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][11] - EBITDA margin expanded to 14.7% from 13%, and net income surged 30% to $110.7 million [4][11] - 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% [11] - Merchandise sales of $176 million increased 9%, with same-store sales up 7% [11] - U.S. pawn segment 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 [15] - Jewelry composition in PLO increased by 450 basis points to 41% in Latin America [15] - Texas remains the largest market with 247 stores, followed by Florida with 95 stores [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - EZCORP focuses on expanding its store base, having added 24 stores in the quarter, with a total of 1,360 stores across five countries [5][6] - The company is committed to digital transformation, with initiatives like the EZ+ Rewards membership program, which increased by 26% to 6.9 million members [8] - The M&A pipeline remains active, with multiple opportunities being evaluated for strategic integration and return on invested capital [20] 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 focus remains on growing PLO, improving inventory efficiency, and scaling operational best practices across all geographies [18] - Management noted strong demand for loan products, indicating robust lending profiles despite external economic pressures [78] Other Important Information - The company implemented a targeted incentive compensation campaign in Q4, which successfully improved merchandise sales [8] - Digital initiatives have led to significant growth in online payments and customer engagement, with website traffic increasing by 49% [9] - The company is seeing a shift towards jewelry in its PLO composition, enhancing its ability to capitalize on elevated gold prices [14] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of gold prices 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 growth potential in Latin America - Management indicated that there is still significant opportunity for growth in Latin America, particularly in lending against jewelry and digital adoption [31][32] Question: M&A pipeline outlook - Management confirmed a robust M&A pipeline with ongoing acquisitions, focusing primarily on existing markets but open to new opportunities [35][36] Question: Digital initiatives and customer behavior - Management noted that digital initiatives are driving customer engagement and efficiency, with significant growth in online loan payments and customer loyalty [63][65] Question: Inventory growth and turnover - Management explained that inventory growth is primarily due to increased jewelry holdings and longer-term layaways, viewing it as an opportunity for improvement in inventory turnover [66][67]