Exec Edge hosted a fireside chat at the ICR Conference 2026 with Fahmi Karam, Chief Executive Officer at Upbound Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: UPBD). The in-person interview was joined by Editor-in-Chief John Jannarone, and they discussed the company’s core brands Acima, Brigit and Rent-A-Center, the difference between Lease-to-Own and Buy Now, Pay Later, how Acima differs from Klarna, Affirm and others, among other topics. About Fahmi Karam Mr. Karam was appointed Chief Executive Officer effective June 1, 2025. M ...

Core Insights - Upbound Group, Inc. (UPBD) reported strong first-quarter 2025 results, with revenues and earnings exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate, leading to an upward revision of its 2025 guidance [1][3][13] Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share were $1.00, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 94 cents, and increased from 79 cents in the same quarter last year [3] - Total revenues reached $1,176.4 million, exceeding the consensus estimate of $1,119 million, marking a 7.3% year-over-year increase driven by growth in rentals, fees, and merchandise sales [3] - Adjusted EBITDA was $126.1 million, up 15.6% year over year, with a margin increase of 70 basis points to 10.7% [4] Segment Performance - Rent-A-Center segment revenues decreased 4.9% year over year to $489 million, attributed to fewer company-owned stores and disciplined underwriting [5] - Acima segment revenues rose 13.5% year over year to $637.3 million, with GMV growth of 8.8% driven by increased retailer locations and application volume [7][9] - Brigit generated revenues of $31.9 million for February and March 2025, reflecting a 35.4% increase from the same period in 2024 [10] 2025 Outlook - The company expects 2025 revenues to be between $4.60 billion and $4.75 billion, with adjusted EBITDA projected between $510 million and $540 million [13] - For Q2 2025, revenues are anticipated to be between $1.05 billion and $1.15 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of $125 million to $135 million [14] Financial Health - As of March 31, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $107.3 million, net senior debt of $1.09 billion, and stockholders' equity of $679.2 million [12]