April 28 (Reuters) - European digital payment service group Worldline on Tuesday reported quarterly revenues which slightly beat market expectations ‌and said it had completed its divestment scheme with ‌the sale of a 51% stake in its Australian payment business.

The divestment programme was ​aimed at slimming down Worldline's cumbersome portfolio of businesses and helping it return to growth. Worldline is now worth only a fraction of the market value it had at its pandemic peak.

Since then the ‌group has been hit ⁠by multiple profit warnings, governance shake-ups and media reports accusing it of concealing client fraud. It was ⁠also investigated by Belgian prosecutors over potential money laundering.

• Paris-listed company reported an 0.5% organic decline in quarterly revenues to 831 million euros ($972 ​million) versus ​826 million expected by analysts ​polled by the company

• The ‌group sold the stake in Australian ANZ Worldline Payment Solutions and of New Zealand under agreement valuing the entire enterprise at around 107 million euros

• The group's share of net proceeds from the deal is 30 million euros

• The closing of the transaction is ‌expected in the second half of ​2026

• The company said that the combined ​net cash proceeds from ​all the announced divestments were expected to be ‌between 590-640 million euros and should ​be received within ​this year

• Worldline confirmed its annual outlook, citing no material effects from geopolitical challenges in the period

• The company also ​said that its ‌main division - merchant services - returned to growth for the first ​time since the end of 2024

($1 = 0.8551 euros)

(Reporting by ​Mateusz Rabiega; Editing by Matt Scuffham)