Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) Updates Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) issued an update on its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 1.050-1.150 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 0.970. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.2 billion-$1.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.2 billion. Upbound Group also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 4.000-4.350 EPS.

Upbound Group Stock Up 7.0%

Shares of UPBD stock traded up $1.47 on Thursday, reaching $22.35. 761,575 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 680,188. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.25, a current ratio of 3.16 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The company has a 50-day moving average of $18.99 and a 200-day moving average of $20.89. The company has a market cap of $1.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.44 and a beta of 1.88. Upbound Group has a one year low of $15.82 and a one year high of $30.00.

Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $1.20 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.17 billion. Upbound Group had a return on equity of 36.08% and a net margin of 1.85%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.05 EPS. 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. Analysts anticipate that Upbound Group will post 4.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Upbound Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 17th were paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 17th. Upbound Group’s payout ratio is 107.59%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Upbound Group

In related news, Director Jeffrey J. Brown acquired 2,502 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 6th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $17.68 per share, for a total transaction of $44,235.36. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 92,972 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,643,744.96. This represents a 2.77% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 2.60% of the company’s stock.

Upbound Group News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat: GAAP EPS of $1.01 vs. consensus $0.97 and revenue $1.20B vs. $1.17B; revenue rose ~10.8% year‑over‑year — supports near‑term momentum. Upbound Group (UPBD) Surpasses Q4 Earnings and Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Q1 2026 guidance raised: EPS guidance of $1.05–$1.15 (consensus ~$0.97) and revenue guidance $1.2B–$1.3B — suggests management sees stronger start to FY26. Upbound Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: High return on equity (36.08%) indicates efficient capital use, which can support valuation as earnings scale. Upbound Group Q4 earnings transcript / metrics
• Neutral Sentiment: Conference call, press release and slide deck published — useful for investors wanting detail on drivers, margins and seasonality. View Press Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts’ consensus for FY26 EPS sits near ~4.28 (firm-level and street estimates will adjust based on guidance). Watch revisions after the report. Upbound Group: Q4 Earnings Snapshot
• Negative Sentiment: FY 2026 guidance was below consensus: EPS $4.00–$4.35 vs. street ~$4.57 and revenue $4.7B–$5.0B vs. ~$5.0B — the lower top‑end and midrange may cap upside and prompt analyst downgrades. Upbound Group, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 EPS was slightly below last year’s $1.05 (this quarter $1.01) despite revenue growth — indicates margin pressure or one‑time items that investors should probe on the call. Upbound Group: Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Upbound Group

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UPBD. Vident Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Upbound Group by 33.2% in the fourth quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 33,108 shares of the company’s stock valued at $581,000 after purchasing an additional 8,253 shares during the period. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury raised its holdings in Upbound Group by 40.3% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Department of Treasury now owns 57,873 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,094,000 after acquiring an additional 16,615 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in shares of Upbound Group by 9.5% during the fourth quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 214,851 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,773,000 after acquiring an additional 18,584 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in shares of Upbound Group by 4.8% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,315,672 shares of the company’s stock worth $23,103,000 after acquiring an additional 59,798 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SummitTX Capital L.P. bought a new position in shares of Upbound Group in the fourth quarter worth $187,000. Institutional investors own 90.30% of the company’s stock.

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.