Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) vs EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) vs Jefferson Capital, Inc. Common Stock (JCAP) vs PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) 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 FCFS's 8.0% |
| Value | PRAA | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | JCAP | 24.3% net margin vs LMFA's -66.5% |
| Stability / Safety | FCFS | Beta 0.31 vs LMFA's 1.82, lower leverage |
| Dividends | JCAP | 3.0% yield; 1-year raise streak; FCFS, EZPW, PRAA, LMFA pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | EZPW | +92.8% vs LMFA's -75.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | JCAP | 7.8% ROA vs LMFA's -12.3%, ROIC 12.6% 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
FirstCash Holdings operates a large network of pawn shops across the Americas that provide short-term collateralized loans and sell forfeited merchandise. It generates revenue primarily from pawn loan interest and fees (roughly 70% of total) and retail sales of forfeited collateral and purchased goods (about 30%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive physical footprint—over 2,800 stores—and operational expertise in managing the pawn lending cycle across diverse markets.
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.
Jefferson Capital is a debt recovery company that purchases charged-off consumer receivables at deep discounts and works with individuals to collect repayments. It makes money primarily by buying distressed debt portfolios—including credit card, auto, telecom, and utility receivables—at steep discounts and collecting on them, supplemented by debt servicing fees for managing nonperforming loans for credit originators. The company's moat lies in its specialized expertise in valuing and collecting on distressed debt, its established relationships with credit originators, and its operational scale in managing large portfolios of charged-off receivables.
PRA Group is a debt collection company that purchases and collects on defaulted consumer loans — primarily credit card debt, installment loans, and auto loans — from banks and other lenders. It makes money by buying these nonperforming loan portfolios at deep discounts — often pennies on the dollar — and then collecting more than it paid through persistent recovery efforts. The company's competitive advantage lies in its sophisticated data analytics and collection technology, which allows it to efficiently price and recover debt that others might overlook.
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
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
FCFS leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Analyst Outlook). JCAP leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
FCFS is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.7B annually — 332.8x LMFA's $11M. JCAP is the more profitable business, keeping 24.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LMFA's -66.5%.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | JCAPJefferson Capital… | PRAAPRA Group, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.7B | $1.3B | $433M | $1.1B | $11M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $897M | $201M | $137M | -$50M | -$264,638 |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $310M | $123M | $140M | -$343M | -$7M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $528M | $131M | $265M | -$37M | -$14M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +100.0% | +58.5% | +71.2% | +61.0% | +36.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.4% | +11.7% | +50.8% | +30.2% | -58.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.0% | +8.6% | +24.3% | +6.3% | -66.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +8.7% | +37.4% | -8.8% | -124.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — | — | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +29.2% | +37.5% | — | -16.1% | +100.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 8.8x trailing earnings, PRAA trades at a 66% valuation discount to FCFS's 26.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, LMFA's 7.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PRAA's 11.0x.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | JCAPJefferson Capital… | PRAAPRA Group, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $8.5B | $1.6B | $1.2B | $616M | $6M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8.6B | $1.9B | $2.4B | $3.9B | $10M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 25.98x | 18.68x | 11.40x | 8.80x | -0.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 18.64x | 14.80x | 7.29x | 6.92x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.10x | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.66x | 10.63x | 10.40x | 11.05x | 7.70x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.32x | 1.28x | 2.78x | 0.55x | 0.53x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.77x | 2.16x | 3.14x | 0.52x | 0.03x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 14.82x | 7.42x | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
JCAP delivers a 32.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $32 in annual profit, vs $-35 for PRAA. FCFS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to JCAP's 3.12x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), FCFS scores 6/9 vs LMFA's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | JCAPJefferson Capital… | PRAAPRA Group, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +14.1% | +11.5% | +32.0% | -34.9% | -15.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.0% | +6.2% | +7.8% | -6.9% | -12.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.7% | +7.1% | +12.6% | +5.0% | -12.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +12.5% | +10.0% | +16.6% | +7.7% | -16.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.11x | 0.75x | 3.12x | 2.82x | 0.22x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $124M | $295M | $1.2B | $3.3B | $4M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $125M | $470M | $36M | $106M | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $249M | $764M | $1.2B | $3.4B | $8M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.66x | 4.47x | 0.00x | -1.78x | -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 | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | JCAPJefferson Capital… | PRAAPRA Group, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.2% | +32.3% | -6.7% | -9.9% | -22.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +73.2% | +92.8% | +13.9% | -24.7% | -75.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.6% | +200.8% | +13.9% | -63.0% | -95.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +207.8% | +437.0% | +13.9% | -57.1% | -99.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +384.4% | +814.8% | +13.9% | -35.5% | +20.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.8% | +44.4% | +4.4% | -28.2% | -63.8% |
Risk & Volatility
FCFS is the less volatile stock with a 0.31 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 | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | JCAPJefferson Capital… | PRAAPRA Group, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.31x | 0.34x | 1.36x | 1.52x | 1.82x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $193.96 | $26.58 | $23.80 | $22.01 | $5.14 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $109.51 | $12.85 | $15.98 | $10.25 | $0.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.4% | +99.8% | +86.7% | +71.6% | +7.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 74.6 | 74.9 | 45.2 | 51.4 | 50.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 212K | 800K | 301K | 338K | 372K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: FCFS as "Hold", EZPW as "Buy", JCAP as "Buy", PRAA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 65.1% upside for PRAA (target: $26) vs 2.7% for EZPW (target: $27). JCAP is the only dividend payer here at 2.99% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | FCFSFirstCash Holding… | EZPWEZCORP, Inc. | JCAPJefferson Capital… | PRAAPRA Group, Inc. | LMFALM Funding Americ… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy | Buy | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $217.00 | $27.25 | $26.33 | $26.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 19 | 15 | 9 | 13 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | +3.0% | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | $0.62 | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 100 | 213.23 | +113.2% |
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | 100 | 449.69 | +349.7% |
| PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) | 100 | 33.39 | -66.6% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | $1.1B | $3.7B | +236.4% |
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | $731M | $1.3B | +74.4% |
| Jefferson Capital, … (JCAP) | $7M | $433M | +6533.5% |
| PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) | $832M | $1.1B | +35.1% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | $5M | $11M | +138.8% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc's revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $3.7B (2025) — a 14.4% CAGR. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 5.5% | 9.0% | +63.3% |
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | -11.1% | 8.6% | +177.8% |
| Jefferson Capital, … (JCAP) | 2.5% | 24.3% | +891.1% |
| PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) | 10.4% | 6.3% | -39.4% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | -51.5% | -66.5% | -29.3% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc's net margin went from 6% (2016) to 9% (2025). EZCORP, Inc.'s net margin went from -11% (2016) to 9% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 22.5 | 21.5 | -4.4% |
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | 19.7 | 13.7 | -30.5% |
| PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) | 9.4 | 11.7 | +24.5% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc has traded in a 16x–27x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~26x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FirstCash Holdings,… (FCFS) | 1.72 | 7.42 | +331.4% |
| EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW) | -1.48 | 1.42 | +195.9% |
| Jefferson Capital, … (JCAP) | 2.58 | 1.81 | -29.8% |
| PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) | 1.83 | 1.79 | -2.2% |
| LM Funding America,… (LMFA) | -35.91 | -2.61 | +92.7% |
FirstCash Holdings, Inc's EPS grew from $1.72 (2016) to $7.42 (2025) — a 18% CAGR. EZCORP, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.48 (2016) to $1.42 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
FirstCash Holdings, Inc generated $0M FCF in 2025 (-100% vs 2021). EZCORP, Inc. generated $110M FCF in 2025 (+384% vs 2021).
FCFS vs EZPW vs JCAP vs PRAA vs LMFA: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA or LMFA a better buy right now?
PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) offers the better valuation at 8.8x trailing P/E (6.9x 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 has the better valuation — FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA or LMFA?
On trailing P/E, PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) is the cheapest at 8.8x versus FirstCash Holdings, Inc at 26.0x. On forward P/E, PRA Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 6.9x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA 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 PRAA's -35.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA or LMFA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.31β versus LM Funding America, Inc.'s 1.82β — meaning LMFA is approximately 483% more volatile than FCFS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, FirstCash Holdings, Inc (FCFS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 3% for Jefferson Capital, Inc. Common Stock — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA or LMFA?
Jefferson Capital, Inc. Common Stock (JCAP) is the more profitable company, earning 24.3% net margin versus -66.5% for LM Funding America, Inc. — meaning it keeps 24.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: JCAP leads at 50.8% versus -58.7% for LMFA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — FCFS leads at 100.0%, 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.
06Is FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA or LMFA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, PRA Group, Inc. (PRAA) trades at 6.9x forward P/E versus 18.6x for FirstCash Holdings, Inc — 11.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PRAA: 65.1% to $26.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA or LMFA?
In this comparison, JCAP (3.0% yield) pays a dividend. FCFS, EZPW, PRAA, LMFA do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is FCFS or EZPW or JCAP or PRAA 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.
09What are the main differences between FCFS and EZPW and JCAP and PRAA 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. In terms of investment character: FCFS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EZPW is a small-cap quality compounder stock; JCAP is a small-cap deep-value stock; PRAA is a small-cap deep-value stock; LMFA is a small-cap quality compounder stock. JCAP pays a dividend while FCFS, EZPW, PRAA, LMFA do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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