M&T Bank Corp Acquires New Shares in WEX Inc. $WEX

M&T Bank Corp bought a new stake in WEX Inc. (NYSE:WEX) during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 188,813 shares of the business services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $28,129,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of WEX. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its holdings in WEX by 158.3% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 350,892 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $55,097,000 after acquiring an additional 215,036 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC bought a new position in WEX in the first quarter valued at about $394,000. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its holdings in WEX by 1.9% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 3,205 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $471,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in WEX by 4,837.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 395 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 387 shares during the period. Finally, Gamco Investors INC. ET AL bought a new position in WEX in the second quarter valued at about $271,000. Institutional investors own 97.47% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen raised WEX from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, March 21st. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of WEX in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of WEX in a research report on Monday. UBS Group set a $165.00 price objective on WEX and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on WEX from $175.00 to $155.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and thirteen have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $163.36.

WEX Stock Up 4.4%

Shares of WEX opened at $185.26 on Thursday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $159.02 and its 200 day moving average is $154.61. The company has a market capitalization of $6.42 billion, a PE ratio of 21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.30 and a beta of 0.93. WEX Inc. has a 12-month low of $120.03 and a 12-month high of $186.86. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.86.

WEX (NYSE:WEX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 22nd. The business services provider reported $4.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.92 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $673.80 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $660.96 million. WEX had a return on equity of 48.01% and a net margin of 11.43%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $3.51 EPS. WEX has set its FY 2026 guidance at 18.950-19.550 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 4.930-5.130 EPS. Research analysts expect that WEX Inc. will post 15.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Trending Headlines about WEX

Here are the key news stories impacting WEX this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — WEX reported adjusted EPS of $4.15 and revenue of $673.8M (up ~5.8% YoY), above consensus, showing revenue and margin strength. Wex (WEX) Q1 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Raised guidance — WEX bumped Q2 FY2026 EPS to $4.93–$5.13 and full‑year FY2026 EPS to $18.95–$19.55, both above Wall Street consensus, giving forward earnings visibility that likely helped the stock. (Guidance summary from company release)
• Positive Sentiment: Management outreach and shareholder letter — Management published a letter highlighting accelerating momentum and will host a virtual fireside chat (Apr 27) to discuss strategy and value‑creation initiatives, which supports the bullish guidance narrative. WEX Issues Letter to Shareholders WEX to Host Virtual Fireside Chat
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage mixed — Some firms raised targets (Morgan Stanley raised its target to $158 though still “equal weight”), while consensus ratings remain largely “Hold”; investor reaction may depend on how guidance changes forward multiple expectations. Analyst Note: Morgan Stanley Target Change
• Neutral Sentiment: Proxy contest dynamics — Leading proxy adviser Glass Lewis recommended support for dissident nominees backed by large holder Impactive, keeping governance and potential board change risk in play for investors. Glass Lewis Supports Impactive’s Case for Change at WEX
• Negative Sentiment: Operating cash flow weakness and higher liabilities — Company EBITDA/margins improved, but reported operating cash flow weakened materially year‑over‑year and total liabilities increased, a potential concern for leverage and cash generation. QuiverQuant: Q1 Results and Cash Flow Notes
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — Recent Rule 10b5‑1 insider sales (COO and others) have been reported; while some sales are pre‑arranged, they can create short‑term sentiment pressure. SEC Form 4 — Insider Sale

Insider Activity at WEX

In other WEX news, insider Sara Trickett sold 1,815 shares of WEX stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.95, for a total value of $272,159.25. Following the sale, the insider owned 2,137 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $320,443.15. The trade was a 45.93% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO Carlos Carriedo sold 1,575 shares of WEX stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.90, for a total value of $251,842.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 3,695 shares in the company, valued at approximately $590,830.50. The trade was a 29.89% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 15,479 shares of company stock worth $2,454,914 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.40% of the company’s stock.

About WEX

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.