The Western Union Company provides money movement and payment services worldwide. The company operates through Consumer Money Transfer and Consumer Services segments. The Consumer Money Transfer segment facilitates money transfers for international cross-border and intra-country transfers, primarily through a network of retail agent locations, as well as through websites and mobile devices. The Consumer Services segments offers bill payment services, which facilitate payments for consumers, businesses, and other organizations, as well as money order services, retail foreign exchange services, prepaid cards, lending partnerships, and digital wallets. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Western Union выглядит как зрелый бизнес с дешёвой оценкой по прибыли и денежному потоку, но с заметным давлением на качество баланса и прибыльность. P/E 6.68, P/S 0.74 и P/FCF 7.40 находятся ниже медианы отрасли, что поддерживает идею недооценки, однако P/B 3.13 существенно выше отрасли и намекает, что рынок уже платит за ограниченную, но стабильную капиталовую базу. Долговая нагрузка выглядит тяжёлой: debt/equity 2.88 значительно выше отраслевой медианы, а long-term debt остаётся высоким относительно equity, что ограничивает потенциал переоценки. Ликвидность формально приемлемая по current ratio 1.11, но quick ratio на нуле указывает на зависимость от специфики оборотного капитала и слабую подушку мгновенной ликвидности. Рентабельность капитала очень высокая по ROE и ROA, но динамика по годам ухудшается: ROE снизился с экстремальных уровней выше 100% до 47.96%, ROA — с 11.66% до 6.17%, а net profit margin упал до 10.89%. Это означает, что бизнес всё ещё зарабатывает хорошо, но тренд по эффективности уже не такой сильный, как раньше. Операционная маржа держится около 18.7% и выглядит устойчивее, чем чистая маржа, что частично смягчает картину. Выручка остаётся крупной и относительно стабильной, но без явного роста, а gross profit и EBITDA в последние периоды скорее колеблются, чем ускоряются. Чистая прибыль за последний период заметно ниже прошлых кварталов, что снижает уверенность в устойчивости текущего уровня EPS. Дивидендная доходность в последнем периоде обнулилась после уровней около 2.2–2.9%, и это ухудшает инвестиционную привлекательность для доходных портфелей. В сумме фундаментал поддерживает умеренно осторожный взгляд: оценка по прибыли и FCF выглядит привлекательной, но слабая динамика прибыли, высокая долговая нагрузка и ухудшение дивидендного профиля ограничивают апсайд. Для инвестора это скорее история о стабильном, но не растущем денежном генераторе, где справедливая оценка должна быть немного ниже текущего базового ориентира.

Western Union Company (The)

Сильный индекс, незначительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, slightly down. The bulls are confused.

Слабый индекс, значительно вырос. Рынок не поддерживает быков.

Weak index, significantly up. The market does not support the bulls.

Слабый индекс, незначительно вырос

Дешёвая по P/E и P/FCF, но с высоким долгом, слабее дивидендом и ухудшением прибыли; фундаментал скорее оправдывает умеренное снижение оценки.

Key Points
What previously required multi-step communications, relatively expensive infrastructure, and time can now be efficiently accomplished by the savvy use of mobile technology.
The transition in payment methods creates an opportunity for the right service provider to win market share.
Remitly’s recent fiscal performance is just a sampling of the strong growth it’s apt to achieve going forward.
If you've ever wired money overseas, you know it's not nearly as easy as using fintech platforms like Zelle or PayPal's (NASDAQ: PYPL) Venmo within the U.S. Indeed, moving money beyond the United States' border can be surprisingly complicated and time-consuming; these transactions are highly regulated.
Nevertheless, the need is there, with some estimates putting the outbound (from the U.S.) amount alone at around $200 billion per year.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Enter Remitly Global (NASDAQ: RELY).
Launched in 2012, the company got off to a seemingly slow start as an international remittance middleman between the United States and other parts of the world. Chalk it up to the newness of the premise, mostly. At that point, bank wires and platforms like Western Union (NYSE: WU) were the established option, despite steep fees and slow turnaround times. This market wasn't quite ready for a mobile app then, and, to be fair, Remitly's earliest app iteration wasn't nearly as capable as it is today. Now, its platform can send money to and from over 175 countries.
And it's increasingly doing just that at an accelerating growth pace.
Well-earned growth
Remitly's recent results speak volumes about the fintech company's growing reach. Last quarter, 9.6 million customers used the Remitly app to send $22.1 billion across borders, generating nearly $453 million in revenue for the company. Those numbers are up 20%, 37%, and 25% (respectively) year over year, extending last year's top-line growth of 29%. The company's now firmly profitable too, improving its quarterly net income by 332%, from $11.4 million in Q1 of last year to $49.1 million for the three months ending in March.
What's driving this progress? Simplicity, mostly. Sending money across any border still requires extensive disclosure and permissions. Remitly just builds much of this logistical work into the app itself, without the need for a brick-and-mortar station to assist customers with the process.
The company also enjoys scale and can afford to cost-effectively handle the currencies that its customers may need to convert money to or from, and passes along these savings to its users.
More than anything, the app just works, earning 4.9 stars in Apple's App Store and 4.8 stars on Android. Remitly's platform reliably -- and easily -- does what consumers have struggled to efficiently get done before.
There's plenty more upside ahead, too. Mordor Intelligence suggests the worldwide remittance industry is poised to grow at an average annualized rate of 12.4% through 2031. It's an evolving business; however, that's also ripe for disruption by a new information technology name like Remitly.
Analysts see something most investors don't yet
So, yes, Remitly stock could be a long-term winner. Just note that the stock's been stagnant since early 2022, shortly after peaking in 2021 following its IPO. Most investors remain on the fence. They'll need to get on board if the stock's going to climb.
Analysts aren't undecided, though. All of them covering this stock rate it a strong buy, with a consensus price target of $28.25 -- which is 50% above this ticker's present price. That's not a bad way to start out a new trade.
Should you buy stock in Remitly Global right now?
Before you buy stock in Remitly Global, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Remitly Global wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $443,191!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,258,838!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 941% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of June 8, 2026.
James Brumley has positions in Alphabet. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, and PayPal. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short June 2026 $50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Remitly Is Disrupting Cross-Border Payments. Is the Stock a Long-Term Winner?

Key Points
Solana's speed made it famous, but its continued innovation and development are what give it staying power.
Solana has captured a solid share of the decentralized finance, stablecoin, and tokenization markets.
Crypto price slumps can be an opportunity to pick up undervalued altcoins.
The total cryptocurrency market cap is $2.5 trillion at the time of this writing on June 2. It has fallen almost 30% in the past year and is a long way from last year's high of over $4.3 trillion, making it hard to imagine when the next bull run might come.
However, not only does history tell us that prices are likely to recover, but the price slump also belies the regulatory and systemic shifts that have taken place in the past few years, making blockchain fundamentals the strongest they've ever been.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
When prices do rebound, Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) is well-positioned to outperform, making it a good cryptocurrency investment. Here's why it is my pick for the next crypto bull run.
Two reasons why Solana could soar
Solana has the reputation, staying power, and proven capabilities to succeed. In addition to its speed, which sets it apart from other blockchains, it has developed resilience and built crucial commercial partnerships.
1. It has established its credentials, but still has room to grow
The best altcoins -- like Solana -- occupy the sweet spot between risk and reward: They are established enough to reduce some of the risk but still small enough to have serious growth potential. For example, Solana's market cap is around $46 billion -- about 20% of Ethereum's (CRYPTO: ETH). It is also one of the few top cryptocurrencies from five years ago that have significantly increased in value. Solana has gained more than 160% since June 1, 2021.
Its credentials go further than price performance. Only Ethereum and Bitcoin have more full-time developers working on their ecosystems. It has been battle-tested, processing a record of over 110 million transactions in a single day in February. For context, Ethereum processes between 2 million and 4 million a day. And it keeps improving -- the upcoming Alpenglow upgrade aims to make it faster and more reliable. These are all signals that Solana can go higher.
2. It is emerging as a credible alternative to Ethereum
Solana is fast enough to rival traditional payment processors. According to research from The Motley Fool, it has near-instant settlement, and transaction fees are a fraction of a cent. That makes it ideally suited for volume-heavy applications like payments, trading, artificial intelligence agents, and more.
Although Ethereum still dominates, accounting for over 50% of funds deposited on decentralized finance platforms, Solana has edged out many competitors. It is in third place in terms of funds on its ecosystem, issuance of stablecoins, and total tokenized assets, all of which will be crucial to any mainstream adoption and fuel future growth.
It may look like Solana's taking a lot of bronze medals without any clear wins. Still, I see that as a sign of all-around strength, particularly as Solana has several stablecoin partnerships with traditional financial firms. Western Union built its stablecoin on Solana, while SoFi launched on Solana and Ethereum.
Solana has the potential to shine again
All altcoins face challenges. For Solana, which experienced outages in its early years, any new technical issues would hamper its growth. However, it seems to have put those initial issues behind it with recent upgrades focused on resilience and security.
Slow regulatory progress and an inflationary macroeconomic backdrop will likely pressure crypto prices in the near term. When the next bull run comes, Solana could soar once again.
Should you buy stock in Solana right now?
Before you buy stock in Solana, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Solana wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $443,191!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,258,838!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 941% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of June 6, 2026.
Emma Newbery has positions in Ethereum and Solana. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

My Top Altcoin Pick for the Next Crypto Bull Run

Key Points
Remitly was once deeply unprofitable, but its profits are now soaring.
Its user growth, AI upgrades, and expanding ecosystem are boosting its margins.
Remitly (NASDAQ: RELY), a digitally native provider of cross-border remittance services, went public in Sept. 2021. At the time, it lacked a clear path to profitability. But in 2023, its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) turned positive.
In 2025, it turned profitable by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Its rising profits led to its inclusion in the S&P SmallCap 600 index this May.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Remitly's revenue to grow at a 19% CAGR, as its adjusted EBITDA and GAAP EPS increase at CAGRs of 30% and 54%, respectively. Let's see why Remitly's profits are soaring -- and if it can maintain that momentum for the foreseeable future.
Why are Remitly's profits rising?
Remitly generates most of its revenue by buying currencies at cheaper "interbank" rates and selling them back to its users at a markup. It also charges transaction fees for each transfer.
Even with those markups, which kept its take rate above 2%, Remitly couldn't initially turn a profit because its operating costs were too high. But as it gained more users, economies of scale kicked in, diluting those expenses. From 2021 to 2025, its year-end active customer base expanded from 2.8 million to 9.3 million, its send volume jumped from $20.4 billion to $74.9 billion, and its annual revenue more than tripled from $459 million to $1.64 billion.
Yet that was only half the story. As Remitly expanded, it prioritized growth among higher-value senders, integrated its remittance services into Meta's WhatsApp, and expanded its ecosystem through its Flex (send now, pay later) and Business platforms. It also used AI-powered fraud-detection tools to minimize fraud across its platform and replaced most of its customer service teams with automated systems.
But can Remitly maintain that momentum?
Remitly's business is firing on all cylinders, but it faces plenty of competition from traditional money transfer leaders like Western Union and MoneyGram. Stablecoins like Tether and USD Coin, which enable cross-border transfers at much faster, cheaper rates, could also pose a long-term threat.
However, Remity's existing partnerships with banks, stores, and popular apps could still give it a last-mile advantage against those competitors in cross-border payments. Its low enterprise value of $3.6 billion could also make it a tempting takeover target for a bigger fintech company.
If Remitly maintains its current momentum, expands into more countries, and gains millions of new users as it rolls out new services, its revenue and profits will continue to rise. If you expect that to happen, then it's still a screaming bargain at nine times this year's adjusted EBITDA.
Should you buy stock in Remitly Global right now?
Before you buy stock in Remitly Global, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Remitly Global wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $462,983!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,375,447!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 995% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 212% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of June 3, 2026.
Leo Sun has positions in Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Remitly's Path to Profitability Is Becoming Clearer. Here's What's Driving It.

Let's capitalize on analyst incompetence--and bank yields up to 18.3%, with upside to boot!
A widely cited academic study on analyst target price accuracy found that only about 54% of 12-month price targets correctly predicted even the direction of the subsequent price move.
Fifty-four percent. On direction alone. That's barely better than a coin flip!
Analysts give specific price targets to stocks like they are scripture. In reality, they don't even know if the thing is going to move up or down.
And it gets uglier. A 2024 Yale School of Management study found that analysts systematically delay downgrading stocks after bad news--to curry favor with the companies they cover. The suits aren't just bad at predicting stock moves. They're deliberately stalling their warnings to protect their banking relationships.
Put those two facts together and the picture is clear. Wall Street "research" is a farce. Which is exactly why it works so well as a contrarian indicator!
When Wall Street's collective price target sits below the stock's current price, that's not a signal to sell. That's a signal that full pessimism is baked in! All it takes is one decent earnings report and the stock gaps higher while the research machine scrambles to reload.
Today we'll review five hated dividend payers with yields of 6.7% to 18.3% with the potential to rally when analysts change their tune.
Virtus Investment Partners (VRTS)
Dividend Yield: 6.7%
Let's start with Virtus Investment Partners (VRTS), an investment manager that provides mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds (CEFs), insurance funds, separately managed accounts and more.
This is no Vanguard or Fidelity. Its $160 billion or so in assets under management (AUM) is a fraction of what the big boys handle, and most readers might not recognize the name.
But Virtus still stands out because of its structure. It's a partnership of numerous boutique investment advisers, which means different funds under the Virtus name are often managed by different groups.
This company peaked in late 2021 amid the broader market's roaring recovery. Since then, however, it has lost nearly 60% of its value, reflecting slowdowns on both the top and bottom lines. This year might not be any different, with the pros looking for single-digit declines in both revenues and profits.
Part of the issue has been weak performance in some of Virtus' most important funds. But there's also the overall nature of its products--Virtus is a predominantly actively managed (read: higher-fee) outfit in an age when most investors are looking for passive, low-fee ways to invest.
Wall Street's not high on this stock as a result. A common thread among hated stocks is that they're also poorly covered stocks--many analysts prefer to simply drop coverage of a company rather than irk management by telling people to sell. That's the case with VRTS, which has just four covering analysts. One says it's a Buy, one calls it a Hold, and the other two are Sells. For however tame that might sound, that's an ugly split in the stock-research world.
Virtus does have a handful of contrarian appeals, though.
Shares trade for a paper-thin 5.5 times next year's earnings estimates. The dividend has exploded by more than 400% over the past decade, and that includes a near-doubling over the past five years alone. That payout is safe, too, at less than 40% of next year's earnings. And the company has made numerous acquisitions (such as Alphasimplex, AGI and Stone Harbor) in hopes of sparking longer-term growth.
Alexander's (ALX)
Dividend Yield: 7.6%
Alexander's (ALX) is a REIT that operates exclusively in the greater New York City metropolitan area. It's technically classified as an office landlord, though its properties also include retail and residential space. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO), which predominantly operates in the Big Apple (but also owns one property in each of Chicago and San Francisco), owns a 32.4% stake and also manages the company, which means ALX owes it annual management fees and occasionally development fees.
The most important thing to know about Alexander's is just how concentrated it is. ALX has just five properties under its umbrella--and it's about to be four. In March, the company entered an agreement to sell its Rego Park I property to Northwell Health for $202 million in net proceeds.
So, in a nutshell:
Alexander's already-tiny real estate roster is somehow getting smaller.
Despite its small portfolio, the company still has external management expenses.
ALX earned $10.82 per share over the trailing 12 months and is expected to earn $12.08 per share across 2026, but it's on pace to pay out almost 50% more than that ($18 per share) in dividends.
Shares trade around 19 times next year's AFFO estimates.
The stock is down to one lone analyst who says we should Sell.
No Greatness From Alexander's Since Its Last Dividend Hike in 2018
I pointed out Alexander's loathed status on Wall Street back in November. Since then, it has put together a 15% gain, but it has done so by fattening an already hefty valuation.
If ALX continues to rise from here, it will be defying gravity--and sanity.
ConAgra Brands (CAG)
Dividend Yield: 10.0%
Companies selling pantry and household basics are not popular right now. I recently highlighted how sector-wide pain had driven up consumer staples yields, but it's not just shareholders who are selling--analysts think we should unload those stocks, too. Wall Street's most-hated list includes a ton of sector names, including Kraft Heinz (KHC), Campbell's Soup (CPB) and General Mills (GIS), the last of which I identified as a prime GLP-1 victim.
But the worst-rated of the group right now is Conagra Brands (CAG), which has gone from a reasonably high yielder to a sky-high payday for the wrong reason: a multiyear cratering in shares.
CAG Is Paying 2x Its Historical Dividend Ceiling
Conagra owns a broad portfolio of packaged food brands, including Banquet, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Vlasic, Duncan Hines, Slim Jim, Reddi-Wip, and more. It also has a foodservice business that offers more diversification than most grocery-anchored staples names.
But it has been taking blows from all sides: GLP-1 adoption. Soaring input costs. Cuts to SNAP. Encroachment by private-label brands. Its top and bottom lines have been contracting, and the pros expect more of the same over the next couple years.
Understandably, the pros don't love it. A dozen analysts covering Conagra say investors should stay on the sidelines; two call it a Buy, and four say it's a Sell. Consider this a "bearish Hold"; analysts overcorrect toward being bullish, which means even Holds have a negative connotation, making this a very bearish consensus.
The dividend is in doubt. The payout represents about 80% of next year's (lower) earnings estimates, which by itself doesn't signal an immediate threat--plenty of defensive companies can manage at that level. However, 1.) it doesn't give CAG much room to explore M&A to reposition its portfolio, and 2.) that's well above Conagra's stated target ratio range of 50% to 55%.
Western Union (WU)
Dividend Yield: 10.5%
Western Union (WU) was founded as a telegraph service, and its core business today is money transfers in an age of PayPal and Venmo.
It seems like such a dead company from 10,000 feet that Wall Street's view--it has 10 Holds, just 1 Buy, and six Sells on the stock--almost seems too optimistic.
But credit where credit is due: Western Union has been scrapping hard to remain relevant.
Its "Evolve 2025" initiative is standard corporate fare: new products and improvements, as well as operational efficiencies.
However, in April 2025, it spent $77 million on foreign-exchange specialist Eurochange to further expand its "Travel Money" unit.
It made a bigger splash that summer with a $500 million acquisition of Miami-based International Money Express (IMXI), aka Intermex, which serves some 6 million customers who send money from the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries. (The deal is expected to close in mid-2026.)
WU has also begun to lean heavily into digital assets. It very recently launched its own "USDPT" stablecoin alongside its Digital Asset Network, the latter of which will help people with partnered cryptocurrency wallets cash out across Western Union's network of 380,000 agents. A Visa-branded prepaid USD "stable card" is expected to launch later this year, will let consumers hold value in Western Union's USDPT and spend it globally.
The question is whether all of this will help counter the secular decline of its cash-based money-transfer business. One promising sign? Revenues are expected to improve by mid-single-digits this year and next, and while profits are expected to remain virtually flat for the fourth straight year, the pros now see a 10% bump in the bottom line for 2027.
Can Western Union Finally Stop the Long Bleed?
Prospect Capital (PSEC)
Dividend Yield: 18.3%
Prospect Capital (PSEC) has a lot of headline stats that are hard to ignore. It pays more than 18% right now. It's a monthly dividend stock, to boot. And it trades at a wild 60% discount to its net asset value (NAV), making it one of the cheapest business development companies (BDCs) on the market.
On the other hand ...
4 Dividend Cuts and Barely Breakeven Returns in 12 Years
It was already a miserable history to overcome, and it got even worse of late, with Prospect Capital taking another slice out of its dividend in early May.
Wall Street is fed up. Only one analyst covers PSEC anymore, and they think we're better off without it.
However, despite its steep losses of the past few years, PSEC is still one of the larger BDCs by both market cap ($1.2 billion) and net assets ($3 billion).
Prospect has a diverse portfolio of 89 companies across 31 industries, though I should point out that's a couple dozen fewer investments than it had less than a year ago. The company is in the midst of trying to transform its portfolio--it has been increasing its first lien mix (72%) and reducing its second lien senior and secured loans (12.4% of the portfolio at cost). It has also fully unloaded its CLO equity portfolio and exited several real estate properties.
PSEC is also much more defensively positioned for the current market moment, with just 3% software-industry exposure versus a peer average of 23%.
These moves might eventually bear fruit, but Prospect Capital is a "show me" stock given its past, and so far, it's not showing much. PSEC has reported year-over-year declines in quarterly net interest income across all three quarters of its current fiscal year, it's pacing for an 8% drop in profits for the full year, and its cash payout has been cut down yet again.
Monthly Dividends of 9%+ We Can Actually Count On!
Rock-solid 2% or 3% yielders are a dime a dozen. It's easy to pay a modest dividend without breaking the bank.
We have to be a lot more selective about sky-high payers like we discussed above. Far fewer companies can pay us 8%, 9% or more, and some of them are very dangerous dividend landmines just waiting to blow up your portfolio.
But not all of them.
If you're a long-term investor who wants those juicy payouts coming in month after month, you'd be hard-pressed to find better picks than the low-drama high yielders in my "9%+ Monthly Payer Portfolio."
The name is all about yield and income frequency, but my research is about collecting those paychecks without losing a wink of sleep. I've searched far and wide to find true "Steady Eddie" holdings that aren't stretching to write those checks--these are well-covered dividends.
You also won't need to worry about bleeding your nest egg dry. While many retirement plans require you to tap your savings over time, the income this portfolio can generate is so rich, it can sustain a retirement on dividends alone.
Here's the math: A mere $600,000 nest egg--less than half of what most financial gurus insist you need to retire--put to work in this powerful portfolio could generate a $54,000 annual income stream.
That's $4,500 every month in regular income checks!
Even better? While the current bull run to record highs has many stocks priced for perfection, many of these monthly dividend stocks still remain in our "buy zone" ... but they might not be for much longer. So click here to learn everything you need about these generous monthly dividend payers right now!
Also see:
Warren Buffett Dividend Stocks
Dividend Growth Stocks: 25 Aristocrats
Future Dividend Aristocrats: Close Contenders
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is Wall Street's Trash Our Treasure? 5 Outcasts Yielding up to 18.3%

Key Points
Solana is experiencing falling prices and legal problems.
Both of those things will probably resolve at some point.
Financial institutions onboarding to the chain is a bright spot right now.
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) has shed about 48% of its value in just the last six months. The meme coin frenzy that once powered Solana's trading activity has become a reputational liability, and the broader crypto sell-off since October 2025 has compounded the damage substantially.
But declaring the blockchain a lost cause as an investment would be hasty. The network's technical roadmap and institutional partnerships tell a more complex story than the price chart suggests. Here's what's dragging the coin down, and what could pull it back up over the next couple of years.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
The meme coin shadow isn't fading quickly
Much of Solana's pain traces back to Pump.fun, the meme coin launchpad project that became the network's most visible product.
Pump.fun has facilitated the launch of over 11.9 million meme tokens since its inception in 2024, but, at least according to blockchain analytics company Solidus Labs, approximately 98.6% of those showed rug-pull behavior, the unethical but common practice of creators draining liquidity and leaving buyers with worthless coins. A federal court has since approved a class action lawsuit against Pump.fun, Solana Labs, and other linked projects, alleging market manipulation at the network level.
So there's now a significant legal problem as well as an unsavory and unserious reputation weighing Solana down. Both could take years to fully resolve.
The financial consequences might not be favorable; spot Solana exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which launched in late 2025, saw total net assets peak above $1.2 billion in January, before collapsing and then eventually recovering to just $937.8 million by May 8. Total value locked (TVL) in decentralized finance (DeFi) on the chain has declined from a September 2025 all-time high of $13 billion to around $5.5 billion as of this writing.
When a blockchain's most prominent applications are associated with fraud, real capital tends to stay away.
The infrastructure is still first-class
The appeal of Solana's technology hasn't collapsed alongside its price. If anything, it's getting better, which is attracting important businesses to the chain.
Western Union is launching a dollar-backed stablecoin on the chain, and J.P.Morgan Chase's asset management arm is developing a stablecoin reserve infrastructure on Solana. These are two signals about the future of cryptocurrency infrastructure that have nothing at all to do with meme coin speculation.
Of course, these players building on Solana don't make the coin a comfortable purchase today. The legal risks from the Pump.fun lawsuit are real, and the coin has demonstrated it can fall much further than most holders anticipate. For investors weighing whether cryptocurrency is a good investment, Solana lands near the riskier end of the spectrum.
But a coin attracting this caliber of institutional engagement isn't heading toward zero. There's a credible path to recovery, so don't give up on Solana.
Should you buy stock in Solana right now?
Before you buy stock in Solana, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Solana wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $471,827!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,319,291!*
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*Stock Advisor returns as of May 9, 2026.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Alex Carchidi has positions in Solana. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase and Solana. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Down 48% in 6 Months, Is There Any Hope for Solana?

Key Points
The firm added 738,789 shares of Western Union.
At quarter-end, the fund holds nearly 1.1 million valued at $9.5 million
The new stake represents 2.3 of the fund's AUM.
According to an SEC filing dated April 24, TSP Capital Management Group, LLC disclosed a buy of Western Union (NYSE:WU) shares.
Added 738,789 shares of Western Unio
Post-trade, the fund holds 1,091,864 shares valued at $9.5 million
The new stake represents 2.3% of the fund’s AUM, which places it outside the fund's top five holdings
What else to know
Top holdings after the filing:
NYSE: CDE: $32.6 million (8.0% of AUM)
NYSE: BVN: $25.0 million (6.1% of AUM)
NASDAQ: ADEA: $24.3 million (5.9% of AUM)
NYSEMKT: TMQ: $24.2 million (5.9% of AUM)
NYSE: CIG: $21.8 million (5.3% of AUM)
Company overview
Revenue (TTM)
$4.0 billion
Net income (TTM)
$440.8 million
Dividend yield
10.6%
Price (as of market close April 24)
$8.90
Company snapshot
Western Union provides international money transfer and payment services, operating through a broad agent network and digital platforms. It seeks to use its scale and established brand to enable efficient cross-border transactions for both consumers and businesses.
Offers global money transfer, payment, and foreign exchange services, including consumer-to-consumer transfers, business payments, bill payment, and money orders.
Serves individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, and organizations requiring cross-border or domestic money movement solutions.
Generates revenue primarily from transaction fees and foreign exchange spreads, leveraging a network of agents, digital channels, and business partnerships.
What this transaction means for investors
TSP Capital aggressively purchased Western Union shares in the first quarter. The firm tripled its share ownership to nearly 1.1 million shares. With a $9.5 million value as of March 31, the stake represented 2.3% of its reported AUM.
This confidence comes as Western Union shares haven’t performed well over the last year. Through April 24, the stock price lost 12.2%. That severely underperformed the S&P 500 index’s 29.7% gain.
The company does have a large dividend yield, helping produce a better total return. Still, Western Union’s 2.5% loss after factoring in dividends pales in comparison to the S&P 500’s 31.3% return.
Western Union’s stock current yield 10.6%. Still, with a payout ratio of 95%, the company will have to grow revenue and profits over time. Otherwise, investors, who have seen steady dividend payouts, could face the prospect of a lower payment down the line.
Should you buy stock in Western Union right now?
Before you buy stock in Western Union, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Western Union wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $498,522!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,276,807!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 983% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of April 26, 2026.
Lawrence Rothman, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

TSP Capital Triples Western Union Equity Ownership

The Western Union Company WU reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 25 cents, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 37.5%. The bottom line declined 39% year over year.
Total revenues were $982.7 million, which marginally declined from the prior-year period's level. However, the top line beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.7%.
Higher operating expenses, along with a sharp decline in operating income and margin compression across both segments, weighed on first-quarter earnings. Lower fixed cost coverage in owned locations, vendor incentive timing and FX movement also affected the bottom line. The downside was partly offset by resilient revenues and strong growth in the Branded Digital and Travel Money business expansion.
The Western Union Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Q1 Performance of WU
Adjusted operating margin fell 600 bps to 13%, caused by higher North America expenses, foreign currency headwinds, and weaker fixed cost coverage in owned locations.
Total expenses rose 7% year over year to $859.7 million. The year-over-year increase resulted from the higher cost of services and SG&A expenses.
Operating income of $123 million declined 31% year over year and lagged our estimate of $169 million.
Segment Analysis of WU
The Consumer Money Transfer segment recorded revenues of $845.4 million in the first quarter, which slipped 3.2% year over year. The figure exceeded both the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $836.2 million and our model estimates of $838.6 million.
Operating income declined 31% year over year to $110.5 million. The metric missed the consensus mark of $144.8 million and our estimate of $141.5 million. The operating income margin declined 500 bps year over year to 13%.
Transactions within the CMT segment, on an adjusted basis excluding Iraq, dipped 6% year over year. There was 21% transaction growth in the Branded Digital business. Branded Digital revenues, which accounted for 32% of CMT’s first-quarter revenues, rose 9% on a reported basis and 6% on an adjusted basis.
The Consumer Services segment’s revenues rose 24% year over year on a reported basis and 33% on an adjusted basis, reaching $137.3 million in the quarter. Growth was driven by the expansion of the Travel Money business and increased revenues from the bill payment segment. The metric beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $130.9 million.
Operating income totaled $16.2 million, which decreased 40% year over year. The metric missed the consensus mark as well as our estimate. The operating income margin declined 1,200 bps year over year to 12%.
WU’s Financial Position (As of March 31, 2026)
Western Union exited the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $909.2 million, which decreased from the 2025-end level of $1.2 billion. Total assets of $8.1 billion declined from $8.3 billion at 2025-end.
Borrowings totaled $2.6 billion, down from $2.9 billion at 2025-end.
Total stockholders’ equity declined to $910.5 million from $957.8 million at the end of 2025.
WU generated net cash from operations of $109 million in the first quarter, down from $148.2 million in the year-ago period.
Western Union’s Capital Deployment
Western Union rewarded its shareholders with $74 million in dividends and share buybacks worth $45 million in the first quarter of 2026.
WU’s 2026 View
Management reaffirmed its guidance for 2026. Adjusted revenue growth is expected to be between 6% and 9%.
Adjusted EPS is forecasted to be in the range of $1.75-$1.85, the mid-point of which indicates a 2.9% improvement from the 2025 reported figure of $1.75.
GAAP EPS is currently forecasted to be in the band of $1.50-$1.60, the mid-point of which implies 2% growth from the 2025 figure of $1.52.
WU’s Zacks Rank & Key Picks
WU currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Business Services space are Dave Inc. DAVE,GigaCloud Technology Inc. GCT, and GDS Holdings Limited GDS, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dave’s first-quarter 2026 earnings is pinned at $2.84 per share and has witnessed one upward revision over the past 60 days against one movement in the opposite direction. Dave beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 54.2%. The consensus estimate for first-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $146.1 million, implying 35.3% year-over-year growth.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GigaCloud Technology’s first-quarter 2026 earnings is pinned at 87 cents per share and has witnessed one upward revision over the past 60 days, against no movement in the opposite direction. GigaCloud Technology beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 64.5%. The consensus estimate for first-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $344.9 million, implying 26.8% year-over-year growth.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GDS Holdings’ first-quarter 2026 earnings is pinned at $1.06 per share and has witnessed one upward revision in the past 60 days, against no movement in the opposite direction. GDS beat earnings estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 678.4%. The consensus estimate for first-quarter 2026 revenues is pegged at $440.7 million, implying 17.4% year-over-year growth.
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WU Q1 Earnings Miss Estimates on Higher Costs & Incentive Timing

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Western Union WU Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript

Western Union (WU) reported $982.7 million in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year decline of 0.1%. EPS of $0.25 for the same period compares to $0.41 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $966.24 million, representing a surprise of +1.7%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -37.2%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.40.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how Western Union performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Consumer Money Transfer transactions - Total: 71.1 million compared to the 71.02 million average estimate based on four analysts.
Consumer Money Transfer - Cross-border principal: 27 billion compared to the 27.57 billion average estimate based on two analysts.
Revenue- Consumer Services: $137.3 million versus $130.86 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +24% change.
Revenue- Consumer Money Transfer: $845.4 million compared to the $836.24 million average estimate based on five analysts. The reported number represents a change of -3.2% year over year.
Segment Operating Income (Loss)- Consumer Services: $16.2 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $31.49 million.
Segment Operating Income (Loss)- Consumer Money Transfer: $110.5 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $144.8 million.
Shares of Western Union have returned +4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +8.1% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
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Just released: Experts distill 7 elite stocks from the current list of 220 Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys. They deem these tickers "Most Likely for Early Price Pops."
Since 1988, the full list has beaten the market more than 2X over with an average gain of +23.9% per year. So be sure to give these hand picked 7 your immediate attention.
See them now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Western Union (WU) Q1 Earnings: How Key Metrics Compare to Wall Street Estimates

Western Union (WU) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.25 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.4 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.41 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of -37.20%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this money transfer company would post earnings of $0.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.45, delivering a surprise of +4.65%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.
Western Union, which belongs to the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, posted revenues of $982.7 million for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.70%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $983.6 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates two times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
Western Union shares have added about 0.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 3.8%.
What's Next for Western Union?
While Western Union has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Western Union was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.45 on $1.05 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $1.79 on $4.18 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Financial Transaction Services is currently in the bottom 39% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Another stock from the same industry, Green Dot (GDOT), has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026.
This bank holding company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.87 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -17.9%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days.
Green Dot's revenues are expected to be $597 million, up 7.4% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in The Western Union Company (WU)?
Before you invest in The Western Union Company (WU), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
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The Western Union Company (WU) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Western Union Company (The)

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