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Global Payments Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 raised, 1 lowered, 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Normalized adjusted revenue grew 5.5%: Normalized adjusted net revenue rose about 5.5%, or 4.5% in constant currency. Normalized comparisons include pre-acquisition Worldpay and exclude Issuer Solutions and other divested businesses. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 10% to $2.96: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.96 against $2.69 a year earlier. Adjusted net income attributable to the company rose 21.6% to $808.9 million. Source
  • Adjusted operating margin reached 39.9%: Adjusted operating margin expanded 110 basis points on a normalized basis to 39.9%. Adjusted operating income rose 22.1% to $1.14 billion. Source
  • GAAP operating loss against prior profit: GAAP operating loss was $15.6 million, compared with operating income of $372.0 million a year earlier, a change of (104.2)%. Source
  • Worldpay integration and Genius expansion: Management said teams since the start of the year worked to advance the Worldpay integration, widen Genius reach and accelerate priority initiatives while keeping execution disciplined. Source
  • Operating cash flow turned negative: Operating activities used $288.8 million of cash, against $555.1 million provided a year earlier. A $2.47 billion increase in income taxes payable was among the working-capital changes. Source
  • GAAP EPS growth range moved lower: The GAAP diluted EPS growth range changed to (68)% to (70)% from (30)% to (32)%, while the adjustments line rose to about 83% from about 45%. Source

“We are pleased with our financial performance in the first quarter, which exceeded our expectations,”

Josh Whipple, chief financial officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted net revenue growth, normalized, constant currency Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 5%Kept
Adjusted diluted EPS Sourcefull-year 2026$13.80 to $14.00Kept
Adjusted operating margin expansion, normalized Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 150 basis pointsKept
GAAP diluted EPS growth Sourcefull-year 2026(68)% to (70)%Lowered from (30)% to (32)%
Adjustments to GAAP EPS growth Sourcefull-year 2026~83%Raised from ~45%
Capital returned to shareholders through repurchases and dividends Source2026over $2 billionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: The GAAP diluted EPS growth range was changed to (68)% to (70)% from (30)% to (32)% in the summary table. Source
  • New: The company entered a $500 million accelerated share repurchase plan, following a $550 million plan announced in February. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Normalized adjusted revenue grew 5.5%: Normalized adjusted net revenue rose about 5.5%, or 4.5% in constant currency. Normalized comparisons include pre-acquisition Worldpay and exclude Issuer Solutions and other divested businesses. Source
  • Reported adjusted revenue up 29.5%: Adjusted net revenue reached $2.86 billion, up about 29.5%. GAAP revenue was $2.97 billion, up 63.1% from $1.82 billion in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 10% to $2.96: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.96 against $2.69 a year earlier. Adjusted net income attributable to the company rose 21.6% to $808.9 million. Source
  • GAAP loss driven by discontinued operations: GAAP diluted loss per share was $6.59. Continuing operations contributed $(0.78) per share and discontinued operations $(5.81), a loss of $1.59 billion. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Adjusted operating margin reached 39.9%: Adjusted operating margin expanded 110 basis points on a normalized basis to 39.9%. Adjusted operating income rose 22.1% to $1.14 billion. Source
  • GAAP cost lines rose sharply: On a GAAP basis, cost of service rose 157.2% to $1.27 billion and SG&A rose 78.8% to $1.71 billion, compared with the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Acquisition amortization and integration costs: Adjustments removed $747.0 million of acquired-intangible amortization from cost of service, and $291.2 million of acquisition, integration and separation expenses plus $95.9 million of transformation charges from SG&A. Source
  • GAAP operating loss against prior profit: GAAP operating loss was $15.6 million, compared with operating income of $372.0 million a year earlier, a change of (104.2)%. Source
  • Interest and other expense climbed: Interest and other expense rose 63.2% to $242.4 million, against $148.5 million a year earlier. Source
  • Tax charges on discontinued operations removed: Adjustments removed $1,573.8 million of tax charges tied to discontinued operations. The GAAP income tax line was a benefit of $11.8 million. Source

“The acquisition of Worldpay is accelerating our transformation and sharpening our strategic focus.”

Cameron Bready, chief executive officer

Acquisition integration and strategy

  • Worldpay integration and Genius expansion: Management said teams since the start of the year worked to advance the Worldpay integration, widen Genius reach and accelerate priority initiatives while keeping execution disciplined. Source
  • Issuer Solutions included until closing: Issuer Solutions stayed in the non-GAAP figures until its sale closed, so non-GAAP measures reflect total company performance for the period. Source

Cash flow and balance sheet

  • Operating cash flow turned negative: Operating activities used $288.8 million of cash, against $555.1 million provided a year earlier. A $2.47 billion increase in income taxes payable was among the working-capital changes. Source
  • Capital spending more than doubled: Capital expenditures were $261.3 million, against $127.6 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Divestiture proceeds offset acquisition outflow: Business acquisitions used $1.39 billion, while net cash from sales of businesses provided $7.36 billion. Total investing activities provided $5.72 billion. Source
  • Debt repaid heavily, cash balance fell: Long-term debt proceeds were $4.67 billion and repayments were $13.62 billion. Cash and equivalents fell to $5.86 billion from $8.34 billion at year-end. Source
  • Goodwill and intangibles rose sharply: Goodwill rose to $27.08 billion from $17.08 billion, and other intangible assets to $20.18 billion from $4.23 billion, between year-end and March 31, 2026. Source

“Our first quarter performance reflects the early momentum of Global Payments as a focused, pure-play commerce solutions leader,”

Cameron Bready, chief executive officer

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Share repurchases of $549.9 million: Cash paid for repurchases of common stock was $549.9 million, against $446.3 million a year earlier. Share-based compensation repurchases were $31.5 million. Source
  • Shares outstanding rose to 273.4 million: Shares issued and outstanding were 273,396,831 at March 31, 2026, up from 236,692,592 at December 31, 2025. Diluted weighted-average shares were 273,223 thousand. Source

2026 guidance and reaffirmation

  • Full-year guidance reaffirmed: Adjusted revenue growth of about 5%, adjusted EPS of $13.80 to $14.00 and margin expansion of about 150 basis points were kept from the February release. Source
  • GAAP EPS growth range moved lower: The GAAP diluted EPS growth range changed to (68)% to (70)% from (30)% to (32)%, while the adjustments line rose to about 83% from about 45%. Source
  • GAAP revenue growth figure lowered: GAAP revenue growth in the summary table is about 73%, against about 75% in the February release. Source

Coming up, as management said on 6 May 2026

  • Dividend payable June 26: A dividend of $0.25 per share is payable June 26, 2026 to holders of record on June 12, 2026. Source
  • Value creation initiatives to follow: Management said it is focused on executing its value creation initiatives and advancing its commitment to return capital to shareholders. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management cited an evolving macroeconomic environment as the context for the quarter's results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said it continues to expect the full-year 2026 adjusted revenue growth, adjusted EPS and margin expansion figures. Source
  • Ahead: The CFO said first-quarter financial performance exceeded the company's expectations. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.