U.S. stocks lower as investors rotate out of tech ahead of Jackson Hole
Investing.com -- Shares of Portfolio Recovery Associates (NASDAQ:PRAA) plummeted 30% following the release of the company’s first quarter 2025 financial results, which fell short of Wall Street expectations. The global leader in acquiring and collecting nonperforming loans reported a Q1 EPS of $0.09, significantly below the analyst estimate of $0.44. Revenue for the quarter was $269.62 million, missing the consensus estimate of $291.14 million.
Despite a 19% growth in portfolio purchases and a record estimated remaining collections (ERC) of $7.8 billion, the Norfolk-based company’s profitability was impacted by lower-than-expected cash collections in the U.S., which did not reach the levels the company had modeled. This resulted in a 30% decline in the company’s stock price.
The company’s net income for the first quarter increased marginally by 5.3% YoY to $3.7 million, with total cash collections rising 10.7% YoY to $497.4 million. However, the increase in operating and interest expenses, along with a moderate increase in the effective tax rate, contributed to the earnings shortfall.
Citizens JMP analyst David Scharf expressed a cautious outlook, lowering the price target on PRAA to $23.00 from $30.00 while maintaining a Market Outperform rating. He noted, "PRA Group’s positive operational and directional trends were very similar in 1Q25 to what we have seen over the past year... Yet lower-than-forecast U.S. collections (by 4%) drove a material earnings shortfall ($0.09 versus our Street-high $0.54 estimate) even though ’cash earnings’ (adjusted EBITDA) were relatively close."
Raymond (NSE:RYMD) James analyst Robert Dodd maintained a Market Perform rating, citing the GAAP results for 1Q25 were well below estimates and consensus due to a shortfall in cash collections versus internal company models. "We believe shares are fairly valued at current levels given the uncertainty in the macro environment," Dodd commented.
The company’s press release highlighted the strong performance in Europe and the transition to a newly appointed CEO, Martin Sjolund, who brings a successful European playbook to the company’s global strategy. PRA Group remains confident in the business trajectory and has not altered its financial targets, except for the return on average tangible equity, which is likely to be lower than the target of approximately 12%.
Investors are now weighing the company’s long-term strategy against the immediate challenges reflected in the first quarter results, as PRA Group navigates the current economic landscape.
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