FirstCash Increases Capacity of Unsecured Bank Credit Facility; Maturity Date Extended to August 2029

Rhea-AI Summary

FirstCash Holdings (Nasdaq: FCFS) has amended its unsecured bank credit facility, increasing the commitment from $640 million to $700 million and extending the maturity date from August 2027 to August 2029. The amendment also allows for an increased permitted leverage ratio of up to 3.25 times adjusted EBITDA for the full term. This expansion provides FirstCash with five years of significant long-term committed capital to support growth in the U.S. and Latin America, as well as ongoing shareholder payouts through dividends and share repurchases.

FirstCash operates over 3,000 pawn stores internationally and offers retail POS payment solutions. The company's pawn segments account for about 80% of segment earnings, with the remainder from its subsidiary AFF, providing lease-to-own and retail finance payment solutions.

Positive

• Increased credit facility commitment from $640 million to $700 million
• Extended credit facility maturity date by 2 years to August 2029
• Increased permitted leverage ratio to 3.25 times adjusted EBITDA
• Additional capacity to support growth, expansion, and shareholder payouts

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

FirstCash's amendment to its credit facility is a positive development for the company's financial flexibility. The increase in capacity from $640 million to $700 million provides an additional $60 million in liquidity, which can be important for expansion and operational needs. The two-year extension of the maturity date to 2029 reduces refinancing risk and demonstrates lenders' confidence in FirstCash's long-term prospects.

The increased permitted leverage ratio of 3.25x adjusted EBITDA offers more financial maneuvering room, potentially allowing for more aggressive growth strategies or capital returns to shareholders. However, investors should monitor this leverage closely, as higher debt levels can increase financial risk.

This facility enhancement supports FirstCash's growth initiatives in both the U.S. and Latin America, which is important given that pawn operations account for 80% of segment earnings. The additional capacity for shareholder payouts could make the stock more attractive to income-focused investors.

Market Research Analyst

FirstCash's expanded credit facility signals strong market positioning in the pawn and POS payment solutions sectors. With over 3,000 retail pawn stores, the company has a significant footprint that this new financing can help expand further. The pawn industry tends to be countercyclical, often performing well during economic downturns when consumers seek alternative financing options.

The company's dual focus on pawn operations and retail POS payment solutions through AFF diversifies its revenue streams, potentially making it more resilient to market fluctuations. Investors should note that FirstCash's inclusion in the S&P MidCap 400 and Russell 2000 indices may provide additional stability and visibility to the stock.

The extended credit facility could support FirstCash's competitive position against both traditional pawn shops and emerging fintech competitors in the alternative lending space. However, investors should monitor regulatory changes in the consumer finance sector, as they could impact the company's operations and profitability.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstCash Holdings, Inc. (“FirstCash” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: FCFS), the leading international operator of more than 3,000 retail pawn stores and a leading provider of retail point-of-sale (“POS”) payment solutions, today announced that it has amended the terms of its long-term, unsecured bank credit facility to increase the size of the commitment to $700 million and extend the maturity date to August 2029.

With this amendment and extension, the size of the facility has been increased from $640 million to $700 million, while the maturity date of the facility was extended from August 2027 to August 2029. The amended facility provides for an increased permitted leverage ratio of up to 3.25 times adjusted EBITDA for the full term of the agreement while the other financial covenants remain substantially unchanged. 

Mr. Rick Wessel, chief executive officer, stated, “The additional capacity and extension of the credit facility provide us with five years of significant long-term committed capital to further support our continued growth and expansion in both the U.S. and Latin America. In addition, the amended facility is expected to provide further capacity to support ongoing shareholder payouts through cash dividends and share repurchases. We would like to thank our commercial bank partners for their continued confidence in FirstCash and our strategic direction.”

About FirstCash

FirstCash is the leading international operator of pawn stores focused on serving cash and credit-constrained consumers. FirstCash’s more than 3,000 pawn stores in the U.S. and Latin America buy and sell a wide variety of jewelry, electronics, tools, appliances, sporting goods, musical instruments and other merchandise, and make small non-recourse pawn loans secured by pledged personal property. FirstCash’s pawn segments in the U.S. and Latin America currently account for approximately 80% of segment earnings, with the remainder provided by its wholly owned subsidiary, AFF, which provides lease-to-own and retail finance payment solutions for consumer goods and services.

FirstCash is a component company in both the Standard & Poor’s MidCap 400 Index® and the Russell 2000 Index®. FirstCash’s common stock (ticker symbol “FCFS”) is traded on the Nasdaq, the creator of the world’s first electronic stock market. For additional information regarding FirstCash and the services it provides, visit FirstCash’s websites located at http://www.firstcash.com and http://www.americanfirstfinance.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This release contains forward-looking statements about the business, financial condition, outlook and prospects of FirstCash Holdings, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (together, the “Company”). Forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “outlook,” “believes,” “projects,” “expects,” “may,” “estimates,” “should,” “plans,” “targets,” “intends,” “could,” “would,” “anticipates,” “potential,” “confident,” “optimistic,” or the negative thereof, or other variations thereon, or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, objectives, estimates, guidance, expectations, outlook and future plans. Forward-looking statements can also be identified by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.

These forward-looking statements are made to provide the public with management’s current expectations with regard to the credit facility amendment. While the Company believes the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurances such expectations will prove to be accurate. Security holders are cautioned such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Certain factors may cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements made in this release. Such factors may include, without limitation, risks, uncertainties and regulatory developments discussed and described in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the risks described in Part 1, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” thereof, and other reports filed with the SEC. Many of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the ability of the Company to control, nor can the Company predict, in many cases, all of the risks and uncertainties that could cause its actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to report any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

For further information, please contact:

Gar Jackson
Global IR Group
Phone: (817) 886-6998
Email: gar@globalirgroup.com

Doug Orr, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (817) 258-2650
Email: investorrelations@firstcash.com
Website: investors.firstcash.com

FAQ

What changes did FirstCash (FCFS) make to its unsecured bank credit facility in August 2024?

FirstCash increased the credit facility commitment from $640 million to $700 million and extended the maturity date from August 2027 to August 2029. The amendment also allows for an increased permitted leverage ratio of up to 3.25 times adjusted EBITDA for the full term.

How will the amended credit facility benefit FirstCash (FCFS)?

The amended facility provides FirstCash with five years of significant long-term committed capital to support continued growth and expansion in both the U.S. and Latin America. It also offers additional capacity to support ongoing shareholder payouts through cash dividends and share repurchases.

What percentage of FirstCash's (FCFS) segment earnings come from its pawn store operations?

FirstCash's pawn segments in the U.S. and Latin America currently account for approximately 80% of segment earnings, with the remainder provided by its subsidiary AFF, which offers lease-to-own and retail finance payment solutions.

How many pawn stores does FirstCash (FCFS) operate as of August 2024?

FirstCash operates more than 3,000 retail pawn stores internationally, focusing on serving cash and credit-constrained consumers in the U.S. and Latin America.