EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW) Receives Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages

Key Points

• Consensus rating "Moderate Buy": Eight analysts cover EZCORP with a consensus of Moderate Buy (four buys, three holds, one strong buy) and an average 1‑year price target of $29.50, while some firms (e.g., Canaccord) have raised targets as high as $40.00.
• Notable insider selling amid heavy institutional ownership: Company insiders sold 84,138 shares (about $2.10M) over the last quarter — including sales by a director and the CRO — even as institutional investors own 99.83% of the stock and several institutions added or increased positions.
• Recent earnings beat and valuation: EZCORP reported Q earnings of $0.55 EPS (vs. $0.40 expected) and revenue of $374.5M (vs. $363.6M expected); the stock trades near its 12‑month high (~$32.25) with a market cap of $1.99B and a PE of 20.67.

EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW - Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the eight analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $29.50.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Weiss Ratings raised EZCORP from a "buy (b+)" rating to a "buy (a-)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered EZCORP from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, April 18th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on EZCORP from $34.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th. Stephens raised their price objective on EZCORP from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered EZCORP from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 7th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Gary Tillett sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.50, for a total value of $255,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 133,483 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,403,816.50. This trade represents a 6.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CRO Nicole Swies sold 24,138 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.75, for a total value of $597,415.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive directly owned 115,266 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,852,833.50. The trade was a 17.32% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 84,138 shares of company stock valued at $2,102,416 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 2.13% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On EZCORP

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of EZPW. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its stake in shares of EZCORP by 23.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 19,375 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $286,000 after purchasing an additional 3,705 shares during the last quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of EZCORP in the first quarter worth approximately $1,646,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in shares of EZCORP by 47.9% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 183,291 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $2,544,000 after buying an additional 59,339 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers raised its holdings in shares of EZCORP by 0.9% in the second quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 73,064 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $1,014,000 after buying an additional 648 shares during the period. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership purchased a new stake in shares of EZCORP in the second quarter worth approximately $1,718,000. 99.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

EZCORP Price Performance

Shares of EZCORP stock opened at $32.25 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $27.26 and a 200 day moving average of $22.63. EZCORP has a 12 month low of $12.85 and a 12 month high of $32.50. The firm has a market cap of $1.99 billion, a PE ratio of 20.67 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a current ratio of 6.03, a quick ratio of 4.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48.

EZCORP (NASDAQ:EZPW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The credit services provider reported $0.55 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.40 by $0.15. EZCORP had a return on equity of 12.37% and a net margin of 9.18%.The company had revenue of $374.50 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $363.63 million. On average, research analysts expect that EZCORP will post 1.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About EZCORP

EZCORP, Inc is a specialty consumer finance company that provides pawn loans and retail merchandise programs primarily through its EZPAWN and Cash Converters brands. The company offers collateral-based loans secured principally by jewelry, electronics, musical instruments and other personal items, alongside check-cashing, money-transfer and bill-payment services. In addition to its pawn lending operations, EZCORP acquires previously pawned or consumer merchandise for resale through its “Sell-It-Now” platform and retail storefronts.

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, EZCORP operates in two principal geographic markets: the United States and Mexico.

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