The Lowdown on Rent-A-Center, Inc.

Rent-A-Center, Inc.

Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ:$RCII) has recently faced scrutiny from savvy analysts who see dwindling revenues as a sign of a downturn. Despite this, however, the company has responded with a three-pillar strategy back in April that they plan to implement to quickly recover.

The strategy involves three main focuses;

  • Strengthen the core of the company
  • Optimize their Acceptance NOW segment
  • Embrace Technological Expansion.

Rent-A-Center is a rent-to-own chain that operates across North America and provides consumers the opportunity to buy products under a rental-purchase agreement. Their products include a wide range that includes electronics, appliances, smartphones, and furniture.

Despite the ambitions, though, investors have failed to see the company make a turnaround. In the second quarter, the company reported a decline in revenue of 9% compared to the same quarter last year. They also reported a Net Loss overall. Their EPS also failed to hit the mark, at $0.07 lower than consensus estimates. Worse, despite revenues of $11.83 million, same-store sales continued a downward trend. There was also a further reduction of total store count.

RCII hasn’t had a very impressive quarter, and it’s causing potential investors to second guess the rent-to-own company. However, some analysts are advising the company’s high-yielding bond as a better way to go.

The company currently has a Market cap of $578.33 million with a 52 week high of $13.89 and a low of $7.76. There are currently 53.30 million outstanding shares. The company does boast, however, a 0.68 beta, indicating it is not at risk of a sudden and unexpected change to its stock.

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About the author: Dylan is a content writer and editor located in Vancouver, British Columbia. He graduated from the University of Regina with BA degrees in both Journalism and History in 2016. His skills include writing, blogging, editing, and developing content for both print and internet media.