VeriFone Seen as Google or EBay Lure as Shares Tumble: Real M&A

VeriFone Systems Inc. has gotten $2 billion cheaper for acquirers coveting a source of revenue that’s booming with almost every swipe of a credit card.

VeriFone, the largest U.S. provider of in-store terminals that process credit and debit card payments, has declined 46 percent since April amid concern about competition from startup Square Inc. in the market to handle payments via smartphones and tablets. The $3.2 billion company is still projected to boost sales 79 percent by 2014, the most of any provider of transaction-management systems valued at $500 million or more, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.