Worldline to Divest New Zealand Payments Business in Strategic Pivot to Europe

Worldline SA announced on Tuesday that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with Cuscal Ltd for the sale of its New Zealand payment activities. The transaction is valued at EUR 17 million and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2026. This divestment is a key component of Worldline's overarching strategy to sharpen its operational focus on European payment services. By streamlining its global footprint and optimizing resource allocation, the company aims to enhance its strategic flexibility and strengthen its overall financial profile. The New Zealand business holds a dominant position in its local market, processing approximately 70% of all in-store transactions. The unit serves four major acquirers and roughly 40 issuers, generating annual revenue of approximately EUR 35 million and an adjusted EBITDA of about EUR 12 million. This sale is part of a wider series of asset disposals, including units in North America and India, as well as entities such as MeTS, Cetrel, and PaymentIQ. Worldline estimates that the combined net cash proceeds from these various disposals will range between EUR 560 million and EUR 610 million, with funds expected to be received throughout 2026. The company intends to redeploy this capital toward its core activities to support long-term growth. Following the announcement, Worldline shares closed slightly higher at EUR 0.2491 on the Paris Stock Exchange.