Mizuho initiates coverage on Waystar stock with outperform rating

Published 30/06/2025, 10:36
Mizuho initiates coverage on Waystar stock with outperform rating

Investing.com - Mizuho (NYSE:MFG) initiated coverage on Waystar Holding (NASDAQ:WAY), a $6.88 billion healthcare technology company with a "GREAT" financial health rating according to InvestingPro, with an outperform rating and a price target of $48.00.

The healthcare technology company saw its shares rise 71% in 2024, significantly outperforming the S&P 500’s 23% gain, as it benefited from market share gains following a first-quarter cyberattack on a primary competitor.

Waystar’s revenue grew 19% last year, exceeding its long-term target of low double-digit growth, driven by the rapid onboarding of new customers who signed 2-3 year contracts.

The stock has performed more modestly in 2025, gaining 8% year-to-date compared to the S&P 500’s 5% increase, partly due to initial 2025 "reported" revenue growth guidance falling below long-term targets because of revenue pull-forward from last year.

Mizuho’s $48 price target is based on a 30x price-to-earnings multiple on its 2026 earnings per share forecast of $1.57, with the firm’s revenue and EPS estimates for 2025-2027 positioned above consensus.

In other recent news, Waystar Holding Corp. announced the appointment of Aashima Gupta from Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Cloud and Michael Roman, former CEO of 3M, to its Board of Directors. This move brings significant expertise in AI and healthcare strategy to the company. Fitch Ratings recently upgraded Waystar’s Long-Term Issuer Default Rating to ’BB’ from ’BB-’, citing reduced leverage and strong operating performance. The company’s EBITDA leverage has decreased to 3.4x, with expectations to maintain low leverage, which contributed to the rating upgrade. S&P Global Ratings also upgraded Waystar Technologies Inc.’s issuer credit rating to ’BB-’ from ’B+’, reflecting a stronger market position and decreasing leverage.

Additionally, Waystar disclosed a proposed public offering of 12.5 million shares by investment funds including EQT AB (ST:EQTAB) and Bain Capital, though the company itself will not sell any shares or receive proceeds. A performance-based stock grant was announced for CEO Matt Hawkins (NASDAQ:HWKN), contingent on Waystar’s total shareholder return relative to peers. This aligns with the company’s focus on governance and performance-driven leadership. The ongoing strategic decisions and financial upgrades highlight Waystar’s efforts to strengthen its market position and governance framework.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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