EZCorp - 10-K annual report 2012

PART I

This report contains forward-looking statements that are based on our current expectations. Actual results in future periods may differ materially from those expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements because of a number of risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of risk factors affecting our business and prospects, see “Part I — Item 1A — Risk Factors.” See also “Part II — Item 7 — Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Cautionary Statement Regarding Risks and Uncertainties That May Affect Future Results.”

Unless otherwise specified, references to the “company” or “we” refer to EZCORP, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to a “fiscal” year refer to our fiscal year ended September 30 of the specified year. For example, “fiscal 2012” refers to the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012.

EZCORP, Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas. We are a leading provider of instant cash solutions, employing approximately 7,200 team members and operating over 1,250 locations and branches across the United States, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom, with unconsolidated investments based in the United Kingdom and Australia.

We provide a variety of instant cash solutions, including collateralized, non-recourse loans, commonly known as pawn loans, and a variety of short-term consumer loans, including single-payment and multiple-payment unsecured loans and single-payment and multiple-payment auto title loans. In Texas, we provide fee-based credit services to consumers seeking loans. At our pawn and buy/sell stores, we sell merchandise, primarily collateral forfeited from pawn lending operations and second-hand merchandise purchased from customers. We also offer prepaid debit card services to help customers better manage their money and control their spending.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2012, we entered into the unsecured lending market in Mexico with the acquisition of a 60% interest in Prestaciones Finmart, S.A.de C.V., SOFOM, E.N.R. ("Crediamigo"), a leading payroll withholding lender headquartered in Mexico City. As of September 30, 2012, Crediamigo had approximately 100 payroll withholding master agreements with Mexican employers, primarily federal, state and local governments and agencies, and provided consumer loans to the agencies' employees. In addition, during the third quarter of fiscal 2012, we acquired 72% of Ariste Holding Limited and its affiliates ("Cash Genie"), which offers short-term consumer loans online in the United Kingdom. Subsequent to the end of fiscal 2012, we increased our ownership interest in Cash Genie to 95%.

At our pawn stores, we offer pawn loans, which are non-recourse loans collateralized by tangible personal property, and sell merchandise to customers looking for good value. The merchandise we sell consists of second-hand collateral forfeited from our pawn lending activities or purchased from customers and new or refurbished merchandise from third party vendors. In our Cash Converters stores, we also buy and sell second-hand goods. At our financial services stores and at some of our pawn stores, we offer a variety of consumer loan products, including single-payment, unsecured loans with maturity dates typically ranging from 7 to 30 days; multiple-payment unsecured loans that may be repaid over extended periods of up to seven months; single-payment 30-day loans secured by automobile titles; multiple-payment auto title loans that carry terms of two to five months; and revolving lines of credit, both unsecured and secured by automobile titles. In Texas, our financial services stores and our pawn stores that also offer financial services do not offer loan products themselves, but rather offer credit services to help customers obtain loans from independent third-party lenders. We also offer prepaid debit cards in all of our U.S. stores.

Beginning with the second quarter of fiscal 2012, we redefined our reportable operating segments based on geography. Because our company is organized and managed along geographic lines, with product offerings and channels based on local custom and regulation, we concluded that segment reporting based on geography more closely aligns with our management organization and strategic direction.

Concurrent with the change in reportable operating segments, we revised our prior period financial information to reflect comparable financial information for the new segment structure. For revenues, profitability, assets and other information attributable to each of our segments, see Note 18, “Operating Segment Information,” to our consolidated financial statements contained in “Part II — Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

The following table presents store data by segment:

The following components comprised our total revenues for each of the last three fiscal years:

Collateral for our pawn loans consists of tangible personal property, generally jewelry, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods and musical instruments. Approximately 60% of our pawn loan collateral is jewelry, and the vast majority of that is gold jewelry. We do not evaluate the creditworthiness of a pawn customer, but rely on the estimated resale value of the collateral and the perceived probability of the loan’s redemption. The sources of information we use to determine the resale value of collateral include our computerized valuation software, gold values, Internet retail and auction sites, catalogs, newspaper advertisements

and previous sales of similar merchandise. We generally lend from 25% to 65% of the collateral’s estimated resale value depending on an evaluation of these factors, and up to 80% based on scrap value.

The collateral is held through the duration of the loan, which the customer may renew or extend by paying accrued pawn service charges (in the case of a renewal) or pawn service charges for the extension period (in the case of an extension). Through our lending guidelines, we maintain an annual redemption rate (the percentage of loans made that are repaid, renewed or extended) between 79% and 82%. If a customer does not repay, renew or extend a loan, the collateral is forfeited to us and becomes inventory available for sale. We do not record loan losses or charge-offs of pawn loans because the principal amount of an unpaid loan becomes the inventory carrying cost of the forfeited collateral. We provide an inventory valuation allowance to ensure that this forfeited collateral is valued at the lower of cost or market.

The redemption rate of pawn loans and the gross profit realized on the sale of forfeited collateral are dependent on the loan value of customer merchandise. Jewelry can be appraised based on weight, gold content, style and value of gemstones. Other items pawned typically consist of consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods and musical instruments. These are evaluated based on recent sales experience and the selling price of similar new merchandise, adjusted for age, wear and obsolescence.

At the time a pawn loan is made, the customer is given a pawn ticket, which shows the name and address of the pawn store and the customer, the customer’s identification information, the date of the loan, a detailed description of the pledged goods, the amount financed, the pawn service charge, the maturity date of the loan, the total amount that must be paid to redeem the loan and the annual percentage rate.

During the three most recent fiscal years, sources of inventory additions were:

Customers may purchase an extended return plan (called a “product protection plan”) that allows them to return or exchange certain general (non-jewelry) merchandise sold through our retail pawn operations within three to six months of purchase. We recognize the fees for this service as revenue ratably over the three to six month period.

We also offer a jewelry VIP package, which guarantees customers a minimum future pawn loan amount on the item sold, allows them full credit if they trade in the item to purchase a more expensive piece of jewelry, and provides minor repair service on the item sold. These fees are recognized on sale.

We also offer a variety of financial services to customers who have limited access to other sources of credit. Many customers find our financial services a more attractive alternative than borrowing from friends or family or incurring insufficient funds fees, overdraft protection fees, utility reconnect fees and other charges imposed when they have insufficient cash to meet their needs. By utilizing our financial services, customers can exercise greater control of their personal finances without damaging the relationships they have with their merchants, service providers and family members.

The specific financial services offered varies by location, but generally include some or all of the following:

In our Texas stores, we do not offer consumer loans themselves, but offer fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans. In these locations, we act as a credit services organization (or “CSO”) on behalf of customers in accordance with applicable state and local laws, and offer advice and assistance to customers in obtaining loans from unaffiliated lenders. Our services include arranging consumer loans with independent third-party lenders, assisting in the preparation of loan applications and loan documents and accepting loan payments for the lenders. We do not make, fund or participate in the consumer loans made by the lenders, but we assist customers in obtaining credit and enhance their creditworthiness by issuing letters of credit to guarantee customers’ payment obligations to the independent third-party lenders. For credit services in connection with arranging a single-payment loan (average loan amount of about $505), our fee is approximately 22% of the loan amount. For credit services in connection with arranging an unsecured multiple-payment loan (average loan amount of about $2,105), our fee is 11% of the initial loan amount with each semi-monthly or bi-weekly installment payment. Low dollar installment loan principal amounts range from $100 to $1,500, but average about $705. With each semi-monthly or bi-weekly installment payment, we earn a fee of 13% to 14% of the initial loan amount. For credit services in connection with arranging single-payment auto title loans (average loan amount of about $860), the fee is up to 30% of the loan amount. In fiscal 2012, we began assisting customers in obtaining longer-term multiple-payment auto title loans from unaffiliated lenders. Multiple-payment auto title loans typically carry terms of two to five months with up to ten equal installments. Multiple-payment auto title loan principal amounts range from $150 to $10,000, but average about $1,000; and, with each installment payment, we earn a fee of 11% to 35% of the initial loan amount.

Single-payment consumer loans are considered defaulted if they are not repaid or renewed by the maturity date. Outstanding amounts on unsecured lines of credit are considered defaulted if customers do not timely make one required scheduled payment. Multiple-payment loans are considered defaulted if the customer has failed to make two consecutive installment payments. Although defaulted loans may be collected later, we charge the loan principal to bad debt upon default, leaving only active loans in the reported balance. Subsequent collections of principal are recorded as a reduction of bad debt at the time of collection. Accrued service charges related to defaulted loans are deducted from service charge revenue upon loan default, and increase service charge revenue upon subsequent collection. We provide for a valuation allowance on both the principal and service charges receivable based on recent default and collection experience. Our consumer loan balance represents the principal amount of all active (non-defaulted) loans, net of this valuation allowance.

If a credit service customer defaults on a loan, we pay the lender the principal and accrued interest due under the loan and an insufficient funds fee or late fee and charge those amounts to bad debt expense. We then attempt to collect those amounts from the customer. Subsequent recoveries are recorded as a reduction of bad debt at the time of collection. We also record as bad debt expense an accrual of expected losses for principal, interest and insufficient fund fees and late fees we expect to pay the lenders on default of the lenders’ current loans. This estimate is based on recent default and collection experience and the amount of loans the lenders have outstanding.

The table below shows the dollar amount of our consumer loan activity for the three most recent fiscal years. For purposes of this table, consumer loan balances include the principal portion of loans (net of valuation allowance) recorded on our balance sheet and the principal portion of active brokered loans outstanding from unaffiliated lenders, which is not included on our balance sheet.

The profitability of unsecured consumer loans is highly dependent on our ability to manage the default rate and collect defaulted loan principal, interest and insufficient fund fees. In determining whether to lend or provide credit services, we perform a review of customer information, such as making a credit reporting agency inquiry, evaluating and verifying income sources and levels, verifying employment and verifying a telephone number where the customers may be contacted.

Auto title loans are secured by the titles to customers’ automobiles. Lending decisions and loan amounts are determined on the basis of customers’ income levels, an inspection of the automobile and title and reference to market values of used automobiles. Through charges to bad debt expense, we provide a bad debt allowance on the current and delinquent balances of auto title loans and auto title lines of credit, and increase the allowance as the loans age or in response to other potential indicators of loss. Auction proceeds from repossessed automobiles are recorded as an offset to bad debt.

At the time a consumer loan is made, a loan agreement and credit services agreement, when applicable, are given to the customer. It presents the name and address of the lender, the customer and the credit services company when applicable, the customer’s identification information, the date of the loan, the amount financed, the interest or service charges due on maturity, the maturity date of the loan, the total amount that must be paid and the annual percentage rate. At the time a line of credit is granted, customers receive a similar agreement specifying the terms of the credit line, fees and annual percentage rate and repayment terms.

Historically, pawn service charges are highest in our fourth fiscal quarter (July through September) due to a higher average loan balance during the summer lending season. Merchandise sales are highest in the first and second fiscal quarters (October

through March) due to the holiday season, jewelry sales surrounding Valentine’s Day and the impact of tax refunds in the United States. Jewelry scrapping sales are heavily influenced by the timing of decisions to scrap excess jewelry inventory. Jewelry scrapping sales generally are greatest during our fourth fiscal quarter (July through September). This results from relatively low jewelry merchandise sales in that quarter and the higher loan balance, leading to a higher dollar amount of loan forfeitures in the summer lending season providing more inventory available for sale.

Consumer loan fees are generally highest in our fourth and first fiscal quarters (July through December) due to a higher need for cash during the holiday season. Consumer loan bad debt, both in dollar terms and as a percentage of related fees, is highest in the fourth fiscal quarter and lowest in the second fiscal quarter due primarily to the impact of tax refunds in the U.S.

The payroll withholding lending business is less impacted by seasonality, with the exception of the summer months when new loan originations tend to moderate.

The net effect of these factors is that net revenues and net income typically are strongest in the fourth fiscal quarter and weakest in the third fiscal quarter.

A typical company pawn store employs approximately six full-time team members, consisting of a store manager, an assistant manager and four pawnbrokers. Each store manager is responsible for ensuring that the store is run in accordance with our policies, procedures and operating guidelines, and reports to an area manager. Area managers are responsible for the performance of all stores within their area and report to one of our regional directors. Managers and regional directors receive incentive compensation based on their performance in comparison to an operating budget. Our U.S. pawnbrokers are also eligible to receive incentive compensation based on the store’s performance and their individual productivity performance. The incentive compensation for our pawn employees typically ranges between 5% to 30% of their total compensation.

Financial services stores typically employ two to three team members per location, consisting of a store manager and one or two customer service representatives. Each store manager is responsible for ensuring that the store is run in accordance with our policies, procedures and operating guidelines, and reports to an area manager, who is responsible for the stores within a specific operating area and reports to a regional director. Managers and regional directors receive incentive compensation based on their performance in comparison to an operating budget.

In the majority of our financial services stores, store employees attempt to collect defaulted consumer loans in the first 30 days after default. After the initial 30 days, our centralized collection center assumes collection responsibility for these loans. The centralized collection center also collects defaulted consumer loans for all other locations from the date of default. After attempting to collect for approximately 90 days, we generally sell the remaining defaulted consumer loans to a third party or refer them to an outside collection agency for a contingency fee.

Our payroll withholding lending business in Mexico operates using a network of low-cost branch offices dedicated to making loans to employees of government agencies and other employers with whom Crediamigo has processing and withholding agreements in place. A centralized corporate office provides the lending approval function, processing of loans and repayments, collections, sales support and other administrative functions. Each branch location is headed by a sales manager and, depending upon size of the region, may have between eight and fifteen sales professionals reporting through the branch. Sales professionals are commission-based, with earnings tied to loans originated. All loan requests are approved or declined through the centralized credit process. Crediamigo also utilizes a network of brokers to augment the sales force.

We have an internally developed store level point of sale system that automates the recording of pawn, merchandise purchase and sale transactions. We also have a separate loan management computer system specifically designed to handle consumer loan transactions. We have redundant backup systems in the event of a system failure or natural disaster. Financial data from stores owned by our wholly-owned subsidiaries is processed at the corporate office each day and the preceding day’s data are available for management review via our internal network. For stores and operations owned by majority-owned subsidiaries, weekly financial data is provided to the corporate office. Our communications network provides information access between the stores and the corporate office.

Our internal audit staff monitors the perpetual inventory system, lending practices, regulatory compliance and compliance with our policies and procedures. Each location is typically audited several times annually, adjusted based on estimated risk.

based training, formal structured classroom training and supervised on-the-job training. All store team members, including managers, must meet certain competency criteria prior to hire or promotion and participate in on-going training classes and formal instructional programs. Our career development program develops and advances our employees and provides training for the efficient integration of experienced managers and team members from outside the company.

We operate our U.S. pawn stores principally under the names “EZPAWN” or “Value Pawn” and the Mexico pawn stores under the names “EMPEÑO FÁCIL” and “EMPEÑE SU ORO AL INSTANTE.” Our U.S. financial services stores operate under a variety of names, including “EZMONEY Payday Loans,” “EZ Loan Services,” “EZ Payday Advance” and “EZPAWN Payday Loans,” and our CSO stores operate under the name “EZMONEY Loan Services.” Our financial services and buy/sell stores in Canada operate under the names “CASHMAX” or “Cash Converters.” In Mexico, we offer payroll withholding loans under the name "Crediamigo." In the U.K. we offer consumer loans online under the name "Cash Genie." We have registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office the names EZPAWN, EZMONEY and EZCORP, among others. We hold a trademark in Mexico for the name “EMPEÑO FÁCIL” and are the master franchisee in Canada for the “Cash Converters” brand.

We plan to expand the number of locations we operate through opening de novo locations and through acquisitions. We believe that in the near term the largest growth opportunities are with de novo stores in Mexico and the U.S., pawn store acquisitions in the U.S. and online lending, both in the U.S. and internationally. We continually evaluate and test new products and formats, which may result in expansion opportunities or strategic investments.

Our ability to add new stores is dependent on several variables, such as the availability of acceptable sites or acquisition candidates, the regulatory environment, local zoning ordinances, access to capital and the availability of qualified personnel.

We encounter significant competition in connection with all of our activities. These competitive conditions may adversely affect our revenues, profitability and ability to expand. In our lending businesses, we compete with other pawn stores, payday lenders, credit service organizations, banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, such as consumer finance companies. Other lenders may lend money on an unsecured basis, at interest rates that may be lower than our service charges, and on other terms that may be more favorable than ours or through other market channels, such as online, which some customers may prefer. We believe that the primary elements of competition are the quality of customer service and relationship management, convenience, store location, a customer friendly environment and the ability to loan competitive amounts at competitive rates. In addition, we believe the ability to compete effectively will be based increasingly on strong general management, regional focus, automated management information systems, access to capital, superior customer service and the ability to offer certain services online.

Our competitors for merchandise sales include numerous retail and wholesale stores, including jewelry stores, discount retail stores, consumer electronics stores, other pawn stores, other resale stores, electronic commerce retailers and auction sites.

Competitive factors in our retail operations include the ability to provide the customer with a variety of merchandise at an exceptional value and convenience.

In offering general purpose, reloadable debit cards, our competitors include other specialty financial service providers, banks and credit unions, as well as specialists in offering debit cards. Competitive factors in our debit card operations include offering competitive, comprehensive services at competitive rates.

The pawn industry in Mexico is also fragmented, but less so than in the United States. The industry consists of approximately 5,000 pawn stores owned by independent operators and chains, including some not-for-profit organizations. The pawn industry, particularly full-line stores offering general merchandise and jewelry loans and resale, remains in more of an expansion stage in Mexico than in the United States. The market for gold-only pawn stores is mature.

The unsecured payroll lending industry in Mexico is less developed than other Latin American countries. Payroll lending in Mexico is generally marketed to public sector employees, who on average earn more and rotate less frequently than their private sector peers. Additionally, government entities tend to be more stable and on average have more employees than private companies. It is estimated that less than 15% of the market potential is being serviced. Crediamigo is the third largest vertically integrated payroll lender in Mexico with 45 branch offices located in 24 of the 32 states in the country.

The specialty financial services industry in the United States is mature and is larger and more concentrated than the pawn industry. The industry consists of a number of online lenders and approximately 20,000 locations that are either mono-line stores offering only short-term consumer loans or other businesses offering short-term consumer loans in addition to other products and services, such as check cashing stores, automobile title loan stores, pawn stores and stores offering reloadable debit cards. The ten largest short-term consumer loan companies, including us, operate approximately 45% of the total number of physical locations, and online competition has increased in recent years. Recently, several national and regional banks have begun offering cash advance products with similar characteristics and rate structures to our short-term consumer loans.

The specialty financial services industry in Canada remains in a growth stage. The industry consists of approximately 1,500 locations that are either mono-line stores offering only short-term consumer loans or other businesses offering short-term consumer loans in addition to other products and services, such as check cashing stores, pawn stores and stores offering reloadable debit cards or bank accounts. The Canadian short-term consumer loan industry is highly concentrated, with the three largest companies operating approximately 74% of the total number of locations.

The U.K. online lending market receives approximately 2 million applications per month, with 25% of that traffic coming from mobile phones. The online lending market is competitive, and website traffic is generated through mainstream and online media. There are over 100 online lenders within the U.K., with Cash Genie ranking in the top five.

unsecured loans and other consumer finance products, and buy and sell second-hand goods. Cash Converters has significant store concentrations in Australia and the United Kingdom. In the short-term, we expect Cash Converters will continue buying back franchised locations and converting them into company operated stores as well as increasing its portfolio of short-term consumer loans in Australia and the U.K.

The Consumer Credit and Corporations Legislation Amendment (Enhancements) Bill 2011 was passed by the Australian Parliament in August 2012. This new law, which will go into effect on July 1, 2013, imposes certain limitations and restrictions on short-term consumer loans in Australia, including interest limitations and restrictions on extensions and refinancings. These limitations and restrictions, however, are more favorable to the industry than previous proposals, and the passage of these rules should stabilize the Australian regulatory environment related to short-term consumer loans for the foreseeable future.

Our operations are subject to extensive regulation under various federal, state and local laws and regulations, and we believe that we conduct our business in material compliance with all of these rules. The following is a general description of significant regulations affecting our business. For a geographic breakdown of our operating locations, see “Part I — Item 2 — Properties.”

Our pawn stores are regulated by the states in which they are located and, in some cases, by individual municipalities or other local authorities. The applicable statutes, ordinances and regulations vary from location to location and typically impose licensing requirements for pawn stores or individual pawn store employees. Licensing requirements typically relate to financial responsibility and character, and may establish restrictions on where pawn stores can operate. Additional rules regulate various aspects of the day-to-day pawn operations, including the service charges and interest rates that a pawn store may charge, the maximum amount of a pawn loan, the minimum or maximum term of a pawn loan, the content and format of the pawn ticket and the length of time after a loan default that a pawn store must hold a pawned item before it can be offered for sale. Failure to observe applicable regulations could result in a revocation or suspension of pawn licenses, the imposition of fines or requirements to refund service charges and fees, and other civil or criminal penalties. We must also comply with various federal requirements regarding the disclosure of interest, fees, total payments and annual percentage rate related to each pawn loan transaction. Additional federal regulations applicable to our pawn lending business are described in “Other Federal Regulations” below.

Most of our pawn stores, voluntarily or pursuant to applicable laws, provide periodic (generally daily) reports to local law enforcement agencies. These reports provide local law enforcement with information about the items received from customers (whether through pawn or purchase), including a detailed description of the goods involved and the name and address of the customer. If we accept as collateral or purchase merchandise from a customer and it is determined that our customer was not the rightful owner, the merchandise is subject to recovery by the rightful owner. Historically, we have not experienced a material number of claims of this nature.

Some of our pawn stores in the U.S. handle firearms and each of those stores maintains a federal firearms license as required by federal law. The federal Gun Control Act of 1968 and regulations issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms also require each pawn store dealing in firearms to maintain a permanent written record of all receipts and dispositions of firearms. In addition, we must comply with the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which requires us to conduct a background check before releasing, selling or otherwise disposing of firearms.

Mexico regulates various aspects of the pawn industry at the federal, state and local level. Regulations issued by the federal consumer protection agency, Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO), govern the form of pawn loan contracts and consumer disclosures, but the regulations do not impose interest rate or service charge limitations on pawn loans. Pawn stores, like other businesses in Mexico, are also subject to a variety of regulations in such areas as tax compliance, customs, consumer protection and employment.

In Canada, and in Virginia and Pennsylvania in the U.S., we operate stores that buy and sell secondhand merchandise, as opposed to offering pawn loans. These stores are regulated by local municipalities or other local authorities. The applicable

ordinances vary from location to location and include licensing for secondhand dealing or precious metal purchasing, law enforcement reporting requirements, and the imposition of holding periods before a purchased item can be offered for resale. Failure to observe these regulations could result in a revocation or suspension of licenses, the imposition of fines, and other civil or criminal penalties. Our Canadian buy/sell stores also offer short-term consumer loans.

Each state in which we offer short-term consumer loan products has specific laws and regulations dealing with the conduct of this business. These laws and regulations vary in scope, but generally require licensing of locations, establish loan terms, provide for consumer protections and disclosures and permit periodic regulatory examinations. In the case of single-payment loans, most applicable laws and regulations limit the amount of fees that may be charged, establish maximum loan amounts and duration, and restrict the customer’s ability to renew or extend the loan. Some states require reporting of customers’ loan activities to a state-wide database, and prohibit the making of loans to customers who have loans outstanding with other lenders. Some municipalities in which we operate also impose various rules and regulations, primarily related to zoning and licensing requirements, but in some cases, related to loan terms (such as maximum loan amounts, maximum number of renewals or extensions and mandatory principal paydowns). Failure to observe applicable legal requirements could result in a loss of license, the imposition of fines or customer refunds, and other civil or criminal penalties.

We must also comply with various federal requirements (including the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z) regarding the disclosure of interest, fees, total payments and annual percentage rate related to each loan transaction. With respect to our debt collection activities, we comply with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and similar state laws regulating debt collection practices. Additional federal regulations applicable to our short-term consumer loan business are described in “Other Federal Regulations” below.

In Texas, we do not make loans to customers, but rather offer fee-based credit services, including assistance in arranging loans with independent third-party lenders. As required by state law, we are registered as a Credit Services Organization (“CSO”) in order to provide such services and, pursuant to state laws effective January 1, 2012, are licensed as a Credit Access Business (“CAB”). The applicable CSO law requires us to provide each customer with an upfront disclosure statement describing, among other things, the services to be provided and the fees to be charged and, upon entering into a transaction, with a written contract fully describing the services provided. The law prohibits us from receiving compensation solely for referring a customer to a lender and also provides for other disclosure requirements, cancellation rights for customers and prohibitions on fraudulent or deceptive conduct. The law governing CABs requires us to provide conspicuous notices regarding fees and certain other disclosures and requires us to report certain information regarding customer transactions to the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner. Violations of these laws could subject us to criminal and civil liability. The independent lenders are not required to be licensed and are not regulated by any state agency so long as the interest rate charged on the loan does not exceed 10% per annum. The lenders are also permitted to charge late fees and insufficient funds fees. The lenders are subject to the federal regulations described below with regard to their lending activities. Certain cities in Texas, specifically, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio, have enacted municipal regulation of CAB products and the payday loans and auto title loans to which they provide access.

Legislators and regulators frequently scrutinize the legislative and regulatory environment for short-term lending, often proposing additional legislative and regulatory restrictions ranging from additional disclosure requirements to limits on rates and fees. In some cases, rate and fee limits would effectively prohibit certain short-term lending products, such as payday loans, because it would no longer be economically feasible for most lenders to offer such products.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, enacted in July 2010, established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), which, with the appointment of a permanent director in January 2012, began exercising its supervisory and examination powers over companies that offer payday loans. The CFPB also may exercise regulatory authority over other products and services that we offer. Until such time as the CFPB examines our business or proposes rules and regulations that apply to our activities, it is not possible to accurately predict what affect the CFPB will have on our business.

There can be no assurance that legislative or regulatory efforts to eliminate or restrict the availability of certain short-term loan products, including payday loans and auto title loans, will not be successful, despite significant customer demand. To the extent such efforts are successful, our short-term consumer loan business could be adversely affected. See “Part I — Item 1A — Risk Factors.”

All of our lending activities, both pawn loans and short-term consumer loans, are subject to other state and federal statutes and regulations, including the following:

We maintain an Internet website at www.ezcorp.com. All of our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and Section 16 filings, are accessible, free of charge, through the Investor Relations section of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after electronic filing. The public may read and copy any materials that we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov. Information on our website is not incorporated by reference into this report.

There are many risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development and results of our business. Many of these risks are beyond our control. The following is a description of the important risk factors that may affect our business. If any one or more of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer.

None.

Our typical pawn store is a freestanding building or part of a retail strip center with contiguous parking. Store interiors are designed to resemble small retail operations and attractively display merchandise by category. Distinctive exterior design and attractive in-store signage provide an appealing atmosphere to customers. The typical pawn store has approximately 1,800 square feet of retail space and approximately 3,200 square feet dedicated to collateral storage. Approximately 25% of our pawn stores in Mexico are gold jewelry-only pawn stores with no retail activities, which typically occupy 500 to 1,000 square feet. Financial services stores are designed to resemble a bank interior. The typical financial services store is approximately 1,000 to 1,500 square feet and is located in a retail strip center. Some of our financial services stores adjoin a pawn location and occupy approximately 300 to 500 square feet, with a different entrance, signage, décor and staffing. From the customers’ perspective, these are viewed as a separate business, but they are covered by the same lease agreement. We maintain property and general liability insurance for each of our stores. Our stores are open six or seven days a week.

We lease substantially all of our locations, and generally lease facilities for a term of three to ten years with one or more renewal options. Our existing leases expire on dates ranging between October 2012 and October 2027, with a small number of leases on month-to-month terms. All leases provide for specified periodic rental payments at market rates. Most leases require us to maintain the property and pay the cost of insurance and taxes. We believe the termination of any one of our leases would not have a material adverse effect on our operations. Our strategy generally is to lease rather than own space for our stores unless we find what we believe is a superior location at an attractive price.

In addition to our store locations, we lease corporate office space in Austin, Texas (68,900 square feet), Dallas, Texas (5,900 square feet), Querétaro, Mexico (6,700 square feet), Mexico City, Mexico (4,500 square feet) and Ontario, Canada (4,200 square feet). Crediamigo leases corporate office space in Mexico City, Mexico (10,800 square feet) and Cash Genie leases corporate office space in Ipswich, United Kingdom (4,700 square feet).

Currently and from time to time, we are defendants in various legal and regulatory actions. While we cannot determine the ultimate outcome of these actions, we believe their resolution will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, we cannot give any assurance as to their ultimate outcome.

Not applicable.

Our Class A Non-voting Common Stock (“Class A Common Stock”) is traded on The NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ Global Select Market) under the symbol “EZPW.” As of October 31, 2012, there were 97 stockholders of record of our Class A Common Stock. There is no trading market for our Class B Voting Common Stock (“Class B Common Stock”), which was held by one stockholder as of October 31, 2012.

The high and low per share sales price for our Class A Common Stock for the past two fiscal years, as reported by The NASDAQ Stock Market, were as follows:

On September 28, 2012, the closing sales price of our Class A Common Stock, as reported by the NASDAQ Stock Market, was $22.93 per share.

We have not declared or paid any dividends during the past two fiscal years, and currently do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the immediate future. Under the terms of our credit agreement, which expires May 10, 2015, payment of dividends is restricted. Should we pay dividends in the future, our certificate of incorporation provides that cash dividends on common stock, when declared, must be declared and paid at the same per share amounts on both classes of stock. Any future determination to pay cash dividends will be at the discretion of our Board of Directors.

The following table compares cumulative total stockholder returns for our Class A Common Stock for the last five fiscal years, with the cumulative total return on the NASDAQ Composite Index (ticker symbol: IXIC) and the NASDAQ Other Financial Index (ticker symbol: IXFN) over the same period. The graph shows the value, at the end of each of the last five fiscal years, of $100 invested in our Class A Common Stock or the indices on September 30, 2007. The graph depicts the change in the value of our Class A Common Stock relative to the indices at the end of each fiscal year and not for any interim period. Historical stock price performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.

The following selected financial information should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by, the accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes:

The discussion in this section contains forward-looking statements that are based on our current expectations. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements due to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those identified in “Part I — Item 1A — Risk Factors.” See also “Cautionary Statement Regarding Risks and Uncertainties That May Affect Future Results” below.

The following table presents summary consolidated financial data for our fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010.

We are a leading provider of instant cash solutions. We provide collateralized, non-recourse loans, commonly known as pawn loans, and a variety of short-term consumer loans, including single-payment and multiple-payment unsecured loans and single-payment and multiple-payment auto title loans. In Texas, we provide fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans. At our pawn and buy/sell stores, we also sell merchandise, primarily collateral forfeited from pawn lending operations and used merchandise purchased from customers. We offer prepaid debit card services to help customers better manage their money and control their spending.

The following tables present stores by segment:

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to revenue recognition, inventory, loan loss allowances, long-lived and intangible assets, income taxes, contingencies and litigation. We base our estimates on historical experience, observable trends and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. We use this information to make judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from the estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We believe the following critical accounting policies and estimates could have a significant impact on our results of operations. You should refer to Note 1, “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” to our consolidated financial statements included in “Part II — Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplemental Data” for a more complete review of other accounting policies and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of EZCORP, Inc. and our controlled subsidiaries. All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. We own 60% of the outstanding equity interests in Prestaciones Finmart, S.A. de C.V., SOFOM, E.N.R. ("Crediamigo") and 72% of Ariste Holding Limited and its affiliates ("Cash Genie") and, therefore, include their results in our consolidated financial statements. We account for our investments in Albemarle & Bond Holdings, PLC and Cash Converters International Limited using the equity method.

We record pawn service charges using the interest method for all pawn loans we believe to be collectible. We base our estimate of collectible loans on several factors, including recent redemption rates, historical trends in redemption rates and the amount of loans due in the following two months. Unexpected variations in any of these factors could change our estimate of collectible loans, affecting our earnings and financial condition. If a pawn loan is not repaid, we value the forfeited collateral (inventory) at the lower of cost (pawn loan principal) or market value of the property. We record sales revenue and the related cost when this inventory is sold or when we receive the final payment on a layaway sale. Sales tax collected upon the sale of inventory is excluded from the amount recognized as sales and instead recorded as a liability in “Accounts payable and other accrued expenses” on our balance sheets until remitted to the appropriate governmental authorities.

We provide a variety of short-term consumer loans, including single-payment and multiple-payment unsecured loans and single-payment and multiple-payment auto title loans. In Texas, we provide fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans. In Mexico, Crediamigo enters into agreements with employers that permit it to market consumer loans to employees. Payments are withheld by the employers through payroll deductions and remitted to Crediamigo.

If a pawn loan is not redeemed, we record the forfeited collateral at cost (the principal amount of the pawn loan). We do not record loan loss allowances or charge-offs on the principal portion of pawn loans, as they are fully collateralized.

We assess the impairment of tangible long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the net recorded amount may not be recoverable. The following factors could trigger an impairment review: significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future cash flows, significant changes in the manner of use of the assets or the strategy for the overall business and significant negative industry trends or legislative changes prohibiting us from offering our loan products. When we determine that the net recorded amount of tangible long-lived assets may not be recoverable, we measure impairment based on the excess of the assets’ net recorded amount over the estimated fair value.

We adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805-10-65 (Business Combinations — Revised) on October 1, 2009, and have applied it prospectively to all business acquisitions completed since that date. In accordance with FASB ASC 805-10-65, we allocate the total acquisition price to the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired and immediately expense transaction costs that would have been included in the purchase price allocation under previous accounting standards.

Our equity investments in Albemarle & Bond and Cash Converters International are translated from British pounds and Australian dollars, respectively, into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates as of the investees’ balance sheet date of June 30. The related interest in the investees’ net income is translated at the average exchange rates for each six-month period reported by the investees. The functional currency of Empeño Fácil, our wholly-owned subsidiary, and Crediamigo, our 60% owned subsidiary, is the Mexican peso. The functional currency of our wholly-owned foreign subsidiary in Canada is the Canadian dollar, and the functional currency of Cash Genie, our 95% owned subsidiary, is the British Pound. Our foreign subsidiaries' balance sheet accounts are translated from their respective functional currencies into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate at the end of each quarter, and their earnings are translated into U.S. dollars at the average exchange rate each quarter. We present resulting translation adjustments as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses have not been significant, and are reported as “Other” (income) or expense in our statements of operations.

We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying value of assets and liabilities and their tax basis and for operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the related temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized when the rate change is enacted.

We account for stock compensation in accordance with the fair value recognition provisions of FASB ASC 718-10-25 (Compensation — Stock Compensation). The fair value of restricted shares is measured as the closing market price of our stock on the date of grant, which is amortized over the vesting period for each grant. When we grant options, our policy is to estimate the grant-date fair value of options using the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model and amortize that fair value to compensation expense on a ratable basis over the options’ vesting periods.

See Note 1, “Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” in “Part II — Item 8 — Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.

The following table presents selected financial data for the U.S. & Canada segment:

The following table presents selected financial data for the Latin America segment after translation to U.S. dollars from its functional currency of the Mexican peso: