Raymond James Says Fiserv May Sell STAR Network, Could Boost Earnings
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 12 hours ago
0mins
A potential sale of Fiserv's (FISV) STAR or Accel debit network to major banks -- including JPMorgan (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), and PNC Financial (PNC) -- could improve banks' debit economics and be highly accretive to Fiserv's earnings, though significant regulatory scrutiny makes the likelihood of a completed deal uncertain, Raymond James tells investors in a research note. Regulators would likely view this as a direct go around to the Durbin Amendment in order to charge merchants' higher fees, the firm adds. Raymond James maintains a Market Perform rating on Fiserv.
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Analyst Views on FISV
Wall Street analysts forecast FISV stock price to rise
28 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
20 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 52.330
Low
62.00
Averages
95.61
High
180.00
Current: 52.330
Low
62.00
Averages
95.61
High
180.00
About FISV
Fiserv, Inc. is a global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions. Its segments include Merchant Solutions (Merchant) and Financial Solutions (Financial). The businesses in its Merchant segment provide commerce-enabling products and services to companies of all sizes around the world. These products and services include merchant acquiring and digital commerce services; mobile payment services; security and fraud protection solutions; stored-value solutions; software-as-a-service; POS devices, and pay-by-bank solutions. The business lines in its Merchant segment consist of small business, enterprise, and processing. The businesses in its Financial segment provide products and services to financial institutions, corporate and public sector clients across the world, enabling the processing of customer loan and deposit accounts, digital payments and card transactions. The business lines in its Financial segment consist of digital payments, issuing, and banking.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Fiserv Discusses Sale of Payments Business with Major Banks
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- Stock Price Surge: Following the news, Fiserv's stock price jumped approximately 7% during pre-market trading on Tuesday, indicating a positive market reaction to the potential deal, although there remains uncertainty about whether an agreement will be reached.
- Regulatory Risk Considerations: Some potential buyers have reportedly opted against pursuing the transaction due to concerns that it could attract scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and merchants, highlighting the sensitivity and complexity of the regulatory environment.
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- Regulatory Impact Analysis: The Durbin Amendment of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act caps interchange fees for institutions with over $10 billion in assets, but banks owning the underlying network infrastructure can legally avoid these limits, potentially restoring lost revenue streams.
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See More
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- Retail Sector Recovery: Total retail sales rose by 3.0% year over year and 1.5% month over month, supported by an increase in transactions (up 2.7% year over year), suggesting a more balanced consumer demand, particularly with stabilization in food and beverage retailers.
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See More
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- Stock Surge: Fiserv shares rallied over 5% after The Wall Street Journal reported discussions with major banks like JPMorgan and Bank of America regarding the sale of its payments infrastructure business, potentially leading to strategic restructuring and enhanced market competitiveness.
- Acquisition Deal: Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced a $10 billion acquisition of Crinetics Pharmaceuticals to expand its product line in rare hormonal disease treatments, although Vertex shares dipped nearly 1%, this deal is expected to strengthen its market position.
- Stock Upgrade: First Solar's stock rose nearly 3% after Deutsche Bank upgraded its rating from neutral to buy, with analysts citing potential trade policy shifts as a reason for investors to buy the dip, boosting market confidence.
- EV Stock Decline: Rivian shares tumbled 9% despite revenue and delivery guidance exceeding market expectations, as the company announced a plan to sell 75 million new shares for a significant capital raise, negatively impacting investor sentiment.
See More
Fiserv Explores Sale of Debit Card Transaction Network to Major U.S. Banks
- Potential Sale Negotiations: Payments technology company Fiserv is in discussions with major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and PNC Financial Services Group, regarding a potential sale of its debit card transaction network, reflecting a strategic shift in the payments industry among traditional banks.
- Stock Price Surge: Following the news, Fiserv's stock price jumped approximately 7% during pre-market trading on Tuesday, indicating a positive market reaction to the potential deal, although there remains uncertainty about whether an agreement will be reached.
- Regulatory Risk Considerations: Some potential buyers have reportedly opted against pursuing the transaction due to concerns that it could attract scrutiny from lawmakers, regulators, and merchants, highlighting the sensitivity and complexity of the regulatory environment.
- Intensifying Industry Competition: The ongoing sale discussions suggest that traditional banks are looking to strengthen their control over consumer transaction technology by directly owning a debit payment network, in response to competition from fintech firms and federal restrictions on debit card interchange fees.
See More
Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Doubles After Vertex Acquisition Deal
- Acquisition Surge: Crinetics Pharmaceuticals' shares doubled to $85 per share after Vertex Pharmaceuticals agreed to acquire the company in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $10 billion, with the transaction expected to close in Q3 2026, which will immediately boost Vertex's revenue, particularly through the launch of Palsonify for acromegaly.
- Potential Revenue Opportunities: Vertex anticipates that the combined assets will generate over $5 billion in peak annual revenue, especially with its pipeline candidate atumelnant potentially becoming a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity, highlighting the strategic significance of the acquisition.
- Divergent Market Reactions: While Crinetics' stock surged, Rivian Automotive's shares fell by 9% due to the announcement of a 75 million share Class A stock offering, overshadowing its stronger-than-expected Q2 revenue guidance, indicating investor caution towards electric vehicle manufacturers.
- Growing Industry Concerns: Micron Technology's shares dropped by 5% as investor worries about Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix's capital spending plans potentially leading to a memory supply glut intensified, further impacting the performance of the entire memory semiconductor sector.
See More
Major Banks Explore Acquisition of Fiserv's Debit Card Network
- Acquisition Talks Initiated: Major banks including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and PNC Financial Services Group are in early discussions to acquire Fiserv's debit card network, which could significantly enhance their payment processing capabilities while bypassing federal caps on debit card transaction fees if successful.
- Regulatory Impact Analysis: The Durbin Amendment of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act caps interchange fees for institutions with over $10 billion in assets, but banks owning the underlying network infrastructure can legally avoid these limits, potentially restoring lost revenue streams.
- Fiserv Stock Volatility: Following acquisition rumors, Fiserv's stock rose 4% in after-hours trading; however, it has plummeted approximately 70% from its 2025 highs, reflecting ongoing pressures from intensified competition and frequent executive turnover in the payments sector.
- Market Sentiment Shift: While retail sentiment on Stocktwits remains bearish regarding Fiserv's stock, discussions have surged over 1,000% from last week, indicating increased interest in the usage of its Clover payment system, which may influence future investment decisions.
See More
Fiserv Releases June 2026 Small Business Index
- Small Business Sales Growth: The seasonally adjusted Small Business Index reached 145 in June 2026, with sales increasing by 2.4% year over year and 0.8% month over month, indicating a short-term expansion trend for small businesses amid ongoing inflationary pressures, reflecting a gradual recovery in consumer spending.
- Retail Sector Recovery: Total retail sales rose by 3.0% year over year and 1.5% month over month, supported by an increase in transactions (up 2.7% year over year), suggesting a more balanced consumer demand, particularly with stabilization in food and beverage retailers.
- Restaurant Sector Stability: Restaurant sales edged up by 0.2% year over year, despite a 3.1% decline in foot traffic, with average ticket sizes increasing by 3.3% year over year, indicating that consumers are still willing to spend despite lower traffic.
- Gasoline Price Relief: Sales at gasoline stations increased by 15.3% year over year but fell by 4.7% month over month, reflecting a shift in consumer spending patterns as easing prices led to decreased transaction activity, signaling weakened demand.
See More
Payments Platform Warns of Illegal Vape Risks
- Compliance Warning: Payments platform Fiserv and service station operators like BP have warned U.S. partners that engaging in illegal vape transactions could lead to hefty fines, indicating increasing regulatory pressure on the illegal vape market.
- Market Size: The illegal vape market is estimated to exceed $9 billion in annual sales, with law enforcement agencies intensifying efforts to crack down on this rapidly growing market to protect consumers and legitimate businesses.
- Fine Risks: Mastercard has begun issuing compliance violation notices to merchants in the industry, warning that processing illegal vape transactions could result in mid-six-figure fines or revocation of card processing services, further escalating compliance pressures on merchants.
- FDA Authorization Limits: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only authorized 45 vaping products for legal sale, yet unauthorized brands continue to be sold illegally nationwide, posing potential risks to consumers and businesses alike.
See More
