Upbound Acquires Two Tech Firms, Achieves 8.2% Dividend Yield
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 21 2026
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Source: NASDAQ.COM
- Rebranding and Acquisitions: Upbound, formerly known as Rent-A-Center, rebranded in early 2023 and acquired two tech companies, Acima and Brigit, with Acima serving over 11,000 retailers in lease management and Brigit helping 12 million users improve their credit, enhancing its market competitiveness.
- Strong Financial Performance: Upbound's revenue has grown in the high single digits over the past two years, with a projected 7% increase this year, and its profitability is sufficient to cover its 8.2% dividend, demonstrating resilience amid economic fluctuations.
- Risks and Challenges: While Upbound's dividend appears sustainable, it faces significant risks from high debt and potential economic slowdowns, particularly if unemployment rises, increasing the likelihood of customer defaults that could impact future financial stability.
- Market Outlook and Investment Opportunity: Despite a 35% decline in Upbound's stock price over the past year, its transformation potential and diversified business portfolio present a rebound opportunity, with expectations for revenue and profitability growth leading to a potential stock price recovery by 2026.
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Analyst Views on UPBD
Wall Street analysts forecast UPBD stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for UPBD is 29.50 USD with a low forecast of 28.00 USD and a high forecast of 31.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
3 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 18.910
Low
28.00
Averages
29.50
High
31.00
Current: 18.910
Low
28.00
Averages
29.50
High
31.00
About UPBD
Upbound Group, Inc. is a technology and data-driven company in financial products that addresses the needs of consumers. Its customer-facing operating units include brands, such as Rent-A-Center, Brigit, and Acima that facilitate consumer transactions across a range of store-based and digital channels, including over 2,300 company branded retail units across the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Its Acima segment offers the lease-to-own transaction to consumers who do not qualify for traditional financing through staffed or unstaffed kiosks located within third-party retailer locations or other virtual options. Its Mexico segment consists of its Company-owned stores in Mexico that lease household durable goods to customers on a lease-to-own basis. Brigit segment operates in the United States, and includes the operations of Bridge IT Inc. It also offers earned wage access and credit building products for consumers who are underserved by traditional financial institutions.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Upbound Group Inc Analyzes Dividend History and Yield Expectations
- Dividend Yield Expectation: Upbound Group Inc currently has an annualized dividend yield of 7.9%, and the sustainability of this yield needs to be assessed in conjunction with the company's profitability fluctuations, which could impact investor return expectations.
- Historical Volatility Analysis: The historical volatility for Upbound Group Inc, calculated from the last 251 trading days, stands at 52%, indicating significant price fluctuations and necessitating careful risk-reward assessments by investors.
- Options Trading Dynamics: As of Wednesday afternoon, the put volume among S&P 500 components reached 917,392 contracts, while call volume hit 2.14M contracts, indicating a market preference for call options, which may reflect investor optimism regarding future price increases.
- Options Market Trends: The current put-to-call ratio of 0.43 is significantly lower than the long-term median of 0.65, suggesting that investors are more inclined to purchase call options in trading, potentially signaling a positive shift in market sentiment.
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Upbound (UPBD) Offers 8.2% Dividend Yield, Reshaping Rental Market
- Dividend Yield Highlight: Upbound currently offers an 8.2% dividend yield, which it is expected to cover, indicating the company's stability and attractiveness in the rental market.
- Successful Business Transformation: By acquiring Acima and Brigit, Upbound has successfully transformed into an enterprise software specialist, with Acima providing lease management services to over 11,000 retailers, enhancing the company's competitive edge.
- Revenue Growth Trend: Upbound's revenue has grown in the high single digits over the past two years, with a projected 7% increase this year, demonstrating resilience and profitability amid economic fluctuations.
- Risks and Opportunities: Despite facing high debt and economic slowdown risks, Upbound's stock has fallen 35% over the past year, yet its healthy dividend and potential business turnaround opportunities make it a focal point for investors.
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