Cantor Fitzgerald Upgrades WEX (NYSE:WEX) to “Hold”

WEX (NYSE:WEX) was upgraded by investment analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of WEX from $195.00 to $175.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Bank of America raised WEX from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $178.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of WEX in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Wall Street Zen upgraded WEX from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 8th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on WEX from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 1st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and twelve have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, WEX presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $170.25.

WEX Price Performance

WEX opened at $154.71 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $152.92 and its 200 day moving average price is $158.24. WEX has a 12-month low of $110.45 and a 12-month high of $188.70. The firm has a market cap of $5.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.12, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.33.

WEX (NYSE:WEX) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, October 29th. The business services provider reported $4.59 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.45 by $0.14. WEX had a return on equity of 45.10% and a net margin of 10.81%.The company had revenue of $691.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $678.25 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $4.35 EPS. WEX’s revenue was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that WEX will post 14.09 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, COO Robert Joseph Deshaies sold 1,506 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.62, for a total value of $225,327.72. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 15,699 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,348,884.38. This represents a 8.75% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Stephen Montgomery Smith bought 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $144.25 per share, with a total value of $144,250.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 7,971 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,149,816.75. The trade was a 14.35% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of WEX. Quent Capital LLC purchased a new stake in WEX in the third quarter valued at $28,000. Steph & Co. purchased a new stake in shares of WEX in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. First Horizon Corp boosted its position in shares of WEX by 65.7% in the 4th quarter. First Horizon Corp now owns 237 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its stake in WEX by 368.1% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 220 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in WEX by 162.1% during the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 228 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 141 shares during the period. 97.47% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

WEX News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting WEX this week:

• Positive Sentiment: WEX launched a first‑of‑its‑kind fleet card that pays for both traditional fuel and public EV charging on a single card/account/invoice — a clear product differentiation that could expand addressable market and stickier customer relationships. WEX Unveils Fleet Card
• Positive Sentiment: WEX partnered with Nuvei to expand virtual card payments for the global travel industry — a distribution and revenue opportunity for WEX’s virtual card business that can drive volume and take rates over time. Nuvei and WEX Partner
• Neutral Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on WEX with a neutral/hold recommendation — this formal coverage can reduce upside momentum vs. prior expectations (neutral overall but increases near‑term sell‑side visibility). Cantor Fitzgerald Initiates Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: WEX is expected to report quarterly earnings next week; Wall Street projects year‑over‑year EPS growth but the report is a near‑term catalyst that could move the stock either way. Earnings Expected Next Week
• Negative Sentiment: A Zacks preview notes WEX may lack the two key ingredients that typically lead to an earnings beat, implying the upcoming report could disappoint relative to elevated expectations and pressuring the share price. Zacks Earnings Preview

WEX Company Profile

WEX Inc is a global financial technology company specializing in business payment solutions for fleet, travel, and corporate payments. The company delivers software-driven platforms and card-based services that help businesses automate payment processes, manage expenses and improve operational efficiency across a range of industries, including transportation, healthcare and government.

Founded in 1983 as Wright Express in Portland, Maine, the company began by offering fuel card services to trucking fleets.