Worldline Initiates a 500 Million Euro Capital Increase
The European payment services specialist has received shareholder approval to proceed with a 500 million euro capital increase, supported by strategic investors and guaranteed by four banking institutions, according to a statement released this Wednesday.
Approval of Capital Increase Resolutions
The extraordinary general meeting held on January 8, 2026, approved all the resolutions necessary for the planned capital increase, the group states. The operation is divided into two parts, according to the statement: a capital increase of approximately 110 million euros reserved for strategic shareholders Bpifrance Participations, Crédit Agricole SA, and BNP Paribas, and a capital increase with the maintenance of preferential subscription rights of about 390 million euros. This latter is expected to be launched by the end of the first quarter of 2026, the company specifies. Four banks, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, and J.P. Morgan, have provided a guarantee commitment for about 255 million euros, corresponding to the amount of the increase with DPS after deducting the subscription commitments of the three strategic shareholders, according to the statement. This commitment will take effect from January 9, 2026.
Firm Financial Targets for 2025
The group confirms its targets for the fiscal year 2025, according to the statement. It anticipates an organic revenue decline between 1% and 4%, an adjusted gross operating surplus between 830 million and 855 million euros, and a free cash flow between minus 30 million and zero million euros, the company indicates. The end of 2025 confirmed the stabilization of operations initiated in the third quarter, according to the terms of the statement. The group generated revenue of about 4.6 billion euros in 2024, the text specifies. These forecasts are part of the ongoing execution of the North Star 2030 transformation plan, according to the company.
Simplification Strategy and Asset Disposals
As part of its simplification strategy, the group has announced four disposals in five months, with completions scheduled for the first half of 2026, according to the statement. These operations are part of the North Star 2030 plan presented in November 2025 during an investor day. The capital increase aims to strengthen the company's financial flexibility to ensure the execution of this transformation plan, the group indicates. The chairman of the board, Wilfried Verstraete, stated in the statement that the approval of the resolutions reflects the shareholders' confidence in the strategic roadmap under the leadership of CEO Pierre-Antoine Vacheron. The latter emphasized that all teams are committed to a disciplined implementation of the transformation with a focus on customer excellence, return to growth, and robust cash flow generation.
