HALISTER1: Rent-A-Center Downgraded on Comps, Covenant Risks: Stephens

Rent-A-Center Downgraded on Comps, Covenant Risks: Stephens

(Bloomberg) -- Rent-A-Center rated underweight from equal-weight with a PT of $9, Stephens analyst Vincent Caintic writes in note.
  • Rent-A-Center is facing headwinds, including a major turnaround led by interim mgmt, activist pressure to sell and deteriorating earnings that may place funding/covenants at risk, Stephens says
  • Says March comps unlikely to improve after January, February declines
  • Co. declined yesterday to renew referral agreement with Conn Appliances; expects “immediate improvement” in Acceptance Now division as a result
  • Stephens prefers Aaron’s; says RCII trades at 1.8x book value, compared to AAN at 1.4x
  • RCII had 0 buys, 9 holds, 1 sell; avg PT $8.75: Bloomberg data
  • NOTE: Earlier, Conn Fell Post-Market as Rent-A-Center Declined Contract Renewal
  • NOTE: Earlier, Rent-A-Center Raised to Buy at Northcoast, PT $12

Alert: HALISTER1
Source: BFW (Bloomberg First Word)

Tickers
RCII US (Rent-A-Center Inc/TX)
AAN US (Aaron's Inc)

People
Vincent Caintic (Stephens Inc)

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