Fiserv and Amadeus IT Group are racing to acquire Shift4 Payments, a payments processor with a market capitalization of nearly $7 billion.。Both Fiserv and Amadeus are poised to make a final offer for the takeover in the coming weeks, Reuters reported.。

The acquisition will give the winning bidder access to Shift4's extensive network and market reach。The company has a diverse customer base that spans restaurants, casinos, hotels and sports teams like the San Francisco 49ers。Shift4 handles more than $200 billion in transactions annually for more than 200,000 clients。

Profitable acquisition targets？

Shift4 Payments reported significant growth, driven by a surge in digital payments adoption, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic。However, the competitive landscape remains, with participants struggling to maintain momentum amid intense competition and inflationary pressures.。

Shift4's recent fourth-quarter earnings report and upbeat outlook for 2024 reinforced its appeal as a takeover target.。In addition, the company's CEO Jared Isaacman's remarks about exploring strategic opportunities and alternatives have sparked speculation.。

While Shift4 has not disclosed details about getting reports that multiple companies have expressed interest in acquiring the company。Potential acquisition of Shift4 Payments highlights continuing trend of entity consolidation in financial services industry。

Integration in the financial sector

For Fiserv, which previously bought First Data for $22 billion, the acquisition of Shift4 could further strengthen its position as a key player in payment processing.。Recently, the financial sector has completed high-profile deals including First Capital's acquisition of Discover Financial and Nasdaq's acquisition of Adenza。

Last year, Fiserv raised its financial forecast as earnings per share (EPS) soared 108%。The company reported an 8% increase in revenue from the previous year to 48.700 million dollars。The company's areas driving this growth include 12% growth in the processing sector, 4% growth in fintech and 5% growth in the financial sector.。The payment method is paragraph。

Subsequently, the company is expected to increase its full-year revenue by 11% in 2023, with adjusted earnings per share expected to grow by 15% to 16%.。