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8-K - 8-K - RENT A CENTER INC DEa2013q4rciipressrelease.htm

Exhibit 99.1
For Immediate Release:
RENT-A-CENTER, INC. REPORTS
FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR END 2013 RESULTS
Total Revenues Increased 1.5% for Quarter and 0.7% for Year
Revenue Increased for Year Over 46% in Acceptance Now and Over 45% in International
Diluted Earnings per Share of $0.25 for Quarter and $2.32 for Year
______________________________________________
Plano, Texas, January 27, 2014 — Rent-A-Center, Inc. (the "Company") (NASDAQ/NGS: RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, today announced revenues and earnings for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2013.
Fourth Quarter 2013 Results
Total revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2013, were $769.6 million, an increase of $11.2 million from total revenues of $758.4 million for the same period in the prior year. This 1.5% increase in total revenues was primarily due to an increase of approximately $38.9 million in the Acceptance Now segment and approximately $4.3 million in the International segment, partially offset by a decrease of approximately $28.7 million in the Core U.S. segment. For the quarter ended December 31, 2013, same store sales declined 1.1% as compared to the same period in the prior year, primarily attributable to a 5.5% decrease in the Core U.S. segment, partially offset by increases of 26.4% and 25.7% in the Acceptance Now and International segments, respectively.
We continue to face meaningful headwinds in our domestic U.S. rent-to-own business, including a customer under severe economic pressure and an intensified promotional environment. These conditions significantly impacted our Core U.S. segment customer agreement growth in December, which was the most challenging in years. While our Acceptance Now segment grew quarterly revenue over 41% year-over-year, this business also faced similar challenges and did not meet our revenue target. As a result, revenue and earnings for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2013 are well below expectations, said Mark E. Speese, the Companys Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Net earnings and net earnings per diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2013, were $13.1 million and $0.25, respectively, as compared to $47.2 million and $0.80, respectively, for the same period in the prior year. These results include dilution related to the Company's international growth initiatives of approximately $0.09 per share for the quarter ended December 31, 2013, and approximately $0.07 per share for the same period in the prior year. The $0.55 year-over-year decline in net earnings per diluted share for the quarter ended December 31, 2013 is largely attributable to a reduction in gross profit in the Core U.S. segment and an overall increase in operating expenses.
In addition to the extremely disappointing gross profit miss in the Core U.S. segment, several unexpected operating expenses negatively impacted the fourth quarter, said Robert D. Davis, the Companys current Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer-Designate. Some examples of these expenses include claims paid under our self-funded health insurance program, an adjustment to on-rent merchandise reserves, and severance payable to former executives of the Company, Mr. Davis continued.




Year Ended December 31, 2013 Results
Total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2013, were $3,104.2 million, an increase of $21.5 million from total revenues of $3,082.6 million in the prior year. This 0.7% increase in total revenues was primarily due to increases of approximately $158.8 million in the Acceptance Now segment and approximately $18.2 million in the International segment, substantially offset by a decrease of approximately $147.9 million in the Core U.S. segment. For the year ended December 31, 2013, same store sales decreased 2.0% as compared to the prior year, primarily attributable to a 6.4% decrease in the Core U.S. segment, partially offset by increases of 30.1% and 40.6% in the Acceptance Now and International segments, respectively.
Net earnings and net earnings per diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2013, were $128.2 million and $2.32, respectively, as compared to $181.7 million and $3.06, respectively, in the prior year. These results include dilution related to the Company's international growth initiatives of approximately $0.32 per share for the year ended December 31, 2013, and $0.33 per share in the prior year.
For the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company generated cash flow from operations of approximately $134.3 million, while ending the year with approximately $42.3 million of cash on hand. For the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company repurchased 5,874,374 shares for approximately $217.4 million in cash under its common stock repurchase program, which included $200 million under an accelerated stock buyback commenced in May 2013 and settled in October 2013. To date, the Company has repurchased a total of 36,994,653 shares and has utilized approximately $994.8 million of the $1.25 billion authorized by its Board of Directors since the inception of the plan. Also, the Company announced on December 12, 2013, that its Board of Directors approved a 10% increase in its quarterly cash dividend from $0.21 per share to $0.23 per share, beginning with the dividend for the first quarter of 2014. The Company paid its 15th consecutive quarterly cash dividend on January 23, 2014.
Obviously, we are deeply disappointed in the conclusion of 2013 and recognize the challenges we face to improve the results in our Core U.S. segment in 2014 and beyond. We continue to believe strongly in the long-term potential of our growth initiatives and in our ability to improve execution in the core business, Mr. Speese said.
Our initial 2014 revenue and earnings guidance incorporates the year-end position of our portfolios, our expectations that the macroeconomic trends will continue throughout 2014, and the investments we plan to make in strategic initiatives and to improve execution in the Core U.S. segment. We believe a renewed and intense focus on our customer is critical to radically improving performance in the Core U.S. segment. As such, we have made several significant management changes within our organizational structure to reestablish the focus of our operational execution in the Core U.S. segment, Mr. Davis stated.






2014 Guidance
4.5% to 7.5% total revenue growth.
Approximately $695 million contribution from Acceptance Now.
Approximately 3.0% to 5.5% same store sales growth.
EBITDA in the range of $325 to $345 million.
Annual effective tax rate of approximately 38.2%.
Diluted earnings per share in the range of $2.30 to $2.50, including approximately $0.25 per share dilution related to Mexico.
Capital expenditures of approximately $100 million.
The Company expects to open approximately 100 domestic Acceptance Now kiosks.
The Company expects to open approximately 30 rent-to-own store locations in Mexico.
The 2014 guidance does not include the potential impact of any repurchases of common stock the Company may make, changes in future dividends, material changes in outstanding indebtedness, or the potential impact of acquisitions or dispositions that may be completed or occur after January 27, 2014.







Rent-A-Center, Inc. will host a conference call to discuss the fourth quarter results, guidance and other operational matters on Tuesday morning, January 28, 2014, at 10:45 a.m. ET. For a live webcast of the call, visit http://investor.rentacenter.com. Certain financial and other statistical information that will be discussed during the conference call will also be provided on the same website.
Rent-A-Center, Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, is the largest rent-to-own operator in North America, focused on improving the quality of life for its customers by providing them the opportunity to obtain ownership of high-quality, durable goods such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and accessories, under flexible rental purchase agreements with no long-term obligation. The Company owns and operates approximately 3,205 stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, and approximately 1,325 Acceptance Now kiosk locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Rent-A-Center Franchising International, Inc., (previously ColorTyme, Inc.), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is a national franchiser of approximately 180 rent-to-own stores operating under the trade name of "Rent-A-Center" or "ColorTyme." For additional information about the Company, please visit www.rentacenter.com.

This press release and the guidance above contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "could," "estimate," "should," "anticipate," or "believe," or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are accurate. However, there can be no assurance that such expectations will occur. The Company's actual future performance could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the general strength of the economy and other economic conditions affecting consumer preferences and spending; economic pressures, such as high fuel costs, affecting the disposable income available to the Company's current and potential customers; changes in the unemployment rate; difficulties encountered in improving the financial performance of the Core U.S. segment or in executing the Company's growth initiatives; the Company's ability to develop and successfully implement virtual or electronic commerce capabilities; the Company's ability to identify and successfully market products and services that appeal to its customer demographic; consumer preferences and perceptions of the Company's brand; uncertainties regarding the ability to open new locations; the Company's ability to acquire additional stores or customer accounts on favorable terms; the Company's ability to control costs and increase profitability; the Company's ability to enhance the performance of acquired stores; the Company's ability to retain the revenue associated with acquired customer accounts; the Company's ability to enter into new and collect on its rental or lease purchase agreements; the passage of legislation adversely affecting the rent-to-own industry; the Company's compliance with applicable statutes or regulations governing its transactions; changes in interest rates; adverse changes in the economic conditions of the industries, countries or markets that the Company serves; the Company’s available cash flow; information technology and data security costs; our ability to protect the integrity and security of individually identifiable data of our customers and employee; the impact of any breaches in data security or other disturbances to our information technology and other networks; changes in the Company's stock price, the number of shares of common stock that it may or may not repurchase, and future dividends, if any; changes in estimates relating to self-insurance liabilities and income tax and litigation reserves; changes in the Company's effective tax rate; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the Company's ability to maintain an effective system of internal controls; the resolution of the Company's litigation; and the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2013, June 30, 2013, and September 30, 2013. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company is not obligated to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect the events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.


Contact for Rent-A-Center, Inc.:
David E. Carpenter
Vice President of Investor Relations
(972) 801-1214
david.carpenter@rentacenter.com







Rent-A-Center, Inc. and Subsidiaries
STATEMENT OF EARNINGS HIGHLIGHTS - UNAUDITED
(In thousands of dollars, except per share data)
 
Three Months Ended December 31,
 
 
2013
 
 
2012
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revised
Total Revenues
 
$
769,611

 
 
$
758,380

Operating Profit
 
 
34,382

 
 
 
78,943

Net Earnings
 
 
13,064

 
 
 
47,209

Diluted Earnings per Common Share
 
$
0.25

 
 
$
0.80

Adjusted EBITDA
 
$
63,014

 
 
$
98,186

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Before Income Taxes
 
$
23,683

 
 
$
72,666

Add back:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest Expense, net
 
 
10,699

 
 
 
6,277

Depreciation of Property Assets
 
 
19,797

 
 
 
18,617

Amortization and Write-down of Intangibles
 
 
8,835

 
 
 
626

Adjusted EBITDA
 
$
63,014

 
 
$
98,186


(In thousands of dollars, except per share data)
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2013
 
 
2012
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revised
Total Revenues
 
$
3,104,183

 
 
$
3,082,646

Operating Profit
 
 
246,169

 
 
 
315,671

Net Earnings
 
 
128,238

 
 
 
181,703

Diluted Earnings per Common Share
 
$
2.32

 
 
$
3.06

Adjusted EBITDA
 
$
334,149

 
 
$
394,921

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings Before Income Taxes
 
$
207,356

 
 
$
284,448

Add back:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest Expense, net
 
 
38,813

 
 
 
31,223

Depreciation of Property Assets
 
 
76,451

 
 
 
73,361

Amortization and Write-down of Intangibles
 
 
11,529

 
 
 
5,889

Adjusted EBITDA
 
$
334,149

 
 
$
394,921












SELECTED BALANCE SHEET HIGHLIGHTS - UNAUDITED
 
  
 
December 31,
 
 
2013
 
 
2012
(In thousands of dollars)
 
 
 
 
Revised
Cash and Cash Equivalents
 
$
42,274

 
 
$
61,087

Receivables, net
 
 
58,686

 
 
 
52,819

Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets
 
 
78,471

 
 
 
71,963

Rental Merchandise, net
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On Rent
 
 
914,618

 
 
 
807,397

Held for Rent
 
 
210,450

 
 
 
200,122

Total Assets
 
$
3,018,553

 
 
$
2,859,817

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Senior Debt
 
$
366,275

 
 
$
387,500

Senior Notes
 
 
550,000

 
 
 
300,000

Total Liabilities
 
 
1,675,002

 
 
 
1,395,759

Stockholders' Equity
 
$
1,343,551

 
 
$
1,464,058


Note: During the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company revised its 2012 balance sheet and its statements of earnings for the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2012, to correct immaterial errors from prior years that resulted in an overstatement of on rent merchandise and understatements of held for rent merchandise and receivables.  The correction resulted in a decrease in on rent merchandise of $14.5 million and increases in held for rent merchandise of $1.2 million and receivables of $4.0 million at December 31, 2012, respectively.  The above corrections resulted in decreases to net income of $0.3 million and $1.8 million for the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2012, respectively.  The statements of earnings for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2013, June 30, 2013, and September 30, 2013, will be revised in future filings to decrease net earnings by $0.3 million, $0.1 million and $0.5 million, respectively.






Rent-A-Center, Inc. and Subsidiaries

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS - UNAUDITED

 
Three Months Ended December 31,
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
(In thousands, except per share data)
 
 
Revised
 
 
 
Revised
Revenues
 
 
 
 
 
Store
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rentals and fees
$
684,510

 
$
665,054

 
$
2,698,395

 
$
2,654,081

Merchandise sales
51,582

 
57,742

 
278,753

 
300,077

Installment sales
20,567

 
19,131

 
72,705

 
68,356

Other
3,889

 
4,111

 
18,133

 
16,391

Franchise
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merchandise sales
7,919

 
11,095

 
30,991

 
38,427

Royalty income and fees
1,144

 
1,247

 
5,206

 
5,314

 
769,611

 
758,380

 
3,104,183

 
3,082,646

Cost of revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Store
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost of rentals and fees
175,395

 
164,136

 
683,221

 
646,090

Cost of merchandise sold
40,303

 
49,181

 
216,206

 
241,219

Cost of installment sales
7,630

 
7,170

 
25,771

 
24,572

Franchise cost of merchandise sold
7,467

 
10,707

 
29,539

 
36,848

 
230,795

 
231,194

 
954,737

 
948,729

Gross profit
538,816

 
527,186

 
2,149,446

 
2,133,917

Operating expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Salaries and other expenses
451,402

 
412,679

 
1,733,324

 
1,663,857

General and administrative expenses
44,197

 
34,938

 
158,424

 
148,500

Amortization and write-down of intangibles
8,835

 
626

 
11,529

 
5,889

 
504,434

 
448,243

 
1,903,277

 
1,818,246

Operating profit
34,382

 
78,943

 
246,169

 
315,671

Interest expense
10,855

 
6,649

 
39,628

 
32,065

Interest income
(156
)
 
(372
)
 
(815
)
 
(842
)
Earnings before income taxes
23,683

 
72,666

 
207,356

 
284,448

Income tax expense
10,619

 
25,457

 
79,118

 
102,745

NET EARNINGS
$
13,064

 
$
47,209

 
$
128,238

 
$
181,703

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic weighted average shares
52,946

 
58,356

 
54,804

 
58,913

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic earnings per common share
$
0.25

 
$
0.81

 
$
2.34

 
$
3.08

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diluted weighted average shares
53,247

 
58,793

 
55,162

 
59,405

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diluted earnings per common share
$
0.25

 
$
0.80

 
$
2.32

 
$
3.06








Rent-A-Center, Inc. and Subsidiaries

SEGMENT INFORMATION HIGHLIGHTS - UNAUDITED
(In thousands of dollars)
Three Months Ended December 31, 2013
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Revenue
$
609,912

 
$
133,589

 
$
17,047

 
$
9,063

 
$
769,611

Gross profit
444,180

 
80,781

 
12,259

 
1,596

 
538,816

Operating profit
26,928

 
14,813

 
(7,568
)
 
209

 
34,382

Depreciation of property assets
16,533

 
1,462

 
1,783

 
19

 
19,797

Amortization and write-down of intangibles
7,625

 
142

 
1,068

 

 
8,835

Capital expenditures
27,282

 
4,055

 
3,269

 

 
34,606

(In thousands of dollars)
Three Months Ended December 31, 2012
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Revenue
$
638,650

 
$
94,657

 
$
12,731

 
$
12,342

 
$
758,380

Gross profit
459,762

 
57,083

 
8,706

 
1,635

 
527,186

Operating profit
74,769

 
10,264

 
(6,864
)
 
774

 
78,943

Depreciation of property assets
16,104

 
1,011

 
1,482

 
20

 
18,617

Amortization and write-down of intangibles
497

 
129

 

 

 
626

Capital expenditures
25,591

 
1,693

 
2,066

 

 
29,350

(In thousands of dollars)
Year Ended December 31, 2013
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Revenue
$
2,507,498

 
$
502,043

 
$
58,445

 
$
36,197

 
$
3,104,183

Gross profit
1,810,160

 
290,741

 
41,887

 
6,658

 
2,149,446

Operating profit
205,928

 
66,625

 
(28,237
)
 
1,853

 
246,169

Depreciation of property assets
64,852

 
5,036

 
6,484

 
79

 
76,451

Amortization and write-down of intangibles
9,892

 
569

 
1,068

 

 
11,529

Capital expenditures
84,819

 
11,076

 
12,472

 

 
108,367

Rental merchandise, net
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On rent
609,332

 
284,421

 
20,865

 

 
914,618

Held for rent
194,734

 
3,837

 
11,879

 

 
210,450

Total assets
2,561,688

 
375,920

 
79,257

 
1,688

 
3,018,553

(In thousands of dollars)
Year Ended December 31, 2012
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Revenue
$
2,655,411

 
$
343,283

 
$
40,211

 
$
43,741

 
$
3,082,646

Gross profit
1,904,586

 
194,607

 
27,831

 
6,893

 
2,133,917

Operating profit
318,784

 
25,261

 
(30,700
)
 
2,326

 
315,671

Depreciation of property assets
63,793

 
3,631

 
5,848

 
89

 
73,361

Amortization and write-down of intangibles
2,103

 
2,819

 
967

 

 
5,889

Capital expenditures
84,680

 
5,275

 
12,498

 

 
102,453

Rental merchandise, net
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On rent
589,181

 
204,640

 
13,576

 

 
807,397

Held for rent
190,703

 
3,007

 
6,412

 

 
200,122

Total assets
2,504,954

 
286,774

 
65,378

 
2,711

 
2,859,817







Rent-A-Center, Inc. and Subsidiaries

LOCATION ACTIVITY - UNAUDITED
 
Three Months Ended December 31, 2013
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Locations at beginning of period
2,974

 
1,254

 
168

 
213

 
4,609

New location openings
22

 
91

 
1

 
31

 
145

Acquired locations remaining open
35

 

 

 

 
35

Closed locations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merged with existing locations
7

 
13

 

 

 
20

Sold or closed with no surviving location
32

 
7

 

 
65

 
104

Locations at end of period
2,992

 
1,325

 
169

 
179

 
4,665

Acquired locations closed and accounts merged with existing locations
20

 

 

 

 
20

 
Three Months Ended December 31, 2012
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Locations at beginning of period
2,983

 
882

 
114

 
220

 
4,199

New location openings
12

 
103

 
9

 
7

 
131

Acquired locations remaining open
4

 

 

 

 
4

Closed locations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merged with existing locations
9

 
19

 

 

 
28

Sold or closed with no surviving location

 

 
15

 
3

 
18

Locations at end of period
2,990

 
966

 
108

 
224

 
4,288

Acquired locations closed and accounts merged with existing locations
6

 

 

 

 
6

 
Year Ended December 31, 2013
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Locations at beginning of period
2,990

 
966

 
108

 
224

 
4,288

New location openings
37

 
411

 
63

 
40

 
551

Acquired locations remaining open
47

 

 

 

 
47

Closed locations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merged with existing locations
47

 
44

 
2

 

 
93

Sold or closed with no surviving location
35

 
8

 

 
85

 
128

Locations at end of period
2,992

 
1,325

 
169

 
179

 
4,665

Acquired locations closed and accounts merged with existing locations
38

 

 

 

 
38

 
Year Ended December 31, 2012
 
Core U.S.
 
Acceptance Now
 
International
 
Franchising
 
Total
Locations at beginning of period
2,994

 
750

 
80

 
216

 
4,040

New location openings
35

 
325

 
45

 
18

 
423

Acquired locations remaining open
6

 

 

 

 
6

Closed locations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merged with existing locations
40

 
95

 
1

 

 
136

Sold or closed with no surviving location
5

 
14

 
16

 
10

 
45

Locations at end of period
2,990

 
966

 
108

 
224

 
4,288

Acquired locations closed and accounts merged with existing locations
31

 

 

 

 
31