EZCORP (NASDAQ:EZPW) Hits New 52-Week High - Here's Why

Key Points

• EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW) achieved a new 52-week high of $17.05 during trading, reflecting a strong market performance.
• Analysts raised their ratings on EZCORP, with a consensus price target of $18.50 and several firms issuing a "strong-buy" rating.
• The company reported earnings per share of $0.33 for the last quarter, exceeding the expected $0.23, with significant revenue growth of $310.98 million.

EZCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:EZPW - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $17.05 and last traded at $17.01, with a volume of 147948 shares. The stock had previously closed at $16.73.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently issued reports on EZPW. Wall Street Zen raised EZCORP from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, June 14th. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of EZCORP in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. They issued a "neutral" rating for the company. Stephens restated an "equal weight" rating and issued a $17.00 price objective on shares of EZCORP in a report on Tuesday, May 20th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $25.00 price objective on shares of EZCORP in a report on Friday, August 1st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $18.50.

EZCORP Stock Up 1.0%

The company's 50-day moving average is $14.92 and its two-hundred day moving average is $14.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 6.31 and a quick ratio of 5.00. The company has a market cap of $1.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.20 and a beta of 0.63.

EZCORP (NASDAQ:EZPW - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 30th. The credit services provider reported $0.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.10. EZCORP had a net margin of 7.96% and a return on equity of 11.85%. The firm had revenue of $310.98 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $302.25 million. As a group, equities analysts predict that EZCORP, Inc. will post 1.3 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, COO John Blair Jr. Powell sold 3,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.81, for a total value of $48,335.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 145,983 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,016,025.23. This represents a 2.34% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 2.13% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of EZCORP

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Squarepoint Ops LLC raised its position in EZCORP by 115.0% in the 2nd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 71,945 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $999,000 after purchasing an additional 38,475 shares during the period. State of Wyoming grew its stake in EZCORP by 178.1% in the 2nd quarter. State of Wyoming now owns 11,069 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $154,000 after acquiring an additional 7,089 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP grew its stake in EZCORP by 23.0% in the 2nd quarter. Caxton Associates LLP now owns 30,271 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $420,000 after acquiring an additional 5,665 shares in the last quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board grew its stake in EZCORP by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 228,108 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $3,166,000 after acquiring an additional 9,261 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wasatch Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of EZCORP by 5.4% during the second quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 2,321,138 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $32,217,000 after purchasing an additional 118,641 shares in the last quarter. 99.83% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

EZCORP Company Profile

EZCORP, Inc provides pawn services in the United States and Latin America. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Pawn, Latin America Pawn, and Other Investments. The company offers pawn loans collateralized by tangible personal property, jewelry, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods, and musical instruments.

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