Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) vs LM Funding America, Inc. (LMFA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | LMFA | 77.7% revenue growth vs EZPW's 9.7% |
| Quality / Margins | EZPW | 8.6% net margin vs LMFA's -66.5% |
| Stability / Safety | EZPW | Beta 0.34 vs LMFA's 1.82 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | EZPW | +92.8% vs LMFA's -75.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EZPW | 6.2% ROA vs LMFA's -12.3%, ROIC 7.1% vs -12.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
EZCORP operates a chain of pawn shops across the United States and Latin America, providing short-term collateralized loans and selling secondhand merchandise. It generates revenue primarily from pawn loan interest and fees (roughly 60-70% of total) and merchandise sales from forfeited collateral and purchased goods (30-40%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive physical store network—over 1,100 locations—and proprietary digital platforms that streamline pawn operations and customer engagement.
LM Funding America is a specialty finance company that purchases delinquent homeowner association assessment accounts from community associations. It generates revenue primarily by collecting on these purchased delinquent accounts — typically through payment plans or legal action — and earns interest and fees on the amounts recovered. The company's key advantage lies in its specialized expertise in HOA collections and its New Neighbor Guaranty program, which provides associations with upfront payments for delinquent accounts.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
EZPW leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). LMFA leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EZPW is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.3B annually — 115.8x LMFA's $11M. EZPW is the more profitable business, keeping 8.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LMFA's -66.5%.
| Metric | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.3B | $11M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $201M | -$264,638 |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $123M | -$7M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $131M | -$14M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +58.5% | +36.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.7% | -58.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.6% | -66.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.7% | -124.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +37.5% | +100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, LMFA's 7.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than EZPW's 10.6x.
| Metric | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.6B | $6M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.9B | $10M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 18.68x | -0.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 14.80x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.63x | 7.70x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.28x | 0.53x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.16x | 0.03x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.82x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
EZPW delivers a 11.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $-15 for LMFA. LMFA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.22x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EZPW's 0.75x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EZPW scores 6/9 vs LMFA's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.5% | -15.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.2% | -12.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +7.1% | -12.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.0% | -16.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.75x | 0.22x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $295M | $4M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $470M | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $764M | $8M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.47x | -3.92x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in EZPW five years ago would be worth $53,704 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $78 for LMFA. Over the past 12 months, EZPW leads with a +92.8% total return vs LMFA's -75.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EZPW at 44.4% vs LMFA's -63.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +32.3% | -22.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +92.8% | -75.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +200.8% | -95.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +437.0% | -99.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +814.8% | +20.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +44.4% | -63.8% |
Risk & Volatility
EZPW is the less volatile stock with a 0.34 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LMFA's 1.82 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EZPW currently trades 99.8% from its 52-week high vs LMFA's 7.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.34x | 1.82x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $26.58 | $5.14 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.85 | $0.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.8% | +7.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 74.9 | 50.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 800K | 372K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $27.25 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | 100 | 449.69 | +349.7% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | 100 | 1.41 | -98.6% |
EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) returned +437% over 5 years vs LM Funding America,… (LMFA)'s -99%. A $10,000 investment in EZPW 5 years ago would be worth $53,704 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | $731M | $1.3B | +74.4% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | $5M | $11M | +138.8% |
EZCORP, Inc.'s revenue grew from $731M (2016) to $1.3B (2025) — a 6.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | -11.1% | 8.6% | +177.8% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | -51.5% | -66.5% | -29.3% |
EZCORP, Inc.'s net margin went from -11% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | 19.7 | 13.7 | -30.5% |
EZCORP, Inc. has traded in a 11x–216x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | -1.48 | 1.42 | +195.9% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | -35.91 | -2.61 | +92.7% |
EZCORP, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.48 (2016) to $1.42 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
EZCORP, Inc. generated $110M FCF in 2025 (+384% vs 2021). LM Funding America, Inc. generated $-14M FCF in 2024 (+7% vs 2021).
EZPW vs LMFA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EZPW or LMFA a better buy right now?
EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) offers the better valuation at 18.7x trailing P/E (14.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) a "Buy" — based on 15 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — EZPW or LMFA?
Over the past 5 years, EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) delivered a total return of +437.0%, compared to -99.2% for LM Funding America, Inc. (LMFA). A $10,000 investment in EZPW five years ago would be worth approximately $54K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EZPW returned +814.8% versus LMFA's +20.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — EZPW or LMFA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) is the lower-risk stock at 0.34β versus LM Funding America, Inc.'s 1.82β — meaning LMFA is approximately 439% more volatile than EZPW relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, LM Funding America, Inc. (LMFA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 22% versus 75% for EZCORP, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — EZPW or LMFA?
EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) is the more profitable company, earning 8.6% net margin versus -66.5% for LM Funding America, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EZPW leads at 11.7% versus -58.7% for LMFA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EZPW leads at 58.5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
05Which pays a better dividend — EZPW or LMFA?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
06Is EZPW or LMFA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.34), +814.8% 10Y return). LM Funding America, Inc. (LMFA) carries a higher beta of 1.82 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EZPW: +814.8%, LMFA: +20.2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
07What are the main differences between EZPW and LMFA?
Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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