Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.590-1.680 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.590. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.3 billion-$1.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.3 billion.

Waystar Trading Up 8.5%

WAY stock opened at $24.31 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $4.65 billion, a PE ratio of 39.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.28 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 3.89 and a current ratio of 3.89. Waystar has a one year low of $21.13 and a one year high of $48.11. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $29.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $34.20.

Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.39 by ($0.03). Waystar had a net margin of 10.69% and a return on equity of 6.83%. The company had revenue of $303.54 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $294.72 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.29 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 24.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Waystar has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.590-1.680 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Waystar will post 0.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Needham & Company LLC cut their price target on shares of Waystar from $46.00 to $33.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Barclays set a $36.00 target price on shares of Waystar in a research report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Waystar in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $41.00 price target on the stock. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Waystar in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $47.00 price objective for the company. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Waystar in a report on Wednesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Waystar has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $43.85.

Insider Transactions at Waystar

In other Waystar news, CTO Christopher L. Schremser sold 8,623 shares of Waystar stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.41, for a total transaction of $262,225.43. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 422,371 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,844,302.11. The trade was a 2.00% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CMO Melissa F. (Missy) Miller sold 3,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total value of $125,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 193,261 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,150,657. This represents a 1.73% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 71,650 shares of company stock valued at $2,258,535 in the last ninety days. 4.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Trending Headlines about Waystar

Here are the key news stories impacting Waystar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results and 2026 guidance: Waystar reported Q4 revenue of ~$304M (+24% YoY) and net income of $20M, with FY2026 EPS guidance of $1.59–$1.68 and a revenue growth target ~17%, which underpins the bullish case on durable growth and margin leverage. Waystar Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2025 Results, Provides 2026 Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction: Coverage notes the stock “climbed” after the quarter as investors rewarded the swing to GAAP profitability and the company’s double?digit growth outlook for 2026. Waystar (WAY) Climbs 8.5% on Swing to Profits, Double-Digit Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: AI recognition and product narrative: Waystar was named an Inc. Best in Business honoree for AI, supporting the company’s positioning around automation and AI?driven revenue cycle improvements—an element analysts cite as a multi?year growth driver. Waystar Recognized as Inc. Best in Business for AI
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call materials and transcripts are available for detail on order trends, churn, and product roadmap if you want to dig into management’s commentary on 2026 assumptions. Waystar Holding Corp. Q4 2025 Earnings Call Summary
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst discussion: Several outlets published analyst takes and roundups after the print — useful for reconciling differing views on valuation vs. sector peers. Beyond The Numbers: 6 Analysts Discuss Waystar Holding Stock
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss: Reported EPS of $0.36 missed consensus ~$0.39 — the bottom?line shortfall tempers the otherwise strong revenue beat and is a reason for some near?term caution. Waystar Holding (WAY) Q4 Earnings Lag Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Price?target cuts and mixed analyst moves: Some firms trimmed targets (Mizuho lowered to $42 while keeping Outperform; Needham’s coverage shows a lower $33 target), signaling valuation and competitive risk concerns despite buy ratings from some shops. Mizuho Lowers Waystar Holding Corp. (WAY) Price Target to $42 Amid Competitive Healthcare Tech Risks
• Negative Sentiment: Put activity and AI?risk flags: Unusual put buying and analyst notes highlighting legal/operational/competitive risks from AI adoption add short?term downside risk and investor caution. AI Risks Loom Over Waystar Holding Corp.: Analyst Flags Legal, Operational, and Competitive Threats

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Waystar

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Advent International L.P. purchased a new stake in Waystar during the 4th quarter valued at $362,212,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its holdings in shares of Waystar by 3,883.4% in the second quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 3,268,932 shares of the company’s stock worth $133,601,000 after acquiring an additional 3,186,869 shares during the period. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. increased its position in Waystar by 4,717.4% during the third quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 1,814,648 shares of the company’s stock valued at $68,811,000 after acquiring an additional 1,776,979 shares during the last quarter. Bamco Inc. NY bought a new position in Waystar in the fourth quarter valued at about $45,642,000. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in Waystar by 63.0% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 3,130,230 shares of the company’s stock worth $118,698,000 after purchasing an additional 1,209,276 shares during the last quarter.

About Waystar

Waystar (NASDAQ:WAY) is a leading provider of cloud-based revenue cycle management and payment solutions for healthcare organizations. The company’s unified platform streamlines the entire financial continuum of patient care, from eligibility verification and claim submission to payment reconciliation and patient billing. By automating key processes and improving claim accuracy, Waystar helps providers reduce administrative overhead, accelerate cash flow and enhance overall revenue performance.

At the core of Waystar’s offering is a SaaS-based architecture that integrates seamlessly with existing electronic health record (EHR) systems and payer networks.