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Worldline Narrows 2025 Profit Forecast, Eyes New Asset Sales to Rebuild Investor Trust

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French digital payments group Worldline (WLN.PA) has tightened its 2025 profit forecast and hinted at further asset disposals in the coming weeks, as it seeks to restore investor confidence after a turbulent period marked by governance issues, client losses, and regulatory scrutiny.

The company now expects adjusted EBITDA between €830 million and €855 million ($967 million–$997 million), narrowing the previous range of €825 million to €875 million. It projects free cash flow between –€30 million and breakeven, according to a company statement.

CEO Pierre-Antoine Vacheron said Worldline intends to finalize the planned sale of its Mobility & e-Transactional Services (MTS) unit to Magellan Partners — valued at €410 million — in the first half of 2026, with additional transactions to be announced soon. “My key priority is to restore credibility and trust in the guidance that we give,” Vacheron told reporters.

Worldline has seen its market value plunge nearly 90% since the pandemic peak, following multiple profit warnings, management reshuffles, and a Belgian probe into alleged money laundering at its local branch. The company said it has since completed an external review of its merchant portfolio and compliance framework, which it claims is “in line with industry benchmarks.”

For the third quarter, Worldline reported €1.1 billion in revenue, down 0.8% year-on-year, but meeting analyst expectations. The company plans to unveil its mid-term strategy on November 6, as investors await clearer signals on its restructuring roadmap and future growth strategy.

TP Plans to Return 1.5 Billion Euros to Shareholders by 2028 Amid AI-Driven Transformation

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French call centre and office services company TP (formerly Teleperformance) announced on Wednesday new medium-term financial targets, including plans to return 1.5 billion euros to shareholders by 2028 through dividends and share buybacks.

TP, which offers decentralized customer service and moderation solutions, is leveraging AI-powered tools to enhance its offerings and address the potential automation impact on traditional outsourcing services. The company forecasted that up to one-third of its activities could be automated within the next three years.

Finance Chief Olivier Rigaudy said the firm aims for like-for-like sales growth between 4% and 6% (at constant exchange rates) by 2028 and targets a recurring EBITDA margin of 15.5% the same year. Over the 2026-2028 period, TP plans to generate 3 billion euros in free cash flow, allocating about 20% (600 million euros) for acquisitions.

On the innovation front, TP unveiled TP.ai FAB, a proprietary AI orchestration platform designed to integrate artificial intelligence with human expertise and automation. This initiative is supported by its acquisition of Agents Only, an AI-enabled crowdsourcing platform.

The company employs over 410,000 people globally and recently announced a cost-cutting plan involving 600 job cuts to manage debt that nearly doubled in 2023 after consolidating Majorel. Earlier projections for 2025 include 3%-5% like-for-like sales growth and a slight EBITDA margin increase.

Elon Musk’s xAI Projects Over $13 Billion Annual Earnings by 2029, Bloomberg Reports

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Artificial intelligence startup xAI, founded by Elon Musk, expects to generate more than $13 billion in annual earnings by 2029, according to data shared by its banker Morgan Stanley, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

Morgan Stanley is seeking investors for a $5 billion debt sale by xAI and has disclosed the AI company’s financials to potential investors willing to commit at least $50 million. The figures reveal that xAI aims to reach $1 billion in gross revenue by the end of 2025 and $14 billion by 2029.

In the first quarter of this year, xAI reported $52 million in gross revenue but faced a loss of $341 million before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Projections show a rapid improvement, with EBITDA expected to rise to $2.7 billion by 2027 and hit $13.1 billion in 2029.

Like many AI startups, xAI is investing heavily in infrastructure, planning $18 billion in future data center investments following $2.6 billion in capital expenditures so far.

This financial unveiling coincides with a highly public spat between Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump, involving threats over government contracts. The effect of this dispute on xAI’s debt sale remains unclear.

In addition to the debt raise, xAI is reportedly targeting a valuation of $113 billion in a concurrent $300 million share sale.

Neither Morgan Stanley nor xAI has responded to Reuters requests for comment.