Western Union reports Q1 adjusted EPS 43c, consensus 34c

Reports Q1 revenue $1.04B, consensus $998.5M. "I am pleased to say we exceeded our expectations in the first quarter," said Devin McGranahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Western Union. "This was achieved through momentum created by our ‘Evolve 2025’ strategic initiatives, strength in our Middle East business, and the Company’s remaining business performing in-line with our expectations." McGranahan added, "While revenue remained below our long-term aspirations for the Company, we were pleased to see a significant improvement in trajectory relative to the fourth quarter in many key markets around the world. We are particularly pleased with the ongoing momentum in our digital business with 14% growth in our new branded digital customer base, which accelerated global branded digital transaction growth to 7%. We remain focused on driving our ‘Evolve 2025’ strategy to become the leading provider of branded accessible financial services serving aspiring populations around the world."