greeksoup/ stock research

Ezcorp Inc.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 12 November 2026: press release. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Quarterly net income and EPS rose: Net income attributable to EZCORP rose 28% to $34.3 million. Diluted EPS rose 26% to $0.43, or 23% to $0.43 on an adjusted basis. Source
  • Pawn loans outstanding rose 31%: PLO reached $402.8 million, up 31%, or 16% on a same-store basis. Management attributed the growth mainly to additional stores, including SMG, and higher average loan size on jewelry collateral. Source
  • Latin America contribution up 56%: Latin America Pawn segment contribution rose 56% to $24.4 million, or 49% to $23.4 million on a constant currency basis. Full-year segment contribution rose 46% to $88.5 million. Source
  • Jewelry scrap sales rose 86%: Fourth quarter jewelry scrap sales rose 86% on higher gold prices and jewelry purchases. Full-year scrap sales rose 144%. Source
  • Store expenses up 21%: Store expenses rose 21% in the fourth quarter and 25% for the full year, or 4% and 10% on a same-store basis. Management cited additional stores, labor costs and Latin America minimum wage increases. Source
  • Same-store PLO grew in both regions: Fourth quarter same-store PLO rose 13% in the U.S. and 25% in Latin America. Management cited these as the drivers of the quarter's earnings growth. Source
  • Cash fell after SMG debt repayment: Cash and cash equivalents fell to $295.1 million from $469.5 million. Management said the decline was mainly from retiring $134.2 million of SMG third-party debt and cash used for acquisitions. Source
  • Fourth quarter footprint grew 41 stores: The fourth quarter added 25 de novo stores and 22 acquired stores, with 4 stores consolidated and 2 closed. Source

“Robust lending and higher merchandise sales and margin drove substantial earnings growth in the quarter even as scrap margins normalize, reflecting the strength, durability and compelling growth profile of our core pawn business.”

Lachie Given, Chief Executive Officer

Results and growth drivers

  • Quarterly net income and EPS rose: Net income attributable to EZCORP rose 28% to $34.3 million. Diluted EPS rose 26% to $0.43, or 23% to $0.43 on an adjusted basis. Source
  • Revenue and gross profit both grew: Total revenues rose 33% to $447.1 million and gross profit rose 29% to $255.8 million. Excluding SMG, total revenues rose 20% and gross profit rose 18%. Source
  • Full-year diluted EPS rose 46%: Full-year net income attributable to EZCORP rose 51% to $165.9 million. Adjusted diluted EPS rose 43% to $2.02 on a non-GAAP basis. Source
  • Pretax income and EBITDA rose: Fourth quarter pretax income rose 31% to $47.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA rose 33% to $64.0 million, and full-year adjusted EBITDA rose 47% to $276.7 million. Source

Core pawn and loan growth

  • Pawn loans outstanding rose 31%: PLO reached $402.8 million, up 31%, or 16% on a same-store basis. Management attributed the growth mainly to additional stores, including SMG, and higher average loan size on jewelry collateral. Source
  • Service charges rose 29% in quarter: Pawn service charges rose 29% in the fourth quarter on higher average PLO and additional stores. Full-year PSC rose 26%. Source
  • Core pawn revenue and gross profit grew: Core pawn revenue rose 27% to $383.4 million, and core pawn gross profit rose 29% to $243.6 million in the quarter. Source

“As we look ahead, our priorities remain consistent: to strengthen the core pawn business, expand our footprint through de novo stores and disciplined acquisitions, and allocate capital prudently”

Lachie Given, Chief Executive Officer

Segments and regions

  • U.S. Pawn revenue up 14%: U.S. Pawn fourth quarter total revenues rose 14% and gross profit rose 12%. Segment contribution rose 29% to $70.3 million in the quarter and 35% to $280.7 million for the full year. Source
  • U.S. PLO rose on loan size: U.S. Pawn PLO ended the year at $269.4 million, up 15%, or 13% on a same-store basis. Management linked the rise to higher average loan size as gold prices lifted jewelry collateral value. Source
  • Latin America contribution up 56%: Latin America Pawn segment contribution rose 56% to $24.4 million, or 49% to $23.4 million on a constant currency basis. Full-year segment contribution rose 46% to $88.5 million. Source
  • Latin America PLO up 35%: Latin America Pawn PLO rose 35% to $99.6 million, or 33% on a constant currency basis. Source
  • SMG quarterly revenue reported: SMG reported fourth quarter total revenues of $42.3 million, including $17.4 million of merchandise sales and $14.6 million of PSC. Segment contribution was $4.3 million. Source

Merchandise, scrap and gold prices

  • Jewelry scrap sales rose 86%: Fourth quarter jewelry scrap sales rose 86% on higher gold prices and jewelry purchases. Full-year scrap sales rose 144%. Source
  • Scrap margin fell as gold eased: Scrap gross margin fell to 19% from 29% in the quarter. Management linked this to gold declining from third-quarter levels, against a sharp rise in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Merchandise margin rose to 37%: Merchandise sales gross margin rose to 37% from 35% in the fourth quarter and for the full year. Source
  • U.S. merchandise sales up 7%: U.S. Pawn fourth quarter merchandise sales rose 7%, or 5% on a same-store basis, and sales gross margin rose 160 bps to 39%. Source
  • Latin America merchandise sales up 31%: Latin America Pawn fourth quarter merchandise sales rose 31%, or 24% on a same-store basis. Merchandise gross margin rose to 36% from 32%. Source

“The full year was one of the best in our history, with diluted EPS increasing 46% to $2.07, alongside record revenue and pawn loans outstanding.”

Lachie Given, Chief Executive Officer

Costs and margins

  • Store expenses up 21%: Store expenses rose 21% in the fourth quarter and 25% for the full year, or 4% and 10% on a same-store basis. Management cited additional stores, labor costs and Latin America minimum wage increases. Source
  • G&A rose on SMG costs: General and administrative expenses rose 30% in the fourth quarter, mainly from expenses associated with SMG. Source
  • Full-year G&A driven by labor: Full-year general and administrative expenses rose 26%, mainly from labor costs including higher incentive compensation, and from SMG expenses. Source

Inventory and demand

  • Same-store PLO grew in both regions: Fourth quarter same-store PLO rose 13% in the U.S. and 25% in Latin America. Management cited these as the drivers of the quarter's earnings growth. Source
  • Net inventory rose 44%: Net inventory rose 44%, or 26% on a same-store basis, from higher PLO, layaways and purchases. Source
  • Inventory turnover eased to 2.2x: Quarterly inventory turnover fell to 2.2x from 2.3x and held at 2.4x for the full year. U.S. Pawn turnover fell to 1.9x from 2.1x. Source
  • Aged merchandise share declined: Aged general merchandise fell 152 bps to 1.4% of total general merchandise inventory. Source

Cash, debt and shareholder returns

  • Cash fell after SMG debt repayment: Cash and cash equivalents fell to $295.1 million from $469.5 million. Management said the decline was mainly from retiring $134.2 million of SMG third-party debt and cash used for acquisitions. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Full-year net cash provided by operating activities was $186.2 million, against $149.0 million in the prior year. Source
  • Capex and acquisition outflows rose: Full-year capital expenditures were $45.4 million and acquisitions, net of cash acquired, were $41.0 million, against $38.6 million and $20.7 million. Source
  • Debt paid down and buybacks made: Full-year payments on debt were $134.2 million. Purchases and retirement of treasury stock were $11.0 million, against $7.0 million in the prior year. Source

Footprint, strategy and people

  • Fourth quarter footprint grew 41 stores: The fourth quarter added 25 de novo stores and 22 acquired stores, with 4 stores consolidated and 2 closed. Source
  • Full-year footprint grew 230 stores: For the full year, the footprint grew by 190 acquired stores and 48 de novo stores, with 6 stores consolidated and 2 closed. Source
  • SMG integration is the focus: With SMG wholly owned, management is focused on integrating its stores onto company systems and enhancing its culture and operating disciplines. Source
  • Priorities described as consistent: Management said its priorities remain consistent: strengthening core pawn, expanding through de novo stores and disciplined acquisitions, and allocating capital prudently. Source
  • Thanks to team members: The CEO thanked the company's almost 10,000 team members for the quarter and year. Source

Coming up, as management said on 12 November 2026

  • Form 10-K filing: The Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2026 is expected to be filed on or about November 12, 2026. Source
  • SMG store integration planned: Management plans to integrate SMG stores onto company systems and enhance culture and operating disciplines to lift financial performance. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Same-store PLO growth, fourth quarter Source13% U.S.; 25% Latin America
Net inventory growth Source44% (26% same-store)
Inventory turnover Source2.2x quarter; 2.4x full year
Store count Source1,590 locations in 15 countries
Store openings and closings, fourth quarter Source25 de novo; 22 acquired; 4 consolidated; 2 closed
Merchandise sales gross margin Source37% (from 35%)
Aged general merchandise Source1.4% of general merchandise inventory

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Integrating SMG's stores onto company systems and culture is a stated area of focus following full ownership. Source
  • External: Management said jewelry scrap margins normalized as gold prices declined from third-quarter levels. Source
  • Regulatory: Minimum wage increases in Latin America raised store labor costs in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said the priorities announced earlier remain consistent in this release. Source
  • Not stated: The prior release described SMG as a platform for introducing EZCORP systems, disciplines, culture and capital; this release describes integration as the focus.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.