Core Viewpoint - The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and FirstCash have reached a settlement regarding alleged violations of the Military Lending Act (MLA), which includes financial penalties and compliance requirements [1][2]. Group 1: Settlement Details - FirstCash and its 18 subsidiaries are required to set aside $5 million for redress and pay a $4 million fine to the CFPB's victims relief fund [2]. - The proposed order, if entered by the court, mandates compliance with the MLA moving forward [2]. Group 2: Allegations and Legal Background - The CFPB's lawsuit, filed in November 2021, accused FirstCash of violating the MLA by charging interest rates exceeding the maximum allowable annual percentage rate of 36%, requiring arbitration for disputes, and failing to provide necessary loan disclosures [3]. - Rohit Chopra, the CFPB's director at the time of the lawsuit, characterized FirstCash as a repeat offender that exploited military families [4]. Group 3: Company Response and Future Plans - FirstCash's CEO expressed satisfaction with the settlement, stating the company disagrees with the CFPB's allegations but believes settling is the best course of action [5]. - As part of the settlement, FirstCash plans to introduce a new pawn lending product specifically for U.S. military members and their families, ensuring compliance with the MLA [4].

Core Viewpoint - FirstCash Holdings, Inc. has reached a settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding alleged violations of the Military Lending Act, which includes financial compensation and the introduction of a new pawn lending product for military members and their families [1][2]. Group 1: Settlement Details - The settlement is subject to final court approval and includes an estimated consumer redress of $5 million to $7 million for affected customers, along with a $4 million fine to the CFPB victims relief fund [2]. - The financial impact of the settlement will be reflected in the Company's GAAP financial results for the second quarter of 2025 [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - FirstCash operates over 3,000 retail pawn stores in the U.S. and Latin America, focusing on serving cash and credit-constrained consumers [3]. - The pawn segments in the U.S. and Latin America account for approximately 80% of annualized segment earnings, with the remainder coming from its subsidiary, AFF, which provides lease-to-own and retail finance solutions [3]. Group 3: Market Position - FirstCash is a component of both the Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index and the Russell 2000 Index, with its common stock traded on Nasdaq [4].

Company Performance - FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) shares have increased by 6.2% over the past month, reaching a new 52-week high of $135.64 [1] - Year-to-date, FirstCash has gained 29.8%, outperforming the Zacks Business Services sector's 0.9% and the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry's 2.6% [1] Earnings and Revenue - FirstCash has a strong record of positive earnings surprises, not missing earnings consensus estimates in the last four quarters [2] - In the latest earnings report on April 24, 2025, FirstCash reported EPS of $2.07, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1.75, but missed the revenue estimate by 0.64% [2] - For the current fiscal year, FirstCash is expected to post earnings of $7.86 per share on revenues of $3.38 billion, reflecting a 17.31% change in EPS and a -0.2% change in revenues [3] - For the next fiscal year, earnings are projected to be $9.31 per share on revenues of $3.56 billion, indicating a year-over-year change of 18.35% in EPS and 5.18% in revenues [3] Valuation Metrics - FirstCash has a Value Score of B, a Growth Score of A, and a Momentum Score of F, resulting in a combined VGM Score of A [6] - The stock currently trades at 17.1X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is a premium to the peer industry average of 16.1X [6] - On a trailing cash flow basis, FirstCash trades at 7.5X compared to its peer group's average of 11.7X [6] Zacks Rank - FirstCash holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) due to a solid earnings estimate revision trend [7] - The company meets the criteria for investors looking for stocks with Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, suggesting potential for further gains [7] Industry Comparison - The Financial Transaction Services industry is in the top 22% of all industries, indicating favorable conditions for both FCFS and its peers [10] - Green Dot Corporation (GDOT), a peer in the industry, has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and has shown strong earnings performance, beating consensus estimates by 51.43% [8][9]

The Business Services group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. BGSF (BGSF) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Business Services sector should help us answer this question.BGSF is a member of our Business Services group, which includes 27 ...

Group 1 - The article discusses the search for new potential holdings in the US stock market that can thrive in a volatile macroeconomic environment [1] - The author has a background in both equity and real estate markets, focusing on long-only investment opportunities that provide safe and growing dividends [2] - The author has experience sourcing over $100 million in commercial real estate investments and has worked in structured credit products [2] Group 2 - The author emphasizes the importance of correlation across asset classes and sectors in providing timely analyses and strategies for investors [2] - The article aims to share insights and ideas on market evolution and wealth creation opportunities [2]

Company Overview - FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) is part of the Business Services group, which consists of 270 companies and ranks 4 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook [3] Performance Metrics - FCFS has seen a year-to-date gain of approximately 24.5%, significantly outperforming the Business Services sector's average return of 3.5% [4] - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FCFS' full-year earnings has increased by 2.1%, reflecting improved analyst sentiment [4] Industry Context - FirstCash Holdings operates within the Financial Transaction Services industry, which includes 35 stocks and currently ranks 75 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - Stocks in this industry have gained about 5.8% year-to-date, indicating that FCFS is performing better than its industry peers [6] Competitive Landscape - Another notable stock in the Business Services sector is OppFi Inc. (OPFI), which has achieved a year-to-date return of 58% and has a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [5] - Both FirstCash Holdings and OppFi Inc. are highlighted as strong performers within the Business Services sector [7]

Core Viewpoint - FirstCash is strategically entering the UK market by acquiring H&T Group plc, enhancing its geographic diversification and growth opportunities while strengthening its position as a global leader in pawn operations [1][2][3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - FirstCash will pay 650 pence per share for H&T, totaling approximately £297 million or $394 million USD, including a final dividend of 11 pence per share [1]. - The acquisition has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is subject to H&T's shareholder approval and regulatory approvals in the UK [5]. Group 2: Strategic and Financial Benefits - The acquisition expands FirstCash's geographic footprint into the UK, creating the largest publicly traded pawn platform across the U.S., Latin America, and the UK [2][6]. - H&T's established brand and network of 285 stores will enhance FirstCash's scale and operational efficiencies, unlocking further growth opportunities in the UK and potentially other European markets [6]. - The transaction is expected to be meaningfully accretive to EBITDA and EPS, strengthening FirstCash's financial profile and long-term shareholder value [6]. Group 3: Leadership and Management - H&T's experienced management team will provide local expertise, positioning FirstCash to drive strong execution and continued momentum in the UK market [6].

Core Insights - Momentum investing focuses on following a stock's recent price trends, aiming to buy high and sell higher, with the expectation that established trends will continue [1] - The Zacks Momentum Style Score helps investors identify stocks with strong momentum, addressing the challenges of defining momentum [2] Company Overview: FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) - FirstCash Holdings currently holds a Momentum Style Score of A, indicating strong momentum potential [3] - The company has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned for outperformance in the market [4] Performance Metrics - FCFS shares have increased by 8.65% over the past week, outperforming the Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, which rose by 4.48% [6] - Over the last quarter, FCFS shares rose by 18.61%, and by 15.49% over the past year, while the S&P 500 saw declines of -6.91% and gains of 13.12%, respectively [7] - The average 20-day trading volume for FCFS is 439,178 shares, indicating a bullish trend when combined with rising stock prices [8] Earnings Outlook - In the past two months, 3 earnings estimates for FCFS have been revised upwards, while only 1 estimate was revised down, leading to an increase in the consensus estimate from $7.70 to $7.85 [10] - For the next fiscal year, 3 estimates have also moved upwards with no downward revisions, indicating positive earnings momentum [10] Conclusion - Given the strong performance metrics and positive earnings outlook, FCFS is positioned as a solid momentum pick with a 2 (Buy) rating and a Momentum Score of A [12]

Market Overview - Wall Street has experienced significant volatility in 2025, with all three major stock indexes (Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite) in negative territory year to date [1] - Small-cap benchmarks (Russell 2000, S&P 600) and mid-cap-specific S&P 400 Index are also in the red year to date [1] High-Performing Mid-Cap Stocks - Despite market headwinds, five mid-cap stocks have provided over 25% returns year to date: ADMA Biologics Inc. (ADMA), FirstCash Holdings Inc. (FCFS), Stride Inc. (LRN), Life Time Group Holdings Inc. (LTH), and National Fuel Gas Co. (NFG) [2] - These stocks exhibit strong revenue and earnings growth potential for 2025, with positive earnings estimate revisions over the last 60 days [3] ADMA Biologics Inc. - ADMA Biologics specializes in plasma-based biologics for treating and preventing infectious diseases, targeting immune-compromised individuals [7][8] - Expected revenue growth rate is 16.3% and earnings growth rate is 44.9% for the current year, with a 2.9% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 60 days [9] FirstCash Holdings Inc. - FirstCash operates retail pawn stores across the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America, providing loans against personal property and retailing forfeited merchandise [10][11] - Expected revenue growth rate is 0.2% and earnings growth rate is 17.2% for the current year, with a 2.6% improvement in earnings estimates over the last seven days [13] Stride Inc. - Stride is a technology-based education service company offering online curriculum and educational services [14] - Expected revenue growth rate is 14.9% and earnings growth rate is 48.4% for the current year, with a 4.3% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 30 days [16] Life Time Group Holdings Inc. - Life Time provides health, fitness, and wellness experiences, operating various fitness and recreation centers [17][18] - Expected revenue growth rate is 12.9% and earnings growth rate is 37.9% for the current year, with a 6.5% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 60 days [19] National Fuel Gas Co. - National Fuel Gas focuses on systematic investments to strengthen operations and reduce emissions, with significant capital investments planned [20][21] - Expected revenue growth rate is 31.5% and earnings growth rate is 39.1% for the current year, with a 1.9% improvement in earnings estimates over the last 60 days [22][23]

Core Viewpoint - FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), indicating a positive outlook on its earnings estimates, which significantly influence stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Movement - The Zacks rating system emphasizes the correlation between changes in earnings estimates and stock price movements, suggesting that revisions in earnings estimates are a powerful indicator of future stock performance [4][6]. - Rising earnings estimates for FirstCash imply an improvement in the company's underlying business, which could lead to an increase in stock price as investors respond positively [5][10]. Earnings Estimate Revisions for FirstCash - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, FirstCash is expected to earn $7.85 per share, reflecting a 17.2% increase from the previous year [8]. - Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FirstCash has increased by 0.7%, indicating a trend of rising earnings estimates [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks based on earnings estimate revisions, with only the top 20% of stocks receiving a 'Strong Buy' or 'Buy' rating, highlighting their potential for market-beating returns [9][10]. - The upgrade of FirstCash to a Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, suggesting a favorable outlook for the stock in the near term [10].