Italian payments company Nexi has indicated that after navigating a transitional year in 2026, its profit growth is expected to re-accelerate by 2028, coinciding with the launch of a new mid-term strategic plan.

The company provided guidance on Thursday, projecting a return to mid-single-digit annual revenue growth by 2028.

Performance for 2026 is forecast to be largely in line with 2025, which saw revenue growth of 2.1%, primarily driven by a recovery in its core merchant solutions business.

The group anticipates that its EBITDA margin will return to an expansion path by the end of the three-year period.

Due to the ongoing absorption of strategic investments, the company expects EBITDA to remain broadly stable in 2026.

Regarding excess cash, Nexi forecasts a total of approximately €2.4 billion over the next three years. After deducting strategic investments and increased taxes, excess cash for 2026 is projected to be around €750 million.

Nexi also reported its fourth-quarter results, noting that full-year revenue growth slowed, affected by ongoing mergers and contract renegotiations in its bank acquiring business. Although the impact of these factors peaked in the fourth quarter of 2025, the company stated they will continue to weigh on performance in 2026 before easing thereafter.

Quarterly revenue remained flat at €942.5 million, while costs rose slightly year-on-year to €433.9 million, leading to a modest decline in EBITDA to €508.6 million.

Nexi has proposed a dividend of €0.30 per share. Over the next three years, the dividend is expected to grow by at least 5% annually, with cumulative shareholder payouts exceeding €1.1 billion by 2028.