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RAC Reports First Quarter 2016 Results

Rent-A-Center, Inc. (the “Company”) (NASDAQ/NGS: RCII) today announced results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Notable Items for the Quarter Explanations of performance are compared to the prior year unless otherwise noted GAAP Basis
  • Diluted earnings per share was $0.47 compared to $0.51 for the first quarter of 2015 Excluding Special Items (see non-GAAP reconciliation below)
  • Diluted earnings per share was $0.48 compared to $0.52 for the first quarter of 2015
  • Consolidated total revenues decreased 4.8 percent to $835.7 million and same store sales decreased 2.5 percent
  • Acceptance Now revenue increased by 2.7 percent driven by revenue growth in locations open less than 12 months. Same store sales were flat and were negatively impacted sequentially due to completing the lap of 90 day option pricing changes by the end of the quarter, further deterioration in oil affected markets, and the Company’s increased focus on driving profitable sales
  • Core U.S. same store sales decreased by 3.8 percent driven by continued declines in the computer/tablet category, the impact resulting from the ongoing recast of the smartphone category, further deterioration in oil affected markets, and lower merchandise sales revenue
  • The Company’s operating profit as a percent of total revenues decreased to 6.1 percent, a 40 basis point decline over the prior year
  • For the three months ended March 31, the Company generated $226.5 million of cash from operations, capital expenditures totaled $14.4 million, and the Company ended the first quarter with $46.4 million of cash and cash equivalents
  • The Company reduced its outstanding debt balance by $212.1 million in the quarter and the Consolidated Leverage Ratio was at 2.52x as of March 31, 2016
  • The Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share in the first quarter of 2016, which was paid April 21, 2016
“We have made significant progress on our profit optimization initiatives and capital allocation strategy. In the Core business, our pricing and supply chain initiatives increased gross profit margin and our flexible labor initiative continues to improve productivity. Additionally, more efficient use of working capital allowed us to improve leverage more swiftly than anticipated, and our path to achieve profitability in Mexico is ahead of plan,” said Robert D. Davis, the Chief Executive Officer of Rent-A-Center, Inc. Mr. Davis continued, “Our first quarter sales results were impacted by macro as well as company-specific headwinds, the latter of which reflect some conscious decisions to improve our profitability. We are also making significant progress with our new Acceptance Now commercial capabilities team which has already translated into a stronger pipeline of new retail partner opportunities,” Mr. Davis concluded. Click here for full report.

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Mike Lewis

Central Properties dba Premier Rental-Purchase

Mike Lewis is a Premier Rental Purchase franchisee with multiple stores and currently serves as Vice President of Operations. With 33 years of experience in the rent-to-own industry, he has spent the past 20 years working closely with franchisee owners and previously spent 12 years in Corporate RTO, gaining a strong foundation in the business.

For the past five years, Mike has been sharing his knowledge by teaching managers and franchisees at the company’s Training Center.

Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, kids, and grandkids, and appreciates the simple things in life – especially riding his Harley Davidson with the sun on his face. If you know, you know!

Lauren Talicska

Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials

Lauren Talicska is an experienced multi-channel marketing specialist and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Arona Home Essentials. She has found her home in the RTO community, supporting stores in branding, growth, and increasing traffic.

You may recognize Lauren as a former RTO vendor, including her time as a partner for Nationwide RentDirect, or her previous participation in the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee. Lauren calls Columbus, Ohio, home and spends her workday crafting and executing marketing promotions from inception to realization, all while supporting the branding and social media needs of all the Arona stores in 12 states (plus Puerto Rico!).

Charles Smitherman

APRO

Charles Smitherman, JD, PhD, CAE, became CEO of APRO in 2023, bringing years of legal and executive experience in the rent-to-own industry. 

Prior to joining the association, Charles served as COO, General Counsel, and Vice President of PTS Financial Services, where he played an active role in the rent-to-own industry by representing his company through PTS’s club program offering with APRO member dealers. Charles is an attorney with two decades of experience across a wide variety of areas, including RTO, consumer financial services, antitrust, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, franchise law, and privacy law. Following law school at the University of Georgia, Charles earned a Master of Legal Studies and PhD in Law from the University of Oxford in England.

Charles is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) with the International Franchise Association, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As APRO’s sixth CEO in its 45-year history, he brings a collaborative, member-focused approach to association leadership, emphasizing transparency, advocacy, and value creation. Outside of work, Charles is an active ultra runner and open water swimmer.

Mike Kays

Ashley Furniture Industries

As VP of Rental Sales for Ashley Furniture Industries, Mike thrives on building relationships with our RTO industry veterans, and helping businesses grow through new product, new marketing, and new supply chain options.

Mike works to leverage a wide breadth of relationships and influence, intimate knowledge of market trends, and unique knowledge of what RTO dealers need from a supplier to be successful.

The saying goes that a high tide raises all boats, and our goal is to leverage the world’s largest furniture manufacturer to drive the continued growth of the RTO industry and all the suppliers.

Mike Tissot

Countryside Rentals Inc., dba Rent-2-Own

Mike grew up in the rent-to-own industry under the guidance of his father, former APRO President and RTO legend Darrell Tissot. For nearly 25 years, Mike’s innovative leadership has helped expand the family business to more than 40 stores across Ohio and Kentucky while also shaping the industry as a whole.

He has served as President of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, an APRO board member and Treasurer, and President and Treasurer of the TRIB Group. His contributions have earned him the APRO President’s Award of Excellence and the title of APRO Rental Dealer of the Year.

Outside of RTO, Mike enjoys time at the lake house or in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his girlfriend, Angela Strong McCool. A passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, he rarely misses a game, whether watching or listening alongside his parents. He also takes every opportunity to visit Arizona, where his daughter is currently attending Arizona State University.