EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW) Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $38.83

Key Points

• Analysts remain moderately bullish: EZCORP has a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, with six buy and two hold recommendations among eight firms, and an average 12-month price target of $38.83.
• Quarterly results topped estimates: The company reported earnings of $0.43 per share versus a $0.42 consensus and revenue of $447.06 million versus expectations of $427.57 million.
• Broker views were mixed: Canaccord Genuity lowered its price target from $45 to $44 while keeping a buy rating, and Wall Street Zen downgraded the stock to hold.

EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW - Get Free Report) has earned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the eight ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $38.83.

Several brokerages have recently commented on EZPW. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of EZCORP from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of EZCORP from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Citigroup reissued a "market outperform" rating on shares of EZCORP in a research note on Thursday. Canaccord Genuity Group reduced their price target on EZCORP from $45.00 to $44.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, Roth Capital reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $40.00 price target on shares of EZCORP in a research report on Friday.

EZCORP Trading Up 1.8%

Shares of NASDAQ EZPW traded up $0.50 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $27.55. The stock had a trading volume of 1,550,889 shares, compared to its average volume of 871,249. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 3.45 and a current ratio of 4.54. EZCORP has a 1 year low of $16.50 and a 1 year high of $37.13. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $30.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $29.86. The firm has a market cap of $1.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.31 and a beta of 0.76.

EZCORP (NASDAQ:EZPW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 11th. The credit services provider reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.42 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $447.06 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $427.57 million. EZCORP had a net margin of 9.77% and a return on equity of 14.12%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that EZCORP will post 2.20 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Latest EZCORP News

Investors following EZPW have been watching these news items:

• Neutral Sentiment: EZPAWN expanded its instant-quote offering for gold, electronics and tools ahead of the holidays, a customer-facing initiative that could support seasonal activity, though no sales impact was reported. EZPAWN announcement
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the earnings beat, coverage said shares fell after the results as costs overshadowed the strong quarter. This suggests expense trends may limit how much investors reward the revenue and earnings growth. Earnings reaction
• Negative Sentiment: A newly disclosed risk flags EZCORP’s reliance on AI and machine learning as a potential source of operational, cybersecurity and regulatory exposure. AI-related risk disclosure

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Ellen Bryant sold 30,000 shares of EZCORP stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.77, for a total value of $1,043,100.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 117,786 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,095,419.22. This trade represents a 20.30% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 2.13% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On EZCORP

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC bought a new stake in EZCORP in the second quarter valued at $31,000. IFP Advisors Inc raised its holdings in EZCORP by 546.4% in the 3rd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,183 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC raised its holdings in EZCORP by 2,381.2% in the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 1,191 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 1,143 shares in the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC raised its holdings in EZCORP by 4,125.0% in the 3rd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 1,521 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 1,485 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV purchased a new stake in shares of EZCORP in the 1st quarter worth about $44,000. Institutional investors own 99.83% of the company's stock.

EZCORP Company Profile

EZCORP, Inc. operates pawnshops that provide short-term loans secured by customers' personal property and sell pre-owned merchandise. Its stores offer customers access to pawn loans and a way to buy or sell goods. Products commonly include jewelry, electronics, tools and musical instruments. The company operates under brands including EZPAWN and serves customers in the United States and parts of Latin America. Founded in 1989, EZCORP is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Its business focuses on pawn lending and the retail sale of secondhand goods.

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