This Payments Stock Is Down 37% This Past Year as One Fund Trimmed a $40 Million Stake

Boston-based Portolan Capital Management reduced its stake in Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) by 246,414 shares in the third quarter saw its exposure fall by $28.5 million, according to a November 13 SEC filing.

What Happened

According to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated November 13, Portolan Capital Management sold 246,414 shares of Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) during the third quarter. The fund's position declined in value by $28.52 million compared to the previous filing period. After the trade, Portolan held 188,761 shares worth $14.61 million.

What Else to Know

Shift4 Payments now represents 0.79% of Portolan's reportable U.S. equity AUM.

Top holdings after the filing:

• NYSE:MOD: $85.6 million (4.6% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:TTMI: $68.5 million (3.7% of AUM)
• NYSE:ELF: $64.6 million (3.5% of AUM)
• NYSE:DBRG: $64 million (3.5% of AUM)
• NYSE:CLS: $62 million (3.4% of AUM)

As of Friday, shares were priced at $64.07, down 37% over the past year and well underperforming the S&P 500's roughly 16.5% gain in the same period.

Company Overview

Company snapshot

• Shift4 Payments offers integrated payment processing, omni-channel card acceptance, POS solutions, fraud prevention, eCommerce, and business analytics tools.
• The company serves merchants across retail, hospitality, stadiums, entertainment venues, and eCommerce sectors in the United States.
• It employs proprietary cloud-based platforms to deliver secure, scalable payment and business management solutions.

Shift4 Payments is a technology-driven provider of integrated payment and commerce-enabling solutions, serving a diverse merchant base. The company leverages proprietary platforms and cloud-based tools to deliver secure, scalable payment processing and business management capabilities. Its focus on omni-channel integration and vertical-specific solutions supports competitive differentiation in the evolving payments landscape.

Foolish Take

In a portfolio dominated by industrial, consumer, and infrastructure-oriented holdings, this position had already shrunk to a peripheral role, making it a logical source of funds as conviction shifted elsewhere. At less than 1% of reported assets, the stake no longer reflects a high-conviction growth bet, but rather a residual exposure to a volatile payments name.

That trimming comes despite a solid operating quarter. Shift4 reported third-quarter gross revenue of $1.18 billion, up 29% year over year, with gross revenue less network fees rising 61%. Adjusted EBITDA reached $292 million, representing a 50% margin, while adjusted free cash flow increased 27% year over year to $141 million. Management also authorized a new $1 billion share repurchase program, the largest in the company’s history, underscoring confidence in long-term cash generation.

Ultimately, the business is executing well and generating cash, but the stock’s underperformance suggests that growth alone is not enough. In portfolios prioritizing durability and lower volatility, even strong operators can be downsized when risk-reward tilts unfavorably.

Glossary

AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of investments managed by a fund or investment firm.

Omni-channel: An approach that integrates multiple sales and communication channels for a seamless customer experience.

POS (Point of Sale) solutions: Systems used by businesses to process transactions at the place where sales are made.

Equity assets: Investments in company shares, as opposed to bonds or other asset classes.

Proprietary platforms: Technology systems owned and developed by a company, not available for public use.

Vertical-specific solutions: Products or services tailored to meet the needs of a particular industry or sector.

Fraud prevention: Tools and processes designed to detect and stop unauthorized or illegal financial transactions.

Reportable U.S. equity assets: U.S. stock holdings that must be disclosed in regulatory filings by investment managers.

Stake: The ownership interest or number of shares held in a company by an investor or fund.

TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

Commerce-enabling solutions: Technology or services that help businesses accept payments and manage sales transactions.

Fund's top holdings: The largest investments by value within an investment fund's portfolio.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Celestica, Modine Manufacturing, Shift4 Payments, and e.l.f. Beauty. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.