AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW) (“EZCORP” or the “Company”), a leading provider of pawn loans in the United States and Latin America, announced today the acquisition of a controlling interest in Founders One, LLC (“Founders”). Founders, through its subsidiary, Simple Management Group, Inc. (“SMG”), led by CEO John Thedford, operates 105 pawn stores in the U.S. and 11 additional countries. The stores, which operate predominantly under the names “La Familia Pawn and ...

FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) operates over 3,000 pawnshops and provides POS payment solutions across the U.S., Latin America, and the U.K. FCFS exhibits strong technical momentum, with a 100% “Buy” Barchart opinion. Shares are up more than 50% in the past year. Analyst sentiment is bullish with multiple “Strong Buy” ratings. Today’s Featured Stock Valued at $7.23 billion, FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) is a leading operator of pawn stores and a provider of retail point-of-sale (POS) payment solutions. ...

Core Insights - The year 2025 is projected to be favorable for investors in FirstCash (FCFS), with positive developments in pawn operations and point-of-sale financing leading to improved financial results [1] Group 1: Company Performance - FirstCash's pawn operations are expected to perform well in 2025, contributing to overall positive investor sentiment [1] - Shifts in the point-of-sale financing business have also resulted in enhanced reported outcomes for FirstCash [1]

Core Insights - EZPAWN has launched an Instant Quote tool that allows customers to receive fast and accurate online quotes for their electronic items before visiting a store [1][4] - The tool supports 15 key electronics categories, including game consoles, laptops, tablets, smartphones, LED TVs, and smartwatches [2] - Customers can access the tool via the EZPAWN website, where they enter details about their items to receive an estimated value range based on current market trends [7] Company Overview - EZPAWN is part of EZCORP, Inc., a leading provider of pawn services in the United States and Latin America, operating in 19 states [4][5] - The company focuses on satisfying short-term cash needs through pawn transactions and the sale of pre-owned merchandise [5] - EZCORP is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol EZPW and is a member of the S&P 1000 Index and Nasdaq Composite Index [5]

Core Insights - EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW) is recognized as a promising small-cap stock, particularly favored by Reddit investors due to its resilience amid rising inflation and credit challenges in the US [1][2] - The stock has experienced a significant increase of 48% year-to-date [1] - The company reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with US pawn revenue showing double-digit growth and an expansion to over 1,300 locations across five countries [2] Company Performance - EZCORP's recent quarterly results exceeded expectations, driven by strong pawn revenue growth in the US [2] - The company is focusing on digital initiatives, omnichannel expansion, and improving inventory efficiency, which are expected to contribute to future growth [2] - The issuance of convertible senior notes was announced to restructure the balance sheet favorably, indicating proactive financial management [3] Market Position - EZCORP is viewed as a defensive stock, attracting investors due to its counter-cyclical demand, especially as discretionary income declines [3] - The company serves as a source of consumer credit, which becomes increasingly important in challenging economic conditions [3]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - EZCORP achieved record revenue of $1.3 billion for fiscal 2025, up 12% year over year, with adjusted EBITDA of $191.2 million, up 26% [4] - EBITDA margin expanded to 14.7% from 13%, and net income surged 30% to $110.7 million [4][6] - Cash position increased to $469.5 million from $170.5 million in fiscal 2024, reflecting a $300 million senior notes offering [7] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Pawn loan (PLO) of $303.9 million increased 11%, with a same-store basis growth of 9%, driven by higher average loan sizes [12] - Merchandise sales of $176 million increased 9%, with same-store sales up 7%, and merchandise margin remained steady at 35% [12] - In the U.S. pawn segment, total revenues increased 13% to $238.9 million, with PLO growth of 9% on both total and same-store basis [13][14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Latin America, fourth quarter revenues were $96.9 million, up 17%, with PLO up 17% to $70.1 million [16] - Jewelry composition in PLO increased by 450 basis points to 41%, indicating a shift towards higher-value items [16] - The U.S. remains the largest market with 247 stores in Texas, followed by Florida with 95 stores [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its store base and enhancing digital transformation to improve customer engagement [4][10] - Strategic initiatives include a targeted incentive compensation campaign and a robust loyalty program, with EZ Plus Rewards membership up 26% to 6.9 million members [9][10] - The M&A pipeline remains active, with multiple opportunities being evaluated for strategic integration and return on invested capital [20][35] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the business model, stating that the company can adapt quickly to changes in gold prices [26][27] - The company anticipates continued robust revenue growth, particularly outside of scrap sales, despite potential economic pressures [44] - Management highlighted the importance of operational excellence and customer-centric initiatives in driving future growth [8][21] Other Important Information - The company has transformed its earnings profile significantly since fiscal 2021, with net income increasing from $21 million to $110 million [17] - Digital initiatives have led to a 42% year-over-year growth in online payments in the U.S., demonstrating strong customer adoption of digital platforms [10][63] - The company is committed to improving inventory efficiency and scaling operational best practices across all geographies [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Concerns about gold prices and their impact on business - Management acknowledged that while rising gold prices are beneficial, the core business remains strong regardless of gold price fluctuations [26][27] Question: Future performance and growth potential in Latin America - Management indicated that there is still significant growth potential in Latin America, particularly in jewelry lending and digital adoption [30][33] Question: Insights on the M&A pipeline and future acquisitions - Management confirmed a robust M&A pipeline with a disciplined approach to acquisitions, focusing primarily on existing markets [35][36] Question: Impact of U.S. consumer behavior on store performance - Management noted strong demand for loan products, indicating that consumer pressure remains high, but specific impacts from external factors like government shutdowns are unclear [74] Question: Changes observed from digital initiatives - Management reported significant growth in online loan payments and customer engagement due to digital initiatives, enhancing store efficiency [62][64]

Core Insights - EZCORP, Inc. reported record revenue and pawn loans outstanding (PLO) for fiscal year 2025, driven by strong demand for cash solutions and secondhand goods [5][6] - The company achieved a 26% increase in adjusted EBITDA to $191.2 million and a 27% rise in adjusted diluted EPS to $1.43 [5][9] - The growth strategy included disciplined acquisitions and de novo store openings, resulting in a total of 1,360 stores across five countries [6][7] Fourth Quarter Highlights - Total revenues for Q4 increased by 14% to $336.8 million, with gross profit rising by 13% to $198.6 million [9][10] - Net income surged by 76% to $26.7 million, while diluted EPS increased by 62% to $0.34 [9][10] - Pawn loans outstanding reached $307.5 million, a 12% increase, reflecting higher average loan sizes and strong demand [12] Full Year 2025 Highlights - Full year total revenues rose by 10% to $1,274.3 million, with gross profit increasing by 9% to $746.1 million [9][10] - Net income for the year was $109.6 million, a 32% increase, with diluted EPS up 29% to $1.42 [9][10] - The company expanded its footprint by 81 stores, including 52 acquisitions and 40 de novo openings [9][10] Segment Results - In the U.S. pawn segment, PLO increased by 9% to $233.8 million, driven by higher average loan sizes and improved operational performance [11] - Latin America pawn segment saw PLO improve by 23% to $73.7 million, with total revenues up 11% on a constant currency basis [13] - Jewelry scrap sales in Q4 increased by 91%, contributing to a gross margin increase of 1,010 basis points to 29% [12] Financial Position - Cash and cash equivalents rose significantly to $469.5 million from $170.5 million, primarily due to a $300 million issuance of Senior Notes [12] - The company maintained a flexible balance sheet, focusing on high-return growth and opportunistic share repurchases [7][12] - Total assets increased to $1,951.2 million, up from $1,493.2 million year-over-year [22][23]

Core Points - EZCORP, Inc. will release its fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2025 results on November 13, 2025, after market close [1] - A conference call and webcast to discuss the results will take place on November 14, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time [2][3] Company Overview - EZCORP, formed in 1989, is a leading provider of pawn transactions in the United States and Latin America, also selling pre-owned and recycled merchandise [4] - The company focuses on meeting the short-term cash needs of consumers who are cash and credit constrained, emphasizing an industry-leading customer experience [4]

Core Insights - FirstCash Holdings, Inc. reported record revenue and earnings for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, with a quarterly cash dividend of $0.42 per share and a new $150 million share repurchase plan announced [1][3]. Financial Performance - For the third quarter of 2025, revenue reached $935.6 million, a 12% increase from $837.3 million in the prior year [5][40]. - Net income for the third quarter was $82.8 million, up 28% from $64.8 million year-over-year, with diluted earnings per share increasing to $1.86 from $1.44 [5][8]. - Year-to-date revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $2.6 billion, a 4% increase from $2.5 billion in 2024, with net income rising to $226.2 million from $175.3 million [7][40]. Segment Performance - The U.S. pawn segment saw same-store pawn receivables increase by 13%, while Latin America and the U.K. segments reported increases of 18% and 25%, respectively [2][14]. - The retail point-of-sale payment solutions segment, American First Finance (AFF), experienced strong earnings growth due to lower loss provisions and improved operating margins [2][31]. Growth and Expansion - The company completed the acquisition of H&T, the U.K.'s largest pawnbroker, adding 286 locations, and plans to open 20-25 new stores primarily in Latin America by January 2026 [3][13]. - FirstCash added a total of 332 pawn locations over the past twelve months, bringing the total to 3,311 locations across the U.S., Latin America, and the U.K. [13][32]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - Operating cash flows for the twelve months ended September 30, 2025, grew 31% to $577 million, with adjusted free cash flows increasing 42% to $310 million [19][24]. - The company repurchased 230,000 shares for $30 million in the third quarter, totaling $90 million in repurchases year-to-date, and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share [20][33]. Outlook - The outlook for the remainder of 2025 is positive, with expected year-over-year growth in income driven by continued growth in earning asset balances and store additions [21][27]. - The company anticipates strong fourth-quarter performance, with expected revenues ranging from $85 to $90 million, driven by seasonal holiday shopping [28][30].

Core Viewpoint - FirstCash Holdings (FCFS) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) due to an upward trend in earnings estimates, which is a significant factor influencing stock prices [1][3]. Earnings Estimates and Stock Price Impact - The Zacks rating system is based on a company's changing earnings picture, which is crucial for near-term stock price movements [2][4]. - An increase in earnings estimates typically leads to higher fair value calculations by institutional investors, resulting in buying or selling actions that affect stock prices [4]. Company Performance and Outlook - The upgrade for FirstCash indicates a positive outlook for its earnings, suggesting potential buying pressure and an increase in stock price [3][5]. - FirstCash is expected to earn $8.03 per share for the fiscal year ending December 2025, with a 1.3% increase in the Zacks Consensus Estimate over the past three months [8]. Zacks Rank System - The Zacks Rank system classifies stocks into five groups based on earnings estimates, with a strong track record of performance, particularly for Zacks Rank 1 stocks, which have generated an average annual return of +25% since 1988 [7]. - The upgrade of FirstCash to a Zacks Rank 2 places it in the top 20% of Zacks-covered stocks, indicating a strong potential for market-beating returns in the near term [10].