Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) is one of the 12 Cheap Technology Stocks to Invest In According to Hedge Funds. On February 19, TD Cowen analyst Bryan Bergin increased the price target on Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) from $90 to $91, keeping a Hold rating on the stock. According to TheFly, Bergin believes that consistent Q4 standalone execution capped off a healthy 2025 and 2026 outlook. TD Cowen Raises PT on Global Payments Inc. (GPN) to $91, Keeps Hold Rating On February 18, Global Payments posted ...

Revenue Performance - Global Payments Inc. (GPN) reported adjusted revenue of $2.32 billion for Q4 2025, meeting analyst estimates, with GAAP revenue at $1.90 billion, indicating stable execution amid market expectations [4] Valuation Metrics - The trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 10.39 suggests that the market values GPN's earnings positively, supported by a strong outlook for fiscal 2026 with adjusted EPS guidance of $13.80–$14.00, above consensus [4] - The price-to-sales (ttm) ratio of 1.67 and enterprise value to revenue (ttm) ratio of 3.25 provide insights into GPN's market value relative to its revenue and debt [5] - The enterprise value to operating cash flow (ttm) ratio of approximately 9.38 highlights how the company's cash flow is valued in relation to its enterprise value [5] Liquidity and Debt - GPN's earnings yield of approximately 9.62% offers an attractive perspective on return on investment for income-seeking investors [6] - The debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69 indicates a moderate level of debt used to finance the company's assets relative to equity, essential for maintaining financial stability [6] - The current ratio of 0.86 may suggest potential liquidity considerations in meeting short-term obligations, important for understanding the company's ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [6] Company Overview - GPN is a leading provider of payment technology and software solutions, operating globally and facilitating electronic payments for merchants, businesses, and financial institutions [3] - The company competes with major players in the payment processing industry, such as PayPal and Block, striving to maintain its position through innovation and strategic partnerships [3]

Core Insights - Global Payments Inc. (GPN) is valued at a market cap of $17.6 billion and is a leading provider of payment technology and software solutions [1] - The company has significantly underperformed the broader market, with stock prices declining 35.7% over the past 52 weeks and 8.5% in 2026, compared to the S&P 500 Index's 14% gains [2] - GPN has also lagged behind the Amplify Digital Payments ETF's 22.7% decline over the past year [3] Company Developments - On January 12, Global Payments completed its acquisition of Worldpay from FIS and GTCR, while divesting its Issuer Solutions business to FIS, transforming into a pure-play commerce solutions provider [6] - This acquisition creates a platform serving over 6 million merchant locations, processing $3.7 trillion in payments and approximately 94 billion transactions annually across more than 175 countries [6] Financial Performance - For FY2025, analysts expect GPN to deliver an adjusted EPS of $11.72, reflecting a 6.1% year-over-year increase [7] - The company has a strong earnings surprise history, surpassing bottom-line estimates in each of the past four quarters [7] - Among 32 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with 11 "Strong Buys," one "Moderate Buy," 18 "Holds," and two "Strong Sells" [7] Analyst Coverage - Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Global Payments with a "Neutral" rating and an $80 price target, noting the company's transformation into a pure-play merchant acquirer [9] - The firm emphasized GPN's "divest and refresh" strategy, which has driven 22.33% revenue growth over the past year [9]

Group 1: Greenlight Capital Overview - Greenlight Capital's investment strategy focuses on a bottom-up portfolio of undervalued long positions and overvalued short positions, along with a macro book for risk hedging [1] - The Partnership achieved a net return of 9.0% in 2025, compared to 17.9% for the S&P 500 index, and an 8.5% return in Q4 against 2.7% for the index [1] - Since its inception in May 1996, the Partnership has returned $6.1 billion net of fees and expenses to its investors [1] Group 2: Global Payments Inc. (GPN) Investment Insights - Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) is a payment technology provider, recently added to Greenlight Capital's portfolio [2] - The stock experienced a one-month return of -6.96% and a 52-week decline of 36.22%, closing at $72.01 on January 28, 2026, with a market capitalization of $20.16 billion [2] - Greenlight Capital re-acquired shares of GPN at an average price of $77.85 after previously exiting the position at $108.61 [3] - GPN is targeting $5 billion in free cash flow by 2028, representing nearly 25% of its current pro forma combined market capitalization [3] - The company plans to return nearly $7 billion to shareholders over the next two years, which is one-third of its market cap, and expects the market to better appreciate its growth potential post-Worldpay transaction [3] Group 3: Hedge Fund Interest in Global Payments Inc. - Global Payments Inc. was held by 53 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3, a decrease from 57 in the previous quarter [4] - While GPN shows investment potential, certain AI stocks are considered to offer greater upside with less downside risk [4]

Company Overview - Global Payments Inc. (GPN) is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments, with a market cap of $18.4 billion [1] Market Position - GPN is classified as a large-cap stock, emphasizing its size, influence, and dominance in the software-infrastructure industry, supported by a diversified portfolio, strategic scale, and innovation [2] Stock Performance - GPN's stock has experienced a decline of 35.1% from its 52-week high of $120, reached on November 29, 2024, and has decreased by 10.9% over the past three months, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite's 8% gains [3] - Over the longer term, GPN shares rose 1.4% on a six-month basis but fell 33.9% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming the Nasdaq's six-month gains of 20.6% and 18.6% returns over the last year [4] Recent Financial Results - On November 4, GPN reported Q3 results, with an adjusted EPS of $3.26, surpassing Wall Street expectations of $3.23, and adjusted revenue of $2.43 billion, exceeding the forecast of $2.41 billion [5] Competitive Landscape - In the software-infrastructure sector, Corpay, Inc. (CPAY) has shown resilience with only 17% losses over the past 52 weeks, while GPN has faced a 10% decline over the same six-month period [5] Analyst Sentiment - Wall Street analysts maintain a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating for GPN, with a mean price target of $103.17, indicating a potential upside of 32.4% from current price levels [6]

Core Thesis - Global Payments Inc. (GPN) is viewed positively due to its solid fundamental performance and attractive valuation after a recent price pullback [2][3][6] Financial Performance - GPN's earnings per share (EPS) increased approximately 12% year over year, with revenue growing in the mid-single digits, indicating steady underlying demand [3] - The stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of 7–8 times and generates an estimated 12% free cash flow yield, suggesting significant value for long-term investors [3] Debt and Valuation Concerns - The company's substantial debt load of $13.6 billion against an $18 billion market cap indicates high leverage, which is affecting profitability due to rising interest costs [4] - Approximately $600 million in interest expenses significantly impacted the company's $2.5 billion in operating income, leading to a discount on the stock despite stable fundamentals [4] Strategic Positioning - GPN is focusing on long-term growth through the acquisition of EVO Payments, aiming to transition towards a technology-enabled, software-centric business model [5] - If execution improves and debt is gradually reduced, the current valuation could present a compelling investment opportunity due to durable cash generation and potential for enhanced operating leverage [5] Market Sentiment - GPN's stock price has decreased by approximately 35.29% since previous bullish coverage, primarily due to market concerns despite solid fundamentals [6] - The number of hedge funds holding GPN decreased from 65 to 57, indicating a shift in market sentiment towards other investment opportunities [7]

Core Insights - Global Payments Inc. has significantly underperformed the broader market, with stock prices declining 31.9% year-to-date and 33.6% over the past 52 weeks, contrasting with the S&P 500 Index's gains of 14.3% in 2025 and 13.4% over the past year [2][3]. Financial Performance - In Q3, Global Payments reported a revenue of $2 billion, which was a 50 basis points year-over-year increase, exceeding market expectations by 90 basis points [4]. - The adjusted EPS for Q3 rose 11.8% year-over-year to $3.26, beating consensus estimates by 6.9% [4]. - For the full fiscal year 2025, analysts project an adjusted EPS of $11.64, reflecting a 5.3% year-over-year increase [5]. Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - The consensus rating among 30 analysts is a "Moderate Buy," with 11 "Strong Buys," one "Moderate Buy," 16 "Holds," and two "Strong Sells" [5]. - TD Cowen analyst Bryan Bergin maintained a "Hold" rating and raised the price target from $92 to $95, with a mean price target of $107.17 indicating a 40.3% premium to current levels [7]. - The highest street target of $194 suggests a potential upside of 154% [7].

Core Viewpoint - Global Payments Inc. demonstrates strong financial performance and growth potential, supported by a positive outlook from Raymond James, which has raised the price target for the stock. Financial Performance - The company reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.26, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.23, marking a 12% increase compared to the previous year [2] - Revenue for the third quarter rose by 3% to $2.4 billion, driven by strong performance in the Merchant and Issuer Solutions segments, surpassing consensus expectations by 0.9% [3] - The operating margin expanded by 110 basis points to 45%, attributed to reduced expenses and gains in core segments [3] Stock Performance - The current stock price for GPN is $79.51, reflecting an increase of approximately 3.12% or $2.41 [4] - Over the past year, the stock has fluctuated between a high of $120 and a low of $65.93, with a market capitalization of approximately $19.29 billion [4] - Raymond James reaffirmed its "Outperform" rating for GPN and raised the price target from $100 to $105 [5]

Group 1 - Global Payments Inc. is considered one of the most undervalued stocks to buy and hold for a period of 5 years [1] - Nathan Rozof has been appointed as the head of Investor Relations, responsible for leading the company's investor relations strategy [1][3] - Rozof has over two decades of experience in finance and capital markets, with a background in fintech and payments sectors [2] Group 2 - The CFO, Josh Whipple, emphasized Rozof's knowledge of the payments industry and his proven track record in investor engagement as key qualifications for his role [3] - Global Payments focuses on transparency, strategic execution, and deepening engagement with its global investor base as part of its growth initiatives [3] - The company provides payment technology and software solutions across two segments: Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions [4]

Market Valuation Insights - Richard Fisher, former Dallas Fed President, noted that valuations are strong and concentrated, with the S&P 500 increasing from 666 in March 2009 to 6,666 recently, a 10x increase [1] - Fisher highlighted that many investors perceive current valuations as rich or overpriced, particularly concentrated in a few companies [1] - Victoria Greene, CIO at G Squared Private Wealth, agreed that the market is overvalued, likening Powell's statement to stating the sky is blue, while acknowledging the dual risks of inflation and a weakening labor market [2] Undervalued Stocks - A list of the 10 most undervalued stocks to buy and hold for 5 years was compiled, focusing on stocks with a forward P/E ratio under 20 and an expected EPS growth of at least 15% over the next 3 to 5 years [5] - The strategy of selecting stocks that hedge funds are investing in has shown to outperform the market, with a reported return of 373.4% since May 2014 [6] Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) - Global Payments has a forward P/E ratio of 6.18 and an expected EPS growth of 17.95% over the next 3 to 5 years, with 57 hedge fund holders [7][8] - The company appointed Nathan Rozof as the head of Investor Relations, who brings over two decades of experience in finance and investor engagement [9][10] - Global Payments provides payment technology and software solutions, operating through Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions segments [11] The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) - Allstate has a forward P/E ratio of 9.27 and an expected EPS growth of 16.59% over the next 3 to 5 years, with 62 hedge fund holders [12] - The company reported $16.6 billion in revenue for Q2 2025, a 5.8% year-over-year increase, with net income of $2.1 billion [13] - Allstate's Property-Liability segment generated approximately $1.3 billion in underwriting income, achieving a combined ratio of 91.1%, a 10-point improvement from the prior year [13] - The Protection Services segment reported revenues of $867 million for the quarter, with a 16.6% increase over the prior year [14]