Wise shares rallied sharply after the company released fiscal year 2026 results following the U.S. market close, with the stock jumping 7.7% to 894p. The market reaction was driven primarily by stronger-than-expected profitability metrics, an unusually large share repurchase program and guidance that signalled continuity in the company’s growth trajectory.
On the top line, net revenue expanded 19% to $2.5 billion. Profitability beat was more pronounced: income before tax came in at $660.4 million, which converts to a 26% margin. That margin sits above the company’s stated medium-term target range for income before tax margin and was an important factor in shifting sentiment.
Alongside the reported financials Wise unveiled a new share buying program anticipated to exceed $500 million, a move that company management described as unusually large. Chief Financial Officer Emmanuel Thomassin characterised the repurchase as "the largest buyback that we ever done," and reiterated that it amounted to "over half a billion dollars." The buyback acted as a clear additional catalyst for the stock’s intraday move.
Operational metrics were also robust. Active customers increased to 18.9 million, a 21% year-over-year rise. Cross-border volume climbed to $243.5 billion, up 31%, while customer holdings grew 40% to $39.0 billion. These figures underpinned the company’s assertion of sustained demand and demonstrated scalable engagement across its user base.
Management provided FY27 guidance that targets net revenue growth around the middle of the company’s 15-20% medium-term compound annual growth rate range, and an income before tax margin positioned near the top of the 20-25% medium-term range. Those forward-looking targets were presented as reassurance that the profitability achieved in FY26 is not an anomaly but part of a repeatable framework tied to the company’s strategy.
Market analysts reacted favourably to the combination of results, buyback and guidance. Jefferies maintained a Buy rating on the shares following the announcement.
The wider market backdrop was supportive but not the primary driver of the move. The FTSE 100 rose by more than 0.5% in the prior session alongside broader European gains, with commentators attributing the rally to improved technology sentiment, solid corporate updates and renewed takeover activity. At the same time, global equities were mixed on the day of the stock’s rise - the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were essentially flat - indicating the Wise rally was largely company-specific rather than a response to a broad risk-on market shift.
Prior to the report the stock had been trading roughly 29% below its 52-week high of 1,163p. The move to 894p represents a material recovery from that gap as investors reassessed the balance of risk and reward following confirmation that the company’s deliberate pricing approach has been compatible with margin expansion.
Contextual takeaway - The profit margin outperformance, unusually large buyback and an FY27 outlook that targets continued revenue growth and high margins combined to alter near-term market sentiment in Wise’s favour. With key customer and volume metrics showing double-digit growth, the company presented a coherent picture of both scale and profitability to the market.