Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) saw its stock price surge 15.79% during intraday trading on Wednesday. The significant upward movement followed the company's release of its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results.

The payment technology firm reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.18 for the quarter, exceeding the analyst consensus estimate of $3.16. More importantly, the company issued an upbeat outlook for fiscal year 2026, projecting adjusted EPS in the range of $13.80 to $14.00, which is above Wall Street's expectation of $13.64. Global Payments also forecast adjusted net revenue growth of approximately 5% in constant currency.

Further boosting investor sentiment, Global Payments announced a substantial capital return program. The Board of Directors authorized a new $2.5 billion share repurchase authorization and declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share. The company is also entering into a $550 million accelerated share repurchase plan. These strategic moves, combined with the recent completion of the Worldpay acquisition and divestiture of the Issuer Solutions business, have repositioned the company as a leading pure-play merchant solutions provider.