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

Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided EPS guidance of 4.000-4.350 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 4.180. The company issued revenue guidance of $4.7 billion-$5.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $4.9 billion. Upbound Group also updated its Q2 2026 guidance to 1.000-1.100 EPS.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Upbound Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 28th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Upbound Group from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Upbound Group in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Upbound Group in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $32.25.

Upbound Group Stock Up 4.3%

NASDAQ UPBD traded up $0.82 during trading on Thursday, reaching $19.76. 1,790,572 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 762,888. Upbound Group has a fifty-two week low of $15.82 and a fifty-two week high of $28.02. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.15 billion, a PE ratio of 15.94 and a beta of 1.85. The company has a current ratio of 2.92, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.26. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $19.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is $19.17.

Upbound Group (NASDAQ:UPBD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $1.08 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.02. Upbound Group had a return on equity of 35.23% and a net margin of 1.56%.During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.00 earnings per share. Upbound Group’s quarterly revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. Upbound Group has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 1.000-1.100 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 4.000-4.350 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Upbound Group will post 4.13 EPS for the current year.

Upbound Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 28th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 7th were issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.9%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, April 7th. Upbound Group’s payout ratio is currently 125.81%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Jeffrey J. Brown bought 2,329 shares of Upbound Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 28th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $19.41 per share, for a total transaction of $45,205.89. Following the acquisition, the director owned 94,840 shares in the company, valued at $1,840,844.40. This trade represents a 2.52% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 2.60% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Upbound Group

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 earnings beat — EPS $1.08 vs. $1.06 consensus; management cited Brigit subscriber growth, margin expansion and strong cash flow, which underpinned the rally. Upbound Q1 Earnings Beat on Brigit Subscriber Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Insider buying — Director Jeffrey J. Brown purchased 2,329 shares (~$19.41 avg), increasing his stake ~2.5%, a bullish insider signal for some investors. SEC Form 4
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance roughly in line — Q2 EPS guided to $1.00–$1.10 (consensus ~$1.05) and FY EPS $4.00–$4.35 (consensus ~$4.18); revenue ranges span consensus levels, so guidance is not a major surprise but lacks a clear upside signal. Press Release / Slide Deck
• Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage noted the mixed print — multiple outlets highlighted the EPS beat but flagged the revenue shortfall, which produced a measured intraday move rather than a decisive gap up. Upbound Group stock edges up on earnings beat despite revenue miss
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue miss / cautious revenue tone — quarterly revenue growth was modest (+3.7% YoY) and Q2 revenue was guided to a range whose low end is below consensus, which may keep investors cautious about near-term top-line momentum. Upbound Group (UPBD) Q1 Earnings Top Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Structural/financial considerations — reported net margin was low (~1.6%) and debt-to-equity is relatively high (~2.26), which could concern investors focused on leverage and profitability despite the EPS beat.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Quarry LP increased its position in Upbound Group by 913.1% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 1,388 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 1,251 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio increased its position in Upbound Group by 18.7% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 3,400 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,000 after buying an additional 535 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new position in Upbound Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $95,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in Upbound Group by 47.5% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,891 shares of the company’s stock worth $123,000 after buying an additional 1,574 shares during the period. Finally, Virtus Advisers LLC bought a new position in Upbound Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $130,000. 90.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.