Should I buy, hold, or sell WU stock right now?

Western Union Company (WU) currently earns a Roarable Rating of D+ (Sell — SELL) with 52/100 RQD Confidence. Stretched risk/reward at 4x P/E (85% return on capital) under elevated 10-year interest-rate pressure.

What is WU's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

WU's 12-month base price target is $6.12 (range $4.77 to $10.87), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Stock Ratings / Consumer Discretionary / WU

TIC (47) FLYW (64) PAYO (67) RDWR (58) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Western Union Company (WU) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

$6.29 +2.11% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $6.30

Western Union Company (WU) carries a Roarable Rating of D+ (Sell) with 52/100 RQD Confidence due to weak cash-flow efficiency and sensitivity to current interest rates. Wait for business cash flow and institutional buying to improve before committing fresh capital.

ROARABLE D+ • SELL / AVOID Cap $1.92B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on WU Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is WU stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

▼

As of 2026-11-03, Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is rated D+ (Sell / SELL) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 52/100 at a spot price of $6.29 (+2.11% 1D, market cap $1.92B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 16/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 6/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 10/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 7/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 13/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, WU ranks #503 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does WU compare to TIC and FLYW in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

▼

Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Business Services), WU carries a Roarable D+ (52/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 3.9x, gross margin of 34.3%, and ROIC of 85.0%. By comparison, TIC (TIC Solutions Inc.) holds a D grade (47/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC -0.4%, cap $2.19B) and FLYW (Flywire Corporation Voting) posts a C grade (64/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC 1.8%, cap $2.40B). Among the 5-stock peer group, WU leads on earnings multiple (3.9x) while WU leads on capital efficiency (85.0% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for WU?

▼

Per WU's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001365135), Western Union Company generated $3.88B in revenue (-3.7% YoY), $499.6M in net income, and $505.2M in free cash flow against $8.31B in total assets and $0 in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (34.3% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks. Primary risk factors monitored: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $6.30 (+0.19%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-1.52% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 16/20 (B+) • 13% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 52/100 (D+) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (-1.1% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 50.1% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERSELL / AVOID • D+

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bearish Warning

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw D+ · Rk D-

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE-2.7% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for WU)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±6%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (52/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY WU SCORES 52/100 (D+) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Cash Engine Quality+16/20 pts (31% of score)

SEC XBRL FY 2025 (10-K): 13% FCF Margin ($505.2M FCF) & 34.3% Gross Margin

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+13/20 pts (25% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 65% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-1.52% YoY Shares)

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Whale & Options Positioning6/20 pts (-14 pt drag)

Put hedging (50% put share) caps near-term gamma upside (-14 pts vs max)

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade D$6.10+1.8% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade D$6.21-3.5% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade D$5.99+5% Next Q

Current

Grade D+$6.29-1.1% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: D (44) → D+ (52)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)CONTRARIAN TURNAROUND & SHORT-SQUEEZE DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: What Could Spark a WU Turnaround Squeeze

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

While WU currently carries a cautious 52/100 (D+) rating due to Whale & Options Positioning (6/20), shorts face asymmetric squeeze risk if free cash flow inflects or management executes accretive buybacks.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #1

Strong cash generator (34.3% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #2

Options & Short-Covering Gamma: Reclaiming the 50-day SMA ($6.45) and Max Pain ($6.60) forces dealer call-delta covering toward $10.87.

🚀 Contrarian Squeeze Trigger #3

Forensic Repair Trigger: Halting share dilution (Cannibal Buyback (-1.52% YoY Shares)) or retiring high-cost debt immediately upgrades the SEC 10-K Forensic pillar.

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $WU• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “WU Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 52%NO 48%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMNEUTRAL RANGE

46.430 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDDISTRESS RISK (<1.8)

0.92>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCORESOLID CORE (5–6)

5 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE9% OF RANGE

L: $6$6.29H: $10

1. Money & Cash Health● HEALTHY

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Real cash coming in backs up reported profits (34.3% gross margin and healthy balance-sheet cushion).

Factor Grade: B+RQD 16 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● TRIMMING

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Insiders and big institutional desks have been trimming shares rather than stepping up to buy.

Factor Grade: DRQD 19 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WARNING

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

High sensitivity to tight interest rates or new risk warnings added to recent SEC annual filings.

Factor Grade: D-RQD 17 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

2-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bearish Warning on WU

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

BULLISH (80)

85.0% ROIC with 34.3% gross margin and 2.80% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

BEARISH (50)

Altman-Z 0.92 and Piotroski 5/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

BEARISH (43)

19/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 7/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like WU

✓Strong cash generator (34.3% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity.
!Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Forensic Quant Desk

Red-Light Warning Desk: Spotting SEC Cash-Flow & Dilution Risks Before Downgrades (Featuring WU)

✓Walkthrough of WU's RQD Radar, SEC cash-conversion gap & downside invalidation levels
✓3 asymmetric Bear/Hedge frameworks when 10-year Treasury yields stay elevated
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts on your tracked stocks

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

Want Custom AI PineScript / Python Indicators & Priority Rating-Change Alerts?

Join Founding VIP Waitlist (No Card Required) →$100K Arena

WU // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: -31.48%▲ RESISTANCE BREAKOUT

2026-11-03O $6.21H $6.29L $6.16C $6.29VOL 8.44M

RES: $6.18SUP: $5.64SMA50: $6.45SMA200: $8.04

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

WU Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 WU Butterfly Map → + Track WU →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

-15.0%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. -3.7% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on WU today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for WU. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for WU today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (WU)

Consumer Discretionary Rank #503 of 1009 ⚔️ TIC vs WU Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (WU vs. TIC, FLYW, PAYO, RDWR)

Industry: Business Services (88 Tracked Issuers)

Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Western Union Company (WU) ranks #503 by composite RQD confidence (52/100, grade D+) and #420 by equity capitalization ($1.92B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, WU leads on earnings valuation at 3.9x trailing P/E, while WU leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 85.0% ROIC and 34.3% gross margin. PAYO currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 67/100 (C+) compared with WU at 52/100 (D+).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
WU ACTIVE Western Union Company	D+	52/100	3.9x	34.3%	85.0%	+2.11%	$1.92B	Benchmark Subject
TIC TIC Solutions Inc.	D	47/100	—	29.4%	-0.4%	+2.19%	$2.19B	/tic-vs-wu →
FLYW Flywire Corporation Voting	C	64/100	—	—	1.8%	-1.02%	$2.40B	/flyw-vs-wu →
PAYO Payoneer Global Inc.	C+	67/100	33.0x	—	34.1%	+0.14%	$2.42B	/payo-vs-wu →
RDWR Radware Ltd.	D+	58/100	76.5x	80.7%	3.7%	-5.61%	$1.46B	/rdwr-vs-wu →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0001365135 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Western Union Company (WU) reported GAAP revenue of $3.88B (-3.7% vs. FY2024 revenue of $4.03B , and -6.7% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $499.6M, operating cash flow of $543.7M, and free cash flow of $505.2M (+36.9% YoY). On the balance sheet, WU closed FY2025 with $8.31B in total assets against $0 in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 0.92, Piotroski F-Score: 5/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-31	$3.88B	$499.6M	$543.7M	$505.2M	$8.31B	—
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-31	$4.03B	$934.2M	$406.3M	$368.9M	$8.37B	—
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$4.16B	$626.0M	$783.1M	$783.1M	—	—

3. WU Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is WU stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does WU compare to TIC and FLYW in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for WU?

Where is WU trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

WU last traded at $6.29 (+2.11% on volume of 8,863,441 shares), positioning the stock -2.48% below its 50-day simple moving average ($6.45) and -21.77% below its 200-day simple moving average ($8.04). Across its 52-week range of $5.87 to $10.35, WU sits at the 9.4% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 46.4 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±6.0% ($5.91 to $6.67).

Direct Sub-Reports: WU RQD Cockpit WU 12M Forecast WU Earnings & Move WU Dividends & DRIP WU Insiders & 13F WU Whale Options WU Profit Sankey WU News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 52/100 (D+) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

WU — Western Union Company: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-31

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Western Union Company (WU) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 52/100, corresponding to a D+ letter grade (Roarable Sell) at a spot price of $6.29 (+2.11% 1D, market capitalization $1.92B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (16/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 85.0%, gross margin of 34.3%, operating margin of 19.5%, and free cash flow yield of —.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (6/20) + Insider Conviction (13/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (7/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (10/20): Incorporates a 1.00x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 0.92, Piotroski F-Score of 5/9, and Debt/Equity of N/A.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Western Union Company (WU) is a NYSE-listed issuer classified in the Consumer Discretionary sector and the Business Services industry. The profile identifies it as a market-capitalization issuer of $1.9B. Specific product lines, customer segments, and revenue-generation mechanics are — The only evidence of commercial activity in the source data is the news wire reference to a Publix renewal, discussed below.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-31), Western Union Company (WU) reported $3.88B in annual revenue (up from $4.03B in FY2024, -3.7% YoY) and $499.6M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($4.16B revenue, $626.0M net income) through FY2025, WU scaled operating cash flow to $543.7M and free cash flow to $505.2M, backed by $8.31B in total assets against $0 in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (D+ • RQD 52/100): Strong cash generator (34.3% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks. Free cash flow yield of — and institutional whale pillar of 6/20. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 16/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 6/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $5.87 – $10.35 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Sensitive to high interest rates and tighter Federal Reserve market liquidity. Investors must weigh 3.9x trailing P/E against 19.5% operating margins and a 1.00x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

The supply_chain field is NONE, butterfly_links is empty, and proprietary_signals is empty. No upstream suppliers, downstream customers, or sector-correlation links are available in the source data. Second-order bottlenecks, cross-company dependencies, and sector correlation coefficients are — The only relational reference in the source data is the Publix renewal headline, which implies a commercial counterparty, but the source does not describe the nature of that dependency or its magnitude.

Key Question #1: Can WU sustain or expand its 19.5% operating margin and 85.0% ROIC against Business Services peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $3.88B and free cash flow of $505.2M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $0 in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is WU's 3.6x forward P/E multiple to Consumer Discretionary capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.00x)?

WU Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Western Union Company (WU) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to WU Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟢 CATALYST Yahoo Finance • 21h ago

Western Union (WU) Beats Stock Market Upswing: What Investors Need to Know

Yahoo Finance report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST TradingView • 1d ago

Western Union Renews Publix Deal: Can it Support Transaction Growth?

TradingView report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Western Union: Distress Priced In Ahead Of Q3 (Buy)

Seeking Alpha report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Publix Renewal Could Matter For Western Union Stock (WU)

Yahoo Finance report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Stock Titan • 1d ago

Western Union's CEO and CFO will host its Nov. 4 results call

Stock Titan report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Simply Wall St • 1d ago

Western Union (NYSE:WU) Stock Forecast & Analyst Predictions

Simply Wall St report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE TradingView • 1d ago

Western Union Company (The) Estimates – NYSE:WU

TradingView report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Western Union (WU) Advances While Market Declines: Some Information for Investors

Yahoo Finance report covering Western Union Company (WU) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

WU Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $6.29?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON WU 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

QU QuantViper RQD DEBATE OPENER • Systematic Momentum Desk 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $7.15 (+16.1%)

📌 Pinned Debate

Low 3.9x trailing P/E with an 85% ROIC and $505.2M of FY 2025 free cash flow against a $1.94B market cap.

Picked up a starter position in WU in my $100K Virtual Cash book at $6.16. Low 3.9x trailing P/E with an 85% ROIC and $505.2M of FY 2025 free cash flow against a $1.94B market cap.. Trading inside a $5.87–$10.35 52-week range with 0.0% FCF yield gives solid downside support if Business Services multiples expand this quarter.

RetailWhale_TX 🐂 BULL

@ShortSeller_Dan Shorting a 6/20 institutional whale-flow stock at $6.16 is dangerous when funds are rotating into Consumer Discretionary.

SH ShortSeller_Dan RQD DEBATE OPENER • Forensic Short Bias 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $5.11 (-17.0%)

Spot @ $6.16

Altman Z-Score of 0.92 and Piotroski F-Score of 5/9 sit alongside a 0% FCF yield and revenue declining from $4.16B to $3.88B over t

Altman Z-Score of 0.92 and Piotroski F-Score of 5/9 sit alongside a 0% FCF yield and revenue declining from $4.16B to $3.88B over two years.. Look at the math on WU: paying 3.9x trailing P/E for 85.0% ROIC and 19.5% operating margins leaves zero margin of safety if Business Services demand softens. I'd wait for a retest of $5.42 before getting long.