Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume on Earnings Beat

Upbound Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPBD) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Friday following a better than expected earnings announcement. Approximately 1,136,914 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 32% from the previous session’s volume of 863,805 shares.The stock last traded at $19.4050 and had previously closed at $20.12.

The company reported $1.07 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.05 by $0.02. Upbound Group had a net margin of 1.90% and a return on equity of 34.53%. The business had revenue of $1.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.16 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.12 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up .5% on a year-over-year basis. Upbound Group has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000-4.350 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 0.850-0.950 EPS.

Upbound Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th were paid a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.0%. Upbound Group’s dividend payout ratio is 101.30%.

More Upbound Group News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Upbound reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.07 per share and revenue of approximately $1.16 billion, both in line with analyst expectations. Revenue increased slightly year over year, while management highlighted growth at Brigit, digital expansion and disciplined portfolio management. Q2 Earnings Call Highlights
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its 2026 free-cash-flow outlook to $250 million, supporting the investment case by indicating stronger cash generation and continued cost and portfolio discipline. Revenue and Free Cash Flow Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating and lowered its price target modestly to $28 from $29, implying substantial potential upside from recent trading levels. TD Cowen Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Management reaffirmed a 2026 earnings range of $4.00 to $4.35 per share and revenue guidance of $4.7 billion to $4.9 billion, broadly consistent with expectations on earnings but reflecting a more measured sales outlook.
• Negative Sentiment: Third-quarter EPS guidance of $0.85 to $0.95 fell below the roughly $1.00 analyst consensus, and the full-year revenue range was narrowed to $4.7 billion-$4.85 billion. The revisions signal softer consumer demand and are likely the primary reason the stock has decreased. Q2 Earnings and Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Upbound disclosed approximately $13 million in losses related to fraud at Acima, creating an additional near-term earnings and execution concern even as cash-flow guidance improved.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. BTIG Research cut shares of Upbound Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $28.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Friday. Zacks Research lowered shares of Upbound Group from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, June 29th. Wall Street Zen cut Upbound Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday. TD Cowen reduced their price objective on Upbound Group from $29.00 to $28.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Upbound Group in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $30.67.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Jeffrey J. Brown bought 2,295 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $20.09 per share, with a total value of $46,106.55. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 96,681 shares in the company, valued at $1,942,321.29. This represents a 2.43% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 1.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Upbound Group

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Upbound Group by 238.3% in the fourth quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,448 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 1,020 shares during the period. Quarry LP boosted its holdings in shares of Upbound Group by 913.1% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,388 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,251 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in shares of Upbound Group by 18.7% during the fourth quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 3,400 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 535 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Upbound Group by 49.9% in the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,685 shares of the company’s stock worth $67,000 after purchasing an additional 1,226 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Upbound Group by 18.2% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 3,360 shares of the company’s stock worth $71,000 after purchasing an additional 518 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.30% of the company’s stock.

Upbound Group Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $1.13 billion, a PE ratio of 12.59 and a beta of 1.79. The company has a current ratio of 3.06, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.94. The business has a fifty day moving average of $19.81 and a 200-day moving average of $19.40.

Upbound Group Company Profile

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.