Finance Sub, Inc. (the "Issuers†), have priced an offering of €435 million aggregate principal amount of 5.500% senior notes due 2033 (the "New Notes†). The New Notes will be issued as additional securities under an Indenture, dated May 16, 2025 (as supplemented from t. ...

Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding the company or industry [1]

Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR) 2025 Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Shift4 Payments - **Ticker**: NYSE: FOUR - **Event**: 2025 Conference held on December 03, 2025 Key Industry Insights - **Industry**: Payments and Financial Technology - **Market Trends**: - Notable volatility in the domestic restaurant and lodging sectors, with year-over-year trends fluctuating between +1% to -4% compared to the usual +/- 1% to 2% range [5][6] - Shift4's leadership in various verticals such as stadiums, entertainment, and luxury retail provides a unique vantage point to observe broader market trends [6] Financial Performance and Guidance - **Q4 Guidance**: - Shift4 maintains a cautious tone regarding Q4 guidance metrics, consistent with previous discussions [8] - **Adjusted Free Cash Flow Target**: - Aiming for an exit rate of $1 billion in adjusted free cash flow by the end of 2027 [38] Strategic Acquisitions - **Acquisition Strategy**: - Shift4 has made several acquisitions (e.g., Vectron, VenueNext, Revel, Appetize) to enhance cross-sell potential and market expansion [10][12] - Focus on acquiring businesses with existing customer bases to improve customer acquisition economics [11] - Emphasis on capabilities enhancement through acquisitions, such as adding new payment modalities [12][13] Market Position and Competitive Landscape - **Vertical Leadership**: - Shift4 has transitioned from a small to medium business (SMB) focus to becoming a leader in multiple verticals, including restaurants, hospitality, stadiums, and luxury retail [14][15] - **Competitive Analysis**: - Key competitors in the restaurant space include Toast and Micros, with distinctions made between table service and quick-service restaurants [23][24] - Shift4 positions itself as having the lowest total cost of ownership for restaurant merchants, aligning its revenue model with merchant uptime [27][28] Growth Opportunities - **Ticketing Integration**: - Shift4 has developed integrations with major ticketing platforms, enhancing its market share in the ticketing space, which is seen as a significant growth driver [30][32] - **Cross-Sell Potential**: - A $500 billion cross-sell opportunity identified within Global Blue, with $100 billion attributed to the SMB segment [16] Financial Strategy - **Share Repurchase Program**: - Shift4 announced a $1 billion share repurchase program, reflecting confidence in the company's valuation and capital allocation strategy [35][36] - **Medium-Term Outlook**: - Shift4 has outlined three scenarios for its medium-term outlook, with a focus on organic growth and strategic acquisitions [40][41] Conclusion - Shift4 Payments is strategically positioned within the payments industry, leveraging its acquisitions and market leadership to drive growth. The company is focused on enhancing its service offerings, optimizing its financial performance, and expanding its market share across various verticals.

Core Insights - Michael Burry, known for his bearish investment approach, has recently identified four stocks he believes could be beneficial for long-term investors, including Lululemon and Fannie Mae, as well as a notable fintech company, Shift4 Payments [2] Company Overview - Shift4 Payments, founded in 1999, is an integrated payments and commerce technology company that offers payment processing, point-of-sale and commerce software/hardware, payment gateway services, and vertical solutions for various sectors [3] - The company has a market capitalization of $6.5 billion and has experienced a year-to-date stock decline of 29.5% [3] Financial Performance - Despite a challenging 2025 in terms of share price, Shift4 Payments' stock has more than doubled since its listing in June 2020 [5] - The company has reported revenue and earnings compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 27.86% and 89.10%, respectively, over the past three years [5] - In Q3 2025, Shift4 Payments reported gross revenues of $1.18 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 29.4%, although this was below market expectations [6] - Earnings per share (EPS) for the same period were $1.47, which exceeded the consensus estimate of $1.45, marking a slower growth of 5.8% year-over-year [6] Revenue Breakdown - Payments-based revenue, which constitutes nearly 90% of Shift4's overall revenues, reached $1.06 billion, representing a 31.1% increase from the previous year [7] - Subscription revenues increased to $118.9 million from $102.4 million in the year-ago period [7]

Core Viewpoint - Shift4 Payments, Inc. is proposing to offer €435,000,000 of 5.500% senior notes due 2033 in a private offering exempt from registration requirements [1] Group 1 - The offering will be conducted by Shift4 Payments, LLC and Shift4 Payments Finance Sub, Inc. as the issuers [1] - The senior notes are intended to be used for general corporate purposes [1]

Core Insights - Michael Burry has shared his stock picks after closing his hedge fund to outside cash, expressing a desire to communicate freely without regulatory constraints [1] - Burry's selected stocks include Lululemon Athletica, Molina Healthcare, Shift4 Payments, and Fannie Mae, which he views as long-term holds [2][3] - The current market conditions are seen as favorable for finding undervalued companies due to seasonal selling pressures [1][4] Company Summaries - **Lululemon Athletica**: An athletic-apparel retailer known for premium yoga pants, has seen its shares decline by 52% year-to-date, trading at under 15 times projected earnings [4][5] - **Molina Healthcare**: Provides affordable health insurance and healthcare services, primarily to low-income and senior Americans, with shares down 49% this year, also trading at under 15 times projected earnings [4][5] - **Shift4 Payments**: A fintech company offering payment processing and commercial tools, has experienced a 32% drop in share price year-to-date [4] - **Fannie Mae**: A government-sponsored enterprise that guarantees over $4 trillion in mortgages, its shares have tripled this year amid speculation of privatization [3][5] Market Context - The selected stocks are characterized by their market capitalizations under $25 billion, indicating a focus on smaller, beaten-down stocks [4][5] - Burry's investment strategy emphasizes deep-value opportunities, particularly in the current environment where many managers are reluctant to hold losing positions at year-end [1][4]