Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: I would like an opinion on EZCORP. Thank you.

Article Excerpt

EZCORP, Inc., $15.99, symbol EZPW on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 51.2 million; Market cap: $862.8 million; www.ezcorp.com), is a Texas-based company that operates pawnshops and payday loan stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Through its pawnshops, EZCORP offers loans that borrowers must back up by offering personal property as collateral. These types of loans are commonly known as pawn loans. The shops also sell merchandise, mainly collateral forfeited through the company’s pawn-lending operations. As of June 30, 2013, EZCORP operated over 1,300 locations, consisting of more than 470 pawnshops in the U.S. (mainly operating as EZPAWN or Value Pawn), seven Cash Converters buy/sell stores in the U.S., 230 pawnshops in Mexico (under the Empeño Fácil or Empeñe Su Oro banners), 442 payday loans stores in the U.S. (mainly under the EZMONEY brand), 33 CASHMAX payday loan stores in Canada, 35 Cash Converters buy/sell stores in Canada and 45 payday loan stores in Mexico (operating as Crediamigo). The company also has significant…