Douglas R. Rippel, Board Member at FirstCash Hldgs FCFS, reported an insider sell on September 4, according to a new SEC filing.

What Happened: Rippel’s decision to sell 7,316 shares of FirstCash Hldgs was revealed in a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. The total value of the sale is $877,773.

Monitoring the market, FirstCash Hldgs‘s shares down by 0.82% at $118.5 during Thursday’s morning.

All You Need to Know About FirstCash Hldgs

FirstCash Holdings Inc operates pawn stores in the United States and Latin America. Its primary business involves making small loans secured by personal property. The the company has three reportable segments: U.S. pawn; Latin America pawn; and Retail POS payment solutions (AFF). It derives majority revenue from U.S. Pawn segment. These pawn loans give the borrower the option of either repaying the loans with interest or forfeiting the property without further penalty. Close to 30% of total company revenue comes from interest earned on the loans. Close to 70% of total revenue comes from reselling forfeited property in the company’s retail stores.

FirstCash Hldgs’s Financial Performance

Revenue Growth: FirstCash Hldgs displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 30 June, 2024, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 10.71%. This indicates a notable increase in the company’s top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Financials sector.

Evaluating Earnings Performance:

• Gross Margin: The company issues a cost efficiency warning with a low gross margin of 47.58%, indicating potential difficulties in maintaining profitability compared to its peers.

• Earnings per Share (EPS): FirstCash Hldgs’s EPS lags behind the industry average, indicating concerns and potential challenges with a current EPS of 1.09.

Debt Management: FirstCash Hldgs’s debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average. With a ratio of 1.01, the company relies less on debt financing, maintaining a healthier balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors.

Evaluating Valuation:

• Price to Earnings (P/E) Ratio: FirstCash Hldgs’s P/E ratio of 22.84 is below the industry average, suggesting the stock may be undervalued.

• Price to Sales (P/S) Ratio: The Price to Sales ratio is 1.64, which is lower than the industry average. This suggests a possible undervaluation based on sales performance.

• EV/EBITDA Analysis (Enterprise Value to its Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation & Amortization): With a below-average EV/EBITDA ratio of 7.5, FirstCash Hldgs presents an opportunity for value investors. This lower valuation may attract investors seeking undervalued opportunities.

Market Capitalization Analysis: The company’s market capitalization is below the industry average, suggesting that it is relatively smaller compared to peers. This could be due to various factors, including perceived growth potential or operational scale.

Now trade stocks online commission free with Charles Schwab, a trusted and complete investment firm.

Uncovering the Importance of Insider Activity

Insider transactions, although significant, should be considered within the larger context of market analysis and trends.

In the realm of legality, an “insider” is defined as any officer, director, or beneficial owner holding more than ten percent of a company’s equity securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This includes executives in the c-suite and major hedge funds. These insiders are required to disclose their transactions through a Form 4 filing, to be submitted within two business days of the transaction.

Notably, when a company insider makes a new purchase, it is considered an indicator of their positive expectations for the stock.

Conversely, insider sells may not necessarily signal a bearish stance on the stock and can be motivated by various factors.

Essential Transaction Codes Unveiled

Delving into transactions, investors typically prioritize those unfolding in the open market, as precisely outlined in Table I of the Form 4 filing. A P in Box 3 indicates a purchase, while S signifies a sale. Transaction code C signals the conversion of an option, and transaction code A denotes a grant, award, or other acquisition of securities from the company.

Check Out The Full List Of FirstCash Hldgs’s Insider Trades.

This article was generated by Benzinga’s automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.