Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) Trading Up 9.6% on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Shares of Upbound Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPBD) rose 9.6% during trading on Thursday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The company traded as high as $23.98 and last traded at $22.89. Approximately 361,864 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 45% from the average daily volume of 662,583 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.88.

The company reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $1.20 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.17 billion. Upbound Group had a return on equity of 35.23% and a net margin of 1.56%.The business’s revenue was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.05 earnings per share. Upbound Group has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.050-1.150 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000-4.350 EPS.

Upbound Group Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 17th were issued a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 17th. Upbound Group’s dividend payout ratio is currently 125.81%.

Trending Headlines about Upbound Group

Here are the key news stories impacting Upbound Group this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat: Upbound reported $1.01 EPS vs. $0.97 consensus and $1.20B revenue vs. $1.17B expected; management cited growth from Brigit and Acima that helped offset pressure in core customers. Upbound Stock Gains 6% After Reporting Q4 Earnings & Revenue Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Raised Q1 2026 outlook: Upbound set Q1 EPS guidance at $1.05–$1.15 (above the ~ $0.97 consensus) and revenue guidance of $1.2B–$1.3B, which supports near-term earnings momentum. View Press Release / Slide Deck
• Neutral Sentiment: Management laid out a 2026 revenue target of $4.7B–$4.95B and emphasized advancing digital growth and integration of Brigit — a strategic growth narrative that supports longer-term upside but leaves execution risk. Upbound Group outlines $4.7B–$4.95B 2026 revenue target while advancing digital growth and Brigit integration
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings materials and call transcript are available for investors who want details on drivers, reserves, and segment performance — useful for modeling but not new information by itself. Upbound Group, Inc. 2025 Q4 – Results – Earnings Call Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: FY 2026 guidance came in below some sell‑side expectations: EPS guidance of $4.00–$4.35 vs. consensus ~4.57 and revenue guidance under the $5.0B consensus — a downside surprise that tempers the beat and could pressure forward estimates. Upbound Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings call highlighted both growth opportunities and risk (macro pressure on core customers, execution risks around integrations and portfolio mix), which increases short-term uncertainty despite top-line growth. Upbound Group Earnings Call Highlights Growth And Risk

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Upbound Group in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Upbound Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 17th. Zacks Research cut shares of Upbound Group from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Upbound Group in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, BTIG Research reduced their price target on Upbound Group from $40.00 to $28.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $32.25.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Jeffrey J. Brown acquired 2,502 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $17.68 per share, with a total value of $44,235.36. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 92,972 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,643,744.96. The trade was a 2.77% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 2.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Upbound Group

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Upbound Group by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,132,443 shares of the company’s stock valued at $125,246,000 after purchasing an additional 231,293 shares during the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC boosted its stake in Upbound Group by 517.8% in the second quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 4,535,114 shares of the company’s stock valued at $113,831,000 after buying an additional 3,801,043 shares in the last quarter. LSV Asset Management grew its position in Upbound Group by 24.1% in the third quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 2,532,951 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,854,000 after acquiring an additional 491,536 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its stake in Upbound Group by 11.4% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,410,524 shares of the company’s stock worth $43,220,000 after acquiring an additional 246,146 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huber Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Upbound Group by 80.2% in the fourth quarter. Huber Capital Management LLC now owns 1,739,045 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,538,000 after acquiring an additional 773,775 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.30% of the company’s stock.

Upbound Group Price Performance

The business’s fifty day moving average price is $19.15 and its 200 day moving average price is $20.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.26, a current ratio of 3.16 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The stock has a market cap of $1.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.37 and a beta of 1.88.

About Upbound Group

Upbound Group, Inc leases household durable goods to customers on a lease-to-own basis in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. It operates through four segments: Rent-A-Center, Acima, Mexico, and Franchising. The company's brands, such as Rent-A-Center and Acima that facilitate consumer transactions across a range of store-based and virtual channels. It offers furniture comprising mattresses, tires, consumer electronics, appliances, tools, handbags, computers, smartphones, and accessories.