We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
WEX's Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates on Higher Benefits Revenues
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
WEX Q1 adjusted EPS rose 18.2% to $4.15, beating estimates on revenue up 5.8% to $673.8M.
Benefits revenues jumped 8.5% to $216.2M as SaaS accounts grew to 22.4M and HSA assets hit $5.2B.
WEX raised its 2026 outlook; plans $50M cost actions, while cash fell to $633.5M and leverage ended at 3.1x.
WEX Inc. (WEX - Free Report) delivered first-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $4.15 per diluted share, up 18.2% year over year and 3.8% above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.00. Revenues totaled $673.8 million, a 5.8% increase from the year-ago quarter and 0.9% ahead of the consensus estimate of $667.7 million.
Benefits stood out with faster growth, while total volume across all segments rose 7.5% to $58.1 billion.
WEX Segment Mix Shows Broad-Based Growth
Revenue growth in the first quarter was supported by contributions from all three operating segments. Mobility remained the largest unit, generating $344.6 million of revenues, up 3.2% from the prior-year period. Benefits revenues climbed 8.5% to $216.2 million, while Corporate Payments revenues advanced 9.3% to $113.0 million.
Operationally, WEX posted solid scale metrics across the portfolio. In Benefits, average Software-as-a-Service accounts increased 3.8% to 22.4 million, and average HSA custodial cash assets rose 11.8% to $5.2 billion. Corporate Payments delivered purchase volume of $17.9 billion, up 3.6%, and total volume processed of $34.2 billion, up 10.1%.
WEX Inc. Mobility Execution Offsets Market Noise
Mobility results reflected improved execution amid volatile fuel dynamics. Payment processing transactions decreased 3.0% to 130.4 million, but revenues still grew, supported by business actions and macro effects that were mixed across geographies.
WEX highlighted that higher U.S. fuel prices were a tailwind, but international fuel spreads were a headwind during the quarter. Within Mobility, the net interchange rate was 1.23%, down 10 basis points sequentially, which management attributed primarily to European market movements along with higher U.S. fuel prices.
WEX Profitability Reflects Credit Losses and AI Focus
On the bottom line, first-quarter fiscal 2026 GAAP net income was $2.22 per diluted share, up 22.7% from the prior-year period. Adjusted operating income margin was 36.2%, down from 36.7% a year ago, while GAAP operating income margin was 23.5% versus 24.7% in the year-ago quarter.
Management tied margin pressure primarily to higher credit losses, while underscoring internal productivity initiatives. On the earnings call, WEX discussed plans to deliver $50 million in cost-saving actions in 2026, including savings from automation and modernization, with part of the savings reinvested and the remainder expected to support margin performance.
Guidance moved higher following the strong start to the year. For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, WEX expects revenues of $727 million to $747 million and adjusted earnings of $4.93 to $5.13 per diluted share.
For full-year 2026, the company raised its outlook to revenues of $2.82 billion to $2.88 billion and adjusted earnings of $18.95 to $19.55 per diluted share. The updated guidance assumes average U.S. retail fuel prices of $4.30 per gallon in the second quarter and $3.70 for the full year, with management noting the guidance does not include potential future impacts from European fuel spreads.
WEX Cash Flow and Leverage Stay in Focus
The balance sheet remained a key investor focus area in the quarter. WEX ended March 31, 2026, with cash and cash equivalents of $633.5 million compared with $905.8 million at Dec. 31, 2025. Long-term debt, net, increased to $3.61 billion from $3.53 billion over the same period, and the leverage ratio, as defined in its Credit Agreement, stood at 3.1x at quarter end.
Cash flow was seasonally pressured. Net cash used for operating activities totaled $330.8 million in the first quarter versus $481.6 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted free cash flow improved to $49.5 million from $16.2 million a year earlier, while capital expenditures were $37.5 million.
Equifax Inc. (EFX - Free Report) reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results. EFX’s adjusted earnings per share of $1.86 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.1% and increased 21.6% from the year-ago quarter. EFX’s revenues of $1.6 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by 2.3% and improved 14.4% year over year.
Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN - Free Report) posted impressive first-quarter 2026 results. WCN’s adjusted earnings of $1.23 per share outpaced the consensus mark by 3.4% and rose 8.9% from the year-ago quarter. WCN’s total revenues of $2.37 billion surpassed the consensus mark by 0.7% and increased 6.4% year over year.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
WEX's Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates on Higher Benefits Revenues
Key Takeaways
WEX Inc. (WEX - Free Report) delivered first-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings of $4.15 per diluted share, up 18.2% year over year and 3.8% above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.00. Revenues totaled $673.8 million, a 5.8% increase from the year-ago quarter and 0.9% ahead of the consensus estimate of $667.7 million.
Benefits stood out with faster growth, while total volume across all segments rose 7.5% to $58.1 billion.
WEX Segment Mix Shows Broad-Based Growth
Revenue growth in the first quarter was supported by contributions from all three operating segments. Mobility remained the largest unit, generating $344.6 million of revenues, up 3.2% from the prior-year period. Benefits revenues climbed 8.5% to $216.2 million, while Corporate Payments revenues advanced 9.3% to $113.0 million.
Operationally, WEX posted solid scale metrics across the portfolio. In Benefits, average Software-as-a-Service accounts increased 3.8% to 22.4 million, and average HSA custodial cash assets rose 11.8% to $5.2 billion. Corporate Payments delivered purchase volume of $17.9 billion, up 3.6%, and total volume processed of $34.2 billion, up 10.1%.
WEX Inc. Mobility Execution Offsets Market Noise
Mobility results reflected improved execution amid volatile fuel dynamics. Payment processing transactions decreased 3.0% to 130.4 million, but revenues still grew, supported by business actions and macro effects that were mixed across geographies.
WEX highlighted that higher U.S. fuel prices were a tailwind, but international fuel spreads were a headwind during the quarter. Within Mobility, the net interchange rate was 1.23%, down 10 basis points sequentially, which management attributed primarily to European market movements along with higher U.S. fuel prices.
WEX Profitability Reflects Credit Losses and AI Focus
On the bottom line, first-quarter fiscal 2026 GAAP net income was $2.22 per diluted share, up 22.7% from the prior-year period. Adjusted operating income margin was 36.2%, down from 36.7% a year ago, while GAAP operating income margin was 23.5% versus 24.7% in the year-ago quarter.
Management tied margin pressure primarily to higher credit losses, while underscoring internal productivity initiatives. On the earnings call, WEX discussed plans to deliver $50 million in cost-saving actions in 2026, including savings from automation and modernization, with part of the savings reinvested and the remainder expected to support margin performance.
WEX Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
WEX Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | WEX Inc. Quote
WEX Raises 2026 Outlook on Fuel Price Assumptions
Guidance moved higher following the strong start to the year. For the second quarter of fiscal 2026, WEX expects revenues of $727 million to $747 million and adjusted earnings of $4.93 to $5.13 per diluted share.
For full-year 2026, the company raised its outlook to revenues of $2.82 billion to $2.88 billion and adjusted earnings of $18.95 to $19.55 per diluted share. The updated guidance assumes average U.S. retail fuel prices of $4.30 per gallon in the second quarter and $3.70 for the full year, with management noting the guidance does not include potential future impacts from European fuel spreads.
WEX Cash Flow and Leverage Stay in Focus
The balance sheet remained a key investor focus area in the quarter. WEX ended March 31, 2026, with cash and cash equivalents of $633.5 million compared with $905.8 million at Dec. 31, 2025. Long-term debt, net, increased to $3.61 billion from $3.53 billion over the same period, and the leverage ratio, as defined in its Credit Agreement, stood at 3.1x at quarter end.
Cash flow was seasonally pressured. Net cash used for operating activities totaled $330.8 million in the first quarter versus $481.6 million in the year-ago period. Adjusted free cash flow improved to $49.5 million from $16.2 million a year earlier, while capital expenditures were $37.5 million.
Currently, WEX carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Recent Earnings Snapshots
Equifax Inc. (EFX - Free Report) reported better-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results. EFX’s adjusted earnings per share of $1.86 beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 10.1% and increased 21.6% from the year-ago quarter. EFX’s revenues of $1.6 billion surpassed the consensus estimate by 2.3% and improved 14.4% year over year.
Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN - Free Report) posted impressive first-quarter 2026 results. WCN’s adjusted earnings of $1.23 per share outpaced the consensus mark by 3.4% and rose 8.9% from the year-ago quarter. WCN’s total revenues of $2.37 billion surpassed the consensus mark by 0.7% and increased 6.4% year over year.