EZCORP Inc. (EZPW) is scheduled to report fiscal first-quarter 2010 results on Jan 21. The company operates payday-lending stores and pawnshops in the U.S., Canada and Mexico for individuals who do not have cash or access to credit.
On Nov 5, EZCORP issued first quarter guidance of between 41 cents and 43 cents per share. Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate is holding right in the middle of the range, at 42 cents.
For fiscal 2010, the company forecast earnings per share in the range of $1.65 to $1.69. The 2010 Zacks Consensus is at the high end of that range, at $1.69 per share.
The company closed out fiscal 2009 with net income growth of 31%. Analysts are expecting earnings growth of 19.59% for fiscal 2010.
Expansion through acquisition and new store openings is still a key strategy for the company. EZCORP intends to open 40 to 50 Empeno Facil pawn locations in Mexico, 35 to 45 Cash-Max payday loan locations in Canada and 6 pawn shops in the United States in fiscal 2010.
Value Fundamentals
It’s been about a year since I last reviewed EZCORP. The company is still cheap, trading at just 10.8x forward earnings. EZCORP’s price to book ratio is 2.0. It has a PEG ratio only 0.69.
EZCORP is now a Zacks #2 Rank (buy) stock.
Read the Jan 16, 2009 article.
Update to Previous Value Zacks Rank Buy Stocks
Cato Corporation (CATO) saw December same store sales jump more than expected and raised full-year guidance. CATO has surprised on estimates 4 quarters in a row by an average of 9.06%. Read the full article.
Corning Inc. (GLW) expects strong sales of LCD televisions to continue into 2010. As a result, estimates are rising going into the fourth quarter earnings report scheduled for Jan 26. Corning has a price-to-book ratio of 2.12. Read the full article.
Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) has seen international sales jump, especially in Brazil. WHR is trading with a forward P/E of 13.03. Read the full article.
NBTY Inc. (NTY) recently announced preliminary fiscal first-quarter results which showed sales jumped 14%. The company has a PEG ratio of just 0.90 and is trading at 12.6x forward earnings. Read the full article.
Tracey Ryniec is the Value Stock Strategist for Zacks.com. She is also the Editor in charge of the market-beating Zacks Value Trader service.
