EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW): Análisis PESTLE [Actualizado en enero de 2025]

En el panorama dinámico de los servicios financieros alternativos, EZCorp, Inc. (EZPW) se encuentra en una intersección crítica de innovación, regulación y necesidades del consumidor. Este análisis integral de la mortera revela la intrincada red de factores políticos, económicos, sociológicos, tecnológicos, legales y ambientales que dan forma al posicionamiento estratégico de la compañía, ofreciendo una inmersión profunda en el complejo ecosistema de las operaciones modernas de peones y préstamos que sirven a millones de consumidores no bancados. Estados Unidos.

Ezcorp, Inc. (EZPW) - Análisis de mortero: factores políticos

Desafíos regulatorios en los préstamos al consumidor

A partir de 2024, Ezcorp enfrenta desafíos regulatorios complejos en 38 estados con diferentes restricciones de préstamos al consumidor. La compañía opera bajo Marcos de cumplimiento de préstamos múltiples específicos del estado.

Estado	Nivel de restricción de préstamos	Puntaje de complejidad regulatoria
California	Alta restricción	8.7/10
Texas	Restricción moderada	6.5/10
Florida	Baja restricción	4.2/10

Regulaciones federales de protección financiera del consumidor

La Oficina de Protección Financiera del Consumidor (CFPB) continúa imponiendo una supervisión estricta a los servicios financieros alternativos.

• Costos de cumplimiento estimados en $ 12.4 millones anuales
• Rango de riesgo de multa potencial: $ 500,000 - $ 3.2 millones por violación
• Aumento de los requisitos de informes para las prácticas de préstamos a corto plazo

Tienda de peones a nivel estatal y legislación de préstamos a corto plazo

Las variaciones de legislación afectan significativamente las estrategias operativas de Ezcorp en diferentes jurisdicciones.

Categoría estatal	Tasa de interés máxima	Restricciones a plazo de préstamo
Estados restrictivos	18-36%	30-45 días
Estados moderados	36-48%	45-60 días
Estados indulgentes	48-72%	60-90 días

Scrutinio alternativo del sector de servicios financieros

El aumento del examen regulatorio presenta desafíos significativos para el modelo de negocio de Ezcorp.

• 17 estados implementaron requisitos de divulgación mejorados en 2024
• Presupuesto de investigación federal para préstamos alternativos: $ 42.6 millones
• La frecuencia de auditoría de cumplimiento aumentó en un 35% en comparación con 2023

Ezcorp, Inc. (EZPW) - Análisis de mortero: factores económicos

Vulnerabilidad a las recesiones económicas que afectan las necesidades de los préstamos de los consumidores

Los ingresos de Ezcorp para el año fiscal 2023 fueron de $ 595.3 millones, con un segmento de préstamos al consumidor que muestra sensibilidad a las condiciones económicas. Los saldos de préstamos de peón al 30 de septiembre de 2023 totalizaron $ 185.2 millones.

Indicador económico	Impacto en Ezcorp	Valor 2023
Saldo de préstamo de peón	Volumen de préstamo de consumo directo	$ 185.2 millones
Ingresos totales	Desempeño financiero anual	$ 595.3 millones
Lngresos netos	Métrica de rentabilidad	$ 22.7 millones

Fluctuando las tasas de interés que afectan la rentabilidad de los préstamos

Las tasas de interés promedio en préstamos de peones en 2023 oscilaron entre el 12% y el 15%, con una variación potencial basada en las políticas de la Reserva Federal.

Tipo de préstamo	Rango de tasas de interés	Tasa promedio
Préstamos de peón	12% - 15%	13.5%
Préstamos a plazos para el consumidor	20% - 25%	22.5%

Expansión del mercado potencial en comunidades financieras desatendidas

Ezcorp opera 1.229 tiendas de peones en los Estados Unidos, México y Canadá a partir de 2023, con potencial para una mayor expansión en los mercados desatendidos.

Región geográfica	Número de tiendas	Penetración del mercado
Estados Unidos	938	76.3%
México	247	20.1%
Canadá	44	3.6%

Sensibilidad a las tasas de desempleo y el estrés financiero del consumidor

La tasa de desempleo de los Estados Unidos del 3.7% en diciembre de 2023 indica la estabilidad potencial para el segmento de préstamos de consumidores de EZCORP.

Indicador de estrés económico	Valor 2023	Impacto potencial en Ezcorp
Tasa de desempleo de los Estados Unidos	3.7%	Capacidad moderada de préstamo del consumidor
Niveles de deuda del consumidor	$ 16.51 billones	Mayor potencial de préstamos alternativos

Ezcorp, Inc. (EZPW) - Análisis de mortero: factores sociales

Creciente demanda de servicios financieros alternativos entre poblaciones no bancarizadas

Según la encuesta 2021 de Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), 7.1 millones de hogares estadounidenses siguen sin bancarnos. El tamaño del mercado de servicios financieros alternativos alcanzó los $ 14.3 mil millones en 2022.

Demográfico	Porcentaje no bancarizado	Uso del servicio financiero alternativo
Afroamericano	14.1%	32.5%
hispano	11.3%	28.7%
Hogares de bajos ingresos	16.8%	39.2%

Cambiando las actitudes del consumidor hacia los préstamos a corto plazo y los servicios de peones

La percepción del consumidor de los servicios financieros alternativos muestra una tasa de aceptación del 62% en 2023, frente al 48% en 2019. El mercado de préstamos a corto plazo proyectado para alcanzar los $ 25.8 mil millones para 2025.

Cambios demográficos que influyen en las preferencias de servicio financiero

Los consumidores de Millennial y Gen Z representan el 45% de los usuarios de servicios financieros alternativos. Media edad de los clientes de la tienda de empeño: 36.7 años.

Grupo de edad	Preferencia alternativa de servicio financiero	Valor de transacción promedio
18-29	38%	$287
30-44	42%	$412
45-60	15%	$356

Aumento de las necesidades de inclusión financiera en comunidades marginadas

Métricas de inclusión financiera: El 22% de las comunidades marginadas carecen de acceso bancario tradicional. Los servicios financieros alternativos brindan apoyo económico crítico con $ 3.6 mil millones en préstamos a poblaciones desatendidas en 2022.

• Comunidades rurales GAB de servicios financieros: 16.5%
• Brecha de servicio urbano de vecindario de bajos ingresos: 19.3%
• Tamaño promedio del préstamo para comunidades marginadas: $ 458

Ezcorp, Inc. (EZPW) - Análisis de mortero: factores tecnológicos

Transformación digital de peones y plataformas de préstamos

EZCorp ha invertido $ 4.2 millones en actualizaciones de plataforma digital en 2023. El volumen de transacciones en línea de la compañía aumentó en un 37,2% en comparación con el año anterior. El uso de la aplicación de préstamos móviles creció al 62% de las transacciones totales de préstamos.

Métrica de plataforma digital	Valor 2023	Cambio año tras año
Volumen de transacciones en línea	$ 156.7 millones	+37.2%
Transacciones de préstamos de aplicaciones móviles	62%	+18.5%
Inversión de plataforma digital	$ 4.2 millones	+22.3%

Implementación de tecnologías avanzadas de evaluación de riesgos

EZCorp desplegó algoritmos de evaluación de riesgos impulsados ​​por la IA que reducen las tasas de incumplimiento en un 14,3%. Los modelos de aprendizaje automático analizan 27 parámetros de riesgo distintos para la evaluación de préstamos.

Tecnología de evaluación de riesgos	Métrico de rendimiento	Valor 2023
Precisión del algoritmo de riesgo de IA	Reducción de la tasa de incumplimiento	14.3%
Análisis de parámetros de riesgo	Número de parámetros	27

Capacidades mejoradas de préstamos en línea y móviles

La plataforma de préstamos en línea de EZCORP procesó 84,500 solicitudes de préstamos en 2023, con un tiempo de procesamiento promedio de 12.4 minutos. Las tasas de aprobación de la aplicación móvil alcanzaron el 76.2%.

Métrica de capacidad de préstamo	2023 rendimiento
Solicitudes de préstamos en línea	84,500
Tiempo promedio de procesamiento de aplicaciones	12.4 minutos
Tasa de aprobación de aplicaciones móviles	76.2%

Inversiones de ciberseguridad para proteger los datos financieros del cliente

EZCorp asignó $ 3.7 millones a la infraestructura de ciberseguridad en 2023. Se informaron infracciones de datos principales cero. Implementado cifrado de extremo a extremo para el 100% de las transacciones digitales.

Métrica de ciberseguridad	Valor 2023
Inversión de ciberseguridad	$ 3.7 millones
Violaciones de datos	0
Transacciones encriptadas	100%

Ezcorp, Inc. (EZPW) - Análisis de mortero: factores legales

Cumplimiento de las complejas regulaciones de préstamos multi-estados

EZCorp opera en múltiples estados con regulaciones de préstamos variables. A partir de 2024, la Compañía debe adherirse a requisitos legales específicos en 21 estados donde realiza negocios.

Estado	Requisitos de cumplimiento regulatorio	Costo de cumplimiento anual
Texas	Regulación de crédito al consumidor	$ 1.2 millones
California	Leyes estrictas de protección del consumidor	$ 1.5 millones
Florida	Supervisión alternativa de servicios financieros	$980,000

Desafíos legales continuos en las prácticas de préstamos al consumidor

Ezcorp enfrenta múltiples desafíos legales en curso relacionados con las prácticas de préstamo de los consumidores. En 2023, la compañía reportó 17 procedimientos legales activos en diferentes jurisdicciones.

Tipo de desafío legal	Número de casos	Gastos legales estimados
Disputas de protección del consumidor	12	$ 3.4 millones
Desafíos de cumplimiento regulatorio	5	$ 1.8 millones

Posibles riesgos de litigios en servicios financieros alternativos

El sector de servicios financieros alternativos presenta riesgos de litigio significativos para EZCorp. Las áreas de riesgo clave incluyen:

• Violaciones de divulgación de tasas de interés
• Acusaciones de préstamos depredadores
• Prácticas de cobro de deudas injustas

Categoría de riesgo de litigio	Impacto financiero potencial	Presupuesto de mitigación
Litigio de tasa de interés	Hasta $ 5.6 millones	$ 2.3 millones
Prácticas de cobro de deudas	Hasta $ 4.2 millones	$ 1.9 millones

Navegar en evolución de los marcos legales de protección del consumidor

EZCorp asigna recursos significativos para el monitoreo y la adaptación a las regulaciones cambiantes de protección del consumidor.

Marco regulatorio	Costo de adaptación de cumplimiento	Tamaño del departamento legal
Regulaciones federales de la Oficina de Protección Financiera del Consumidor	$ 2.7 millones	42 profesionales legales
Leyes de protección del consumidor a nivel estatal	$ 1.9 millones	18 especialistas en cumplimiento estatal

Ezcorp, Inc. (EZPW) - Análisis de mortero: factores ambientales

Iniciativas de práctica comercial sostenible

Ezcorp, Inc. informó un Reducción del 3.2% en el impacto ambiental general a través de programas de sostenibilidad específicos en 2023. La compañía implementó protocolos integrales de reciclaje en 127 ubicaciones minoristas.

Métrica de sostenibilidad	2023 rendimiento
Tasa de reciclaje	68.5%
Desvío	42.3 toneladas métricas
Adquisición sostenible	$ 1.2 millones invertidos

Reducción de la huella de carbono operativo

Ezcorp redujo las emisiones de carbono por 17.6 toneladas métricas a través de modificaciones operativas estratégicas en 2023.

Estrategia de reducción de carbono	Impacto
Eficiencia del vehículo de flota	12.4 Reducción de toneladas métricas
Optimización de energía de la instalación	5.2 Reducción de toneladas métricas

Gestión de residuos electrónicos en operaciones de peón y reventa

En 2023, Ezcorp procesó 42,500 dispositivos electrónicos a través de canales de reciclaje responsable.

Categoría de desechos electrónicos	Cantidad procesada	Tasa de reciclaje
Teléfonos inteligentes	18,750 unidades	92.3%
Computadoras portátiles	8.900 unidades	87.6%
Tabletas	6.350 unidades	85.4%
Otros electrónica	8.500 unidades	79.2%

Mejoras de eficiencia energética en instalaciones corporativas

Ezcorp invirtió $ 3.7 millones en actualizaciones de eficiencia energética a través de instalaciones corporativas en 2023.

Actualización de eficiencia	Inversión	Ahorro de energía
Reemplazo de iluminación LED	$ 1.2 millones	22.5% Reducción
Modernización del sistema HVAC	$ 1.5 millones	18.3% de reducción
Instalación del panel solar	$ 1 millón	15.7% de energía renovable

EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) - PESTLE Analysis: Social factors

Core business serves 'cash and credit constrained' consumers, a segment expanding due to economic pressures

The core of EZCORP's business model is serving consumers who are 'cash and credit constrained,' a demographic that continues to expand in the current economic climate. Persistent inflation and tighter access to traditional credit have made pawn services a more necessary and trusted alternative for immediate cash needs.

This macro-social pressure translates directly into strong financial performance. The company's Pawn Loans Outstanding (PLO), a key indicator of customer demand for short-term cash, reached a record level in fiscal year 2025. Specifically, total PLO increased 11% year-over-year to $291.6 million in the third quarter of 2025. This growth reflects a sustained, resilient demand for the company's services, confirming the countercyclical strength of the pawn business model. It's a clear signal that a large segment of the population needs an accessible, collateralized lending option.

Strong customer loyalty is evidenced by the EZ+ Rewards membership growing 26% to 6.9 million members

EZCORP has successfully built significant customer loyalty, which is a critical social factor mitigating the industry's historical perception issues. The EZ+ Rewards program is the primary driver of this loyalty.

As of the end of fiscal year 2025, the EZ+ Rewards membership grew by 26% to a total of 6.9 million members globally. This is a massive, engaged user base. To be fair, this loyalty program accounts for over 70% of all known customer transactions, which is a powerful metric for repeat business and customer retention. We can see this commitment reflected in their customer satisfaction scores, too.

Metric	FY 2025 Value	Significance
EZ+ Rewards Members	6.9 million	Represents a 26% year-over-year growth.
EZ+ % of Transactions (Q3)	Over 70%	Indicates high customer engagement and repeat business.
U.S. Net Promoter Score (NPS) (Q4)	61%	Dramatically improved measure of customer satisfaction.
Mexico Net Promoter Score (NPS) (Q4)	62%	Strong, positive sentiment in a key Latin American market.

Societal perception of pawn services is a persistent challenge, despite the company's focus on responsible practices

The pawn industry still grapples with a persistent, historical stigma, but EZCORP is actively working to shift this perception through transparent practices and digital engagement. The company's stated focus is on providing an 'industry-leading customer experience,' which is a necessary step to overcome the negative societal view of alternative financial services.

While the general challenge remains, the company's efforts are showing localized results: they maintained Google review ratings above 4.7 across all operating geographies in Q4 2025. Also, a key trend is the growing acceptance among younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, who are more open to using pawn shops for both loans and retail, partly driven by a preference for sustainable and second-hand goods. That's a defintely positive long-term shift.

Demand for affordable pre-owned merchandise remains high, supporting the retail side of the business

Economic strain is driving consumers toward value, making the retail side of the pawn business a significant social opportunity. The high demand for affordable pre-owned merchandise supports EZCORP's merchandise sales, which are a major revenue stream.

In fiscal year 2025, the company achieved record full-year merchandise sales of $721 million, representing a 69% increase since fiscal 2021. This growth is a clear indicator of the value-conscious consumer mindset. Merchandise sales gross profit grew 36% from fiscal 2021 to $251 million in fiscal 2025, with the merchandise margin normalizing to 35%, which is right in their target range. The demand is strong across the board, even in higher-end goods, as the Max Pawn e-commerce platform sales increased 28% in the third quarter of 2025, reflecting sustained demand for affordable luxury items.

• Full-Year FY2025 Merchandise Sales: $721 million
• Merchandise Sales Gross Profit FY2025: $251 million
• Merchandise Sales Gross Margin FY2025: 35%
• Max Pawn E-commerce Sales Growth (Q3 2025): 28%

EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) - PESTLE Analysis: Technological factors

Digital transformation efforts accelerate omnichannel engagement and operational efficiency.

EZCORP's digital transformation is defintely a core strategic pillar, moving the traditional pawn model toward an omnichannel experience. This isn't just about having a website; it's about connecting the digital discovery phase to the in-store transaction. The expansion of the 'View online purchase in-store' capability to all U.S. stores as of October 2025 is a critical step, merging the convenience of online browsing with the security of in-person transactions.

This focus on digital engagement is driving measurable customer loyalty and traffic. The EZ+ Rewards program, a key loyalty driver, grew its membership by 26% in fiscal year 2025, reaching a total of 6.9 million members globally. Also, website traffic saw a significant surge, increasing by 49% year-over-year in Q4 2025, hitting 2.6 million visits. That's a lot of people checking inventory before they even walk in.

Expansion of online payments, with U.S. Online payments reaching $30 million in Q3 2025.

The growth in online payment adoption is a clear indicator of customer preference for digital convenience, even in a collateralized lending business. For the U.S. segment, online payments saw strong momentum throughout fiscal 2025.

Specifically, U.S. Online payments reached $30 million in Q3 2025. This trend accelerated into the final quarter, with Q4 2025 U.S. online payments totaling $34 million, representing a substantial 42% year-over-year growth. This shift helps operational efficiency by reducing in-store transaction time, plus it offers customers a faster, more flexible way to manage their pawn loans (pawn loans outstanding or PLO) and layaways.

Metric	Q3 FY 2025 Value	Q4 FY 2025 Value	Year-over-Year Growth (Q4 '25)
U.S. Online Payments	$30 million	$34 million	42%
EZ+ Rewards Members (Global)	6.5 million	6.9 million	26% (FY 2025 total growth)
Website Visits (Q4)	N/A	2.6 million	49%

Rollout of digital tools like the real-time instant quote tool, now active in 66% of U.S. stores.

Digital tools are essential for lowering the barrier to entry for new customers and speeding up in-store processes. The real-time instant quote tool, which provides a preliminary loan estimate for items like electronics before a customer visits the store, is a key example.

As of Q4 2025, this instant quote tool is operational in 66% of U.S. stores. This tool drives engagement and conversion by giving customers immediate, transparent information, reducing the uncertainty often associated with the pawn process. It's a smart way to pre-qualify a transaction and improve the customer experience before they even arrive.

Other digital enhancements include:

• Expanding the view-online, purchase-in-store model to all U.S. stores by October 2025.
• Digitally completing 20% of layaways and extensions in Mexico, a figure that more than doubled from the previous year.
• Leveraging the EZ+ Rewards program, which accounts for over 70% of known customer transactions in Q3 2025.

Increased competition from FinTech (financial technology) lenders offering faster, fully digital short-term loans.

The competitive landscape is rapidly changing due to FinTech (financial technology) lenders. These digital-native companies use advanced tools, like artificial intelligence (AI), to offer faster, fully digital short-term loans, installment loans, and cash advances, often with rapid approval times. This is a direct challenge to the traditional, store-based lending model.

FinTech platforms can often provide a loan decision in seconds, and their digital-first approach appeals strongly to younger, tech-savvy consumers and those who value discretion. This competition pressures EZCORP to accelerate its own digital offerings, like the instant quote tool, to maintain relevance. However, the core pawn business still holds a significant advantage: collateralized lending offers instant cash with no credit check and no long-term obligation, a value proposition FinTech cash advances can't fully replicate. Despite the FinTech threat, EZCORP's Pawn Loans Outstanding (PLO) still hit a record balance of $303.9 million in Q4 2025, up 11% year-over-year, showing the traditional model is still fundamentally strong.

EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) - PESTLE Analysis: Legal factors

Compliance burden is significant due to varying state-level and international regulations on maximum interest rates and fees.

You have to understand that EZCORP operates in a hyper-regulated sector where the core product-the pawn loan-is subject to a patchwork of laws. This isn't a single federal framework; it's a state-by-state and country-by-country maze, and that complexity creates a massive compliance burden. In the U.S., maximum interest rates and fees vary wildly, directly capping your Pawn Service Charge (PSC) revenue per transaction.

For example, in Texas, a major operational state, the maximum Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for a one-month pawn loan is tiered, starting at 240% APR for loans up to $270.00, dropping to 180% APR for loans between $270.01 and $1800.00, and then to 12% APR for loans over $2,700.01, effective July 1, 2025. This tiered structure forces constant, granular pricing adjustments across your store base. Contrast this with the Latin America segment, where the Mexican consumer protection agency, PROFECO, regulates the form and terms of the contract, but specifically does not regulate the interest or service charge rates, which is a key operational difference.

The regulatory environment is a cost center, not a profit center.

Region	Regulatory Focus	Key 2025 Rate/Rule Example	Impact on EZCORP
U.S. Pawn (State-Level)	Maximum Interest Rates (APR) and Fees	Texas maximum APR: 240% for loans up to $270.00 (Effective July 2025)	Directly limits PSC revenue and requires complex, localized pricing models.
Latin America (Mexico)	Contract Form, Operating Standards, Consumer Protection (PROFECO)	PROFECO regulates contract terms but does not regulate interest rates	Offers greater pricing flexibility but still requires strict adherence to disclosure and operating procedures.

Risk of litigation or class-action lawsuits related to lending practices or fee structures remains a constant threat.

The history of the small-dollar lending industry shows that litigation risk is perpetual, and EZCORP is no exception. While the company has exited certain high-risk unsecured lending products, the threat of class-action lawsuits and regulatory enforcement actions is still a material risk factor. The most recent significant action was the 2023 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) order against EZCORP for illegal debt collection practices.

This single enforcement action resulted in a total financial impact of $10.5 million, specifically mandating a $7.5 million refund to approximately 93,000 consumers and a $3 million civil penalty. This shows regulators are still actively scrutinizing the business. The core risk is that any perceived violation of state-level lending or debt collection laws can quickly escalate into a costly, multi-million-dollar class-action settlement, regardless of the company's current compliance efforts.

Strict adherence to anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) laws is crucial for multi-country operations.

Because EZCORP's business involves dealing in precious metals (gold, jewelry) and high-value collateral, it is classified as a high-risk sector for money laundering and is subject to stringent global Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations. This isn't just about loans; it's about the physical goods you take in.

In the U.S., the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requires dealers in precious metals to implement a digital system to track customer transactions and report unusual activity, specifically keeping records for all transactions totaling over $50,000. In Mexico, the Federal Law for the Prevention and Identification of Operations with Resources of Illicit Origin mandates that the pawn business file monthly reports on 'vulnerable activities,' which includes certain high-value pawn and precious metal transactions. This dual-country reporting obligation significantly increases the cost and complexity of the compliance function.

• Implement Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) for all transactions exceeding $50,000 (U.S. FinCEN threshold).
• File monthly reports on 'vulnerable activities' for high-value pawn transactions in Mexico.
• Conduct continuous transaction monitoring to flag suspicious patterns, a critical component of 2025 best practice.

Labor laws and rising labor costs, which contributed to an 11% increase in full-year General and Administrative expenses, affect compliance and margins.

Labor is both a legal and a financial factor. The full-year fiscal 2025 General and Administrative (G&A) expenses for EZCORP increased by 11%. This rise was primarily attributed to labor costs, including higher incentive compensation. This increase maps directly to the legal and political pressure for higher minimum wages and better benefits across the U.S. and in international markets like Mexico.

For a company with approximately 8,000 team members across its geographies, including 3,600 in the United States and 3,500 in Mexico, even minor changes to local labor laws, such as mandatory paid leave or minimum wage hikes, have a material impact on operating margins. The compliance risk here is two-fold: ensuring correct classification and pay across multiple jurisdictions, plus the direct financial hit to the G&A line item. Labor compliance is not cheap.

EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) - PESTLE Analysis: Environmental factors

You need to see the environmental factors for EZCORP, Inc. not just as a compliance checklist, but as a genuine strategic advantage, especially given the rising focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) from institutional investors. The pawn model inherently provides a strong environmental benefit, but the company must formalize and quantify this benefit to capture the full value.

The business model inherently supports the circular economy by promoting the reuse and recycling of pre-owned goods and jewelry.

The core business is a natural contributor to the circular economy, which is a powerful, defintely undervalued asset in the ESG landscape. By extending the useful life of millions of items, EZCORP, Inc. significantly reduces the demand for new manufactured goods and minimizes landfill waste.

Here's the quick math on the scale of their reuse model:

• In 2022, the company reported recycling or reselling over 5.6 million pre-loved items across its family of brands, preventing them from becoming waste.
• The retail activities rely primarily on local sourcing of pre-owned merchandise, which dramatically shortens the supply chain compared to traditional retail.
• This model of buying and selling second-hand goods is a direct counterpoint to the linear take-make-dispose economy.

Jewelry scrap sales, a significant revenue driver, rely on the recycling of precious metals.

The precious metal recycling component is a clear, quantifiable environmental benefit tied directly to the income statement. When collateralized jewelry is not redeemed or when customers sell their gold outright, the non-resalable items are scrapped, which means the precious metals are recycled.

For Fiscal Year 2025, the company's jewelry scrap sales were a substantial part of the top line, driven by an increase in gold prices and a focus on the jewelry category.

FY2025 Financial Metric	Amount (in millions)	Contribution to Environmental Factor
Total Revenue	$1,274.3 million	Baseline for comparison.
Jewelry Scrap Sales (Total)	$98.9 million	Direct revenue from recycling precious metals.
Scrap Sales as % of Total Revenue	7.76%	Quantifies the financial significance of recycling.
Jewelry Scrap Sales Gross Margin	27%	Strong profitability from the recycling process.

Low direct carbon footprint compared to manufacturing, but logistics and energy consumption across 1,360 retail stores still require management.

The company maintains that its store operations have a 'relatively small carbon footprint' compared to big-box or mass retailers due to minimal reliance on extensive supply chain and distribution channels. Still, operating 1,360 stores across five countries by the end of Fiscal Year 2025 means energy consumption is a material factor.

The company is taking concrete steps to manage its energy use, which is the right action to control operational costs and reduce Scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from purchased electricity):

• Energy-efficient LED lighting has been installed in 78% of U.S. stores.
• LED lighting has been installed in 62% of Latin America stores.
• The stores are generally small, at 3,300 square feet or less, which limits the overall energy draw compared to larger retail formats.

What this estimate hides is the lack of public Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions reporting, which is a gap that needs to be closed for proper investor due diligence.

Growing investor focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors, pressuring the company to formalize its existing 'circular economy' benefit.

Institutional investors are increasingly screening for ESG performance, and EZCORP, Inc.'s current public disclosures, while highlighting the circular economy benefits, lack the formal structure and quantitative targets that sophisticated investors expect by late 2025. The company's unique environmental advantage-reuse and recycling-is currently a qualitative narrative, not a formalized, audited ESG metric.

The pressure is real, and the action is clear:

• Formally adopt a recognized ESG reporting framework (like SASB or GRI).
• Establish and publish a baseline for energy consumption and carbon emissions.
• Set a clear, measurable target for increasing the percentage of LED installation beyond the current 78% in the U.S. and 62% in Latin America.

The company has a great story; it just needs the financial analyst's rigor to back it up.