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FirstCash Holdings, Inc.: Q3 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 October 2025: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 2 lowered, 9 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and earnings rose in quarter: Revenue was $935.6 million, up 12%; net revenue rose 17%. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.86 versus $1.44, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.26 versus $1.67. Source
  • U.S. pawn income rose 14%: U.S. pawn pre-tax operating income was $112 million, up $14 million. The segment pre-tax margin was 26% versus 25%. Year-to-date segment income rose 13%. Source
  • Latin America pawn income rose 22%: Latin America pawn pre-tax operating income was $47 million, up 22% in U.S. dollars and 21% in local currency. Pawn receivables rose 27% in U.S. dollars and 19% at constant currency. Source
  • AFF segment income rose 52%: AFF pre-tax operating income was $46 million, up 52%, driven mainly by gross margin improvement and lower operating expenses. Net revenue rose 8% while gross revenue fell 14%. Source
  • Same-store pawn receivables grew: Same-store pawn receivables rose 13% in the U.S. and 18% in Latin America at constant currency. U.K. same-store receivables rose 25% in local currency. Source
  • Operating and free cash flow rose: Trailing twelve-month operating cash flow was $577 million, up 31%. Adjusted free cash flow was $310 million, up 42% from $217 million. Source
  • H&T purchase funded in cash: Management said leverage remains within a normal range after funding the $392 million cash acquisition of H&T. Source

“We are extremely pleased with the record third quarter operating results and the timely completion of the H&T acquisition.”

Mr. Rick Wessel, chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
U.S. pawn fee revenue Sourcefourth quarter 2025double-digit growthNew
U.S. retail sales growth Sourceremainder of 2025high single-digit rangeKept
Latin America retail sales Sourcefourth quarter 2025double-digit compsNew
H&T earnings accretion Sourcefourth quarter 2025$0.18 to $0.20 per shareRaised
H&T full-year proforma EBITDA Sourcefull year 2025$65 to $70 millionNew
H&T fourth-quarter revenues Sourcefourth quarter 2025$85 to $90 millionNew
AFF origination volume Sourcefull year 2025down 7% to 10% compared to 2024Lowered from relatively consistent with 2024 volume (second quarter release)
AFF origination volume excluding Conn's and A-Freight 2024 originations Sourcefull year 2025increase of 15% to 20%Lowered from increase of 20% to 25% (second quarter release)
AFF net revenue Sourcefull year 2025flatRaised from decline of 6% to 8%
AFF net revenue Sourcefourth quarter 2025decline by approximately 15% to 20%New
Effective income tax rate Sourcefull year 202525% to 26%Raised from 24.5% to 25.5% (U.S. and Latin America only)
Pawn share of segment pre-tax income Sourcefourth quarter 2025over 85%New
New store openings Sourcebetween now and the end of January20-25 new storesNew
U.S. pawn store acquisitions Sourcenext 90 days15 U.S. locations in three transactionsNew
Share repurchase authorization Sourceapproved October 22, 2025$150 millionNew
Quarterly cash dividend Sourcefourth quarter 2025, paid November 26, 2025$0.42 per shareKept
Mexican peso sensitivity Sourceannualapproximately $0.10 per share per full pointKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Management raised full-year revenue growth expectations for the U.S. and Latin America and increased the projected H&T accretion contribution. Source
  • Guidance raised: AFF full-year net revenue expectation moved from a 6% to 8% decline to flat. Source
  • Guidance lowered: AFF full-year origination volume expectation moved from relatively consistent with 2024 to a 7% to 10% decline. Source
  • New guidance: Fourth-quarter revenue range and full-year proforma EBITDA range were given for H&T, which was not included in prior estimates. Source
  • New: The H&T acquisition closed on August 14, 2025; the second quarter release had said it was pending regulatory approval. Source
  • New: Reporting moved from three segments to four, with U.K. pawn added as a reportable segment. Source
  • New: The board approved a new $150 million share repurchase authorization on October 22, 2025. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue and earnings rose in quarter: Revenue was $935.6 million, up 12%; net revenue rose 17%. GAAP diluted EPS was $1.86 versus $1.44, and adjusted diluted EPS was $2.26 versus $1.67. Source
  • Year-to-date growth was smaller: Year-to-date revenue was $2.60 billion, up 4%; net revenue rose 10%. Year-to-date GAAP diluted EPS was $5.07 versus $3.88, and adjusted diluted EPS was $6.12 versus $4.58. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 30%: Adjusted EBITDA was $180.6 million, up from $139.3 million. Trailing twelve-month adjusted EBITDA reached $654 million. Source
  • Assets passed $5 billion: Consolidated assets reached $5.2 billion at September 30, 2025, the first time above $5 billion. GAAP net income was $82.8 million versus $64.8 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. pawn income rose 14%: U.S. pawn pre-tax operating income was $112 million, up $14 million. The segment pre-tax margin was 26% versus 25%. Year-to-date segment income rose 13%. Source
  • Latin America pawn income rose 22%: Latin America pawn pre-tax operating income was $47 million, up 22% in U.S. dollars and 21% in local currency. Pawn receivables rose 27% in U.S. dollars and 19% at constant currency. Source
  • U.K. pawn added from August 14: H&T contributed $18 million of segment pre-tax operating income, a 33% margin, and $55 million of revenue from August 14 through September 30. U.K. pawn receivables were $189 million. Source
  • AFF segment income rose 52%: AFF pre-tax operating income was $46 million, up 52%, driven mainly by gross margin improvement and lower operating expenses. Net revenue rose 8% while gross revenue fell 14%. Source

“Demand for our products and services in each pawn segment are at record levels as our operators and associates continue to execute superbly and efficiently”

Mr. Rick Wessel, chief executive officer

Products and customers

  • Pawn fees and retail sales rose: U.S. pawn loan fees rose 8%, or 9% same-store. U.S. retail merchandise sales rose 8%, or 7% same-store. Latin America retail merchandise sales rose 12% in U.S. dollars. Source
  • Merchant partner doors grew 17%: AFF had about 15,800 active retail and e-commerce merchant partner locations, up 17%. Excluding furniture locations closed in the prior year, active doors rose 26%. Source
  • Originations fell on bankruptcies: AFF gross transaction volume fell 13% in the quarter, mainly from the American Freight and Conn's bankruptcies. Excluding those merchants, origination volume rose about 10%. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Administrative and deal costs rose: Administrative expenses rose to $58.8 million from $42.2 million. Merger and acquisition expenses were $9.5 million, against $0.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Lease and loan loss provisions eased: Combined lease and loan loss provision expense was 27.5% of gross transaction volume, down from 27.9%. The combined charge-off rate decreased slightly as well. Source
  • Latin America retail margin rose: Latin America pawn retail margin was 36% for the quarter, up from 35% a year earlier. Source

“in addition to funding loan growth, our solid cash flows allow us to continue our pursuit of store growth”

Mr. Rick Wessel, chief executive officer

Demand and the order book

  • Same-store pawn receivables grew: Same-store pawn receivables rose 13% in the U.S. and 18% in Latin America at constant currency. U.K. same-store receivables rose 25% in local currency. Source
  • October pawn receivables rose: Management said U.S. pawn receivables had grown almost 13% in October to date. Source
  • Transactions and loan size drove revenue: Management said pawn revenue growth came mainly from more customer transactions and larger loan amounts requested by customers. Source
  • Loan-to-value kept conservative: Management said it keeps loan-to-value ratios conservative and has lagged precious metal price increases by several months to set lending standards. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Operating and free cash flow rose: Trailing twelve-month operating cash flow was $577 million, up 31%. Adjusted free cash flow was $310 million, up 42% from $217 million. Source
  • Net debt to EBITDA at 3.2x: Net debt was $2.1 billion. Net debt to trailing adjusted EBITDA was 3.2x, and slightly under 3.0x including H&T on a pro forma basis. Source
  • Buybacks and dividends returned cash: The company repurchased 230,000 shares for $30 million in the quarter. Trailing twelve-month repurchases were $90 million and dividends $69 million, a payout of about 51% of net income. Source
  • Return on equity was 15%: Return on equity was 15% and return on assets 7% for the trailing twelve months. On adjusted net income, return on equity was 18% and return on assets 8%. Source

Strategy and investment

  • H&T purchase funded in cash: Management said leverage remains within a normal range after funding the $392 million cash acquisition of H&T. Source
  • Store growth through acquisitions: Over the trailing twelve months, 302 pawn stores were acquired and 30 de novo stores opened, with 332 locations added in total. Pawn locations totaled 3,311 at quarter end. Source
  • Texas acquisition closed after quarter end: A four-store Texas acquisition closed after quarter end, including the underlying real estate, according to management. Source
  • Real estate purchases continued: Real estate purchases totaled $76 million for 48 existing stores. Company-owned properties now number 433. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 October 2025

  • Further deleveraging expected: Management expects natural deleveraging over the next two quarters as the company enters its seasonal cash flow period. Source
  • Pawn additions and openings pipeline: Management said it is positioned to add 30 or more pawn locations across all segments within 90 days. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales, U.S. pawn same-store retail merchandise sales Source+7%
Comparable sales, Latin America same-store retail merchandise sales Source+11% in U.S. dollars; +10% at constant currency
Same-store pawn receivables, U.S. Source+13%
Inventories aged over one year, U.S. pawn Source1.9% of total inventories
Retail sales margin, U.S. pawn Source43%
Pawn locations added in quarter, U.S. and Latin America Source4

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited continued consumer caution on larger discretionary purchases, such as furniture, as a factor in lower AFF origination volume. Source
  • Financial: Management called the rise in the leased merchandise net charge-off rate the expected result of reduced new-lease originations. Delinquency rate rose to 25.5% from 23.6%. Source
  • External: Management said the lower Mexican peso exchange rate reduced first-half U.S. dollar-reported results for Latin America. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: The second quarter release expected H&T to close by the end of the third quarter; the third quarter release reports the close on August 14, 2025.

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.