Earnings · $V
Visa Tops Fourth-Quarter Estimates but Shares Slip on Slower 2027 Outlook
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Revenue rose 13% to $12.1 billion on strong cross-border travel spending, while guidance pointed to cooler earnings growth next year.
By Emmanuel Cruz ·
Visa reported fiscal fourth-quarter results after the bell on Tuesday that edged past Wall Street forecasts, but its shares slipped in extended trading as investors focused on a forecast for slower earnings growth in the year ahead.
For the three months ended September 30, the payments network posted net revenue of $12.1 billion, up 13% from a year earlier [1]. Adjusted earnings came to $3.48 a share, up 17%, while earnings under standard accounting rules rose 22% to $3.19 a share [1]. Analysts had expected adjusted earnings of $3.44 a share on revenue of $12.09 billion [2], so the beat was modest on both lines.
The underlying activity numbers showed consumers still spending steadily. Payments volume grew 9% in constant dollars, processed transactions rose 10% to 74.2 billion, and cross-border volume excluding transactions within Europe increased 14% [1]. Newsquawk noted that processed transactions also came in slightly above an expected 73.98 billion, and described the pattern as consistent with steady rather than accelerating consumer spending [3].
Reuters attributed the quarter's strength to resilient U.S. spending on travel, shopping and dining, supported by a solid job market and rising wages [4]. The FIFA World Cup, held from June 11 to July 19, also brought large numbers of visitors to the United States and lifted network activity [4]. Newsquawk flagged cross-border growth as the figure that matters most for read-throughs to rival networks and travel-related companies [3].
For the full fiscal year, net revenue climbed 15% to $45.9 billion and adjusted earnings per share rose 16% to $13.27 [1]. Chief Executive Ryan McInerney said Visa "delivered a milestone year" [1].
The company also leaned further into returning cash to shareholders. It raised its quarterly dividend by 16% to 78 cents a share, payable December 1, and bought back about 11 million shares for $4.0 billion in the quarter [1]. Across the year, dividends and buybacks totaled $25.6 billion, and $24.4 billion remained under its repurchase authorization as of September 30 [1].
The outlook is what drew attention in after-hours trading. Visa said it expects net revenue growth in the low double digits in fiscal 2027 and adjusted earnings per share growth of low double digits to low teens [2][4]. That points to a slowdown from the 16% earnings growth it just delivered [2]. Shares fell 2.3% in after-hours trading, according to Investing.com [2], after having gained 14.6% this year before the report [4].
Visa's report is an early read on consumer health heading into the holiday season. Investors will next look for detail from management on the earnings call about travel trends and how it framed its 2027 range [3]. Mastercard, Visa's closest rival, is scheduled to report quarterly results later this week [4], offering a second look at global card spending.
Sources:
[1] Visa Inc. via Stock Titan, "Visa Fiscal Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2026 Financial Results", October 27, 2026. https://www.stocktitan.net/news/V/visa-fiscal-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2026-financial-ca0jbsndz69c.html
[2] Investing.com, "Visa shares fall as weak 2027 outlook overshadows fourth-quarter earnings beat", October 27, 2026. https://www.investing.com/news/earnings/visa-q4-revenue-rises-13-as-payment-volumes-remain-strong-4976751
[3] Newsquawk, "Visa (V) Q4 2026 (USD): Adj. EPS 3.48 (exp. 3.44), Revenue 12.1bln (exp. 12.09bln), Adj. net income 6.6bln (exp. 6.48bln); raises dividend 16% to 0.78/shr", October 27, 2026. https://www.newsquawk.com/headlines/visa-v-q4-2026-usd-adj-eps-348-exp-344-revenue-121bln-exp-1209bln
[4] Reuters via Investing.com, "Visa quarterly profit jumps as consumer spending holds up", October 27, 2026. https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/visa-quarterly-profit-rises-on-resilient-consumer-spending-4976822
This article was produced with AI assistance. It is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. StockVolt and its authors may hold positions in securities mentioned.