$GPN

Global Payments (NYSE:GPN) reported Q2 results and discussed its Worldpay integration and Genius point-of-sale rollout. Management guided for about 4.5% revenue growth in 2H, margins near 43%, and cited drivers including sales-force ramp and enterprise go-lives. Q2 adjusted net revenue by segment: SMB $1.51B, Enterprise $838M, Platforms $628M. Adjusted free cash flow was $687M; net leverage just below 3.5x.

Circle named a founding validator group for its Arc blockchain, including BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo, and Visa. Circle said Arc is on private mainnet with 100+ builders ahead of a planned public launch on Sept. 16. BlackRock plans BUIDL fund deployment with native USDC support; DTCC integration begins H2 2027.

Global Payments’ Q2 2026 call said results showed durable mid-single-digit growth, with a 100 bp headwind from Middle East conflict impacting travel. Management completed Worldpay integration operating model design and outlined SMB, Enterprise, and Platforms initiatives, including AI “agentic commerce.” Full-year 2026 revenue guidance was revised to 4% to 5% growth and margins to expand in 2H; net leverage ended just under 3.5x.

Analysts issued mixed views on Industrial Goods stocks. Morgan Stanley’s James Faucette reiterated a Buy on Global Payments (GPN) with a $103 price target; shares closed at $87.48. Wolfe Research upgraded GPN to Buy with a $110 target. UBS’s Gavin Parsons kept Kratos Defense (KTOS) at Hold with a $60 target; shares closed at $55.34.

Analysts issued new ratings for Global Payments (GPN) and Ametek (AME). William Blair analyst Andrew Jeffrey reiterated a Hold on GPN; shares closed at $87.48, with consensus Moderate Buy and a $87.58 target. Truist kept Hold with a $79 target. For AME, TD Cowen’s Joseph Giordano set a Buy target of $275; shares closed at $254.76, with consensus Moderate Buy and $274 target.

American Banker reports the CFPB has submitted a new open-banking rule proposal to the White House OIRA, which would replace the Biden-era rule finalized in late 2024. Dorsey & Whitney expects the Trump administration could allow banks to charge fees. The paper also covers Federal Reserve proposals for mutual banks to raise capital, and updates on Global Payments’ AI POS platform, and Upstart’s plan to originate loans via a planned bank in 2027.

24/7 Wall St. lists Thursday analyst calls. JPMorgan upgraded Charles River Laboratories (CRL) to Overweight, target $310. Wolfe raised Global Payments (GPN) to Outperform, target $110. Argus upgraded Roper Technologies (ROP) to Buy, target $450. Piper cut AppLovin (APP) to Neutral, target $385, and HubSpot (HUBS) to Neutral, target $220. Several other upgrades, downgrades, and initiations are noted.

Global Payments Inc. (GPN) reported Q2 profit of $13 million, or 5 cents per share. Adjusted earnings were $3.46 per share versus a Zacks/Wall Street estimate of $3.45. Revenue was $3.32 billion, with adjusted revenue of $3.16 billion below the $3.17 billion forecast. The company expects full-year earnings of $13.60 to $13.80 per share.

Simply Wall St reports Global Payments (GPN) cut its annual forecasts, citing weaker travel spending tied to a Middle East conflict. The article notes analysts’ concerns about debt coverage by operating cash flow and highlights profit margin at 7.1% versus 16.5% previously, with one-off items complicating trends. It points to an Aug. 5, 2026 Q2 2026 update and an affirmed $0.25 dividend.

Global Payments said it will expand conversational AI in its Genius point-of-sale and payments platform. CEO Cameron Bready said Genius is still a modest revenue contributor but uptake is rising, with new locations up more than 50% year over year. Worldpay’s 30 largest bank partners will start selling Genius in Q4, according to Bready.