Upbound Group Heads to ICR: What to Expect from the Leadership Spotlight

PLANO, TX – January 09, 2026 – All eyes in the investment community will be on Upbound Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: UPBD) next week as its top executives prepare to take the stage at a high-stakes industry event. CEO Fahmi Karam and Chief Financial Officer Hal Khouri are scheduled to participate in a Fireside Chat at the prestigious 2026 ICR Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, January 13, at 3:30 PM ET. The presentation offers a critical platform for the company's recently appointed leadership to articulate their strategic vision to a discerning audience of institutional investors, analysts, and media.

The ICR Conference is widely regarded as a premier event for growth companies, often serving as a bellwether for consumer trends and capital market sentiment. For Upbound Group, a technology and data-driven firm focused on accessible financial solutions, this presentation is an opportunity to frame its narrative for the year ahead, addressing recent performance, outlining growth initiatives, and reinforcing its mission to serve underserved consumers.

The Investor View: Balancing Growth and Risk

Investors will be listening intently for updates that add color to Upbound Group's complex financial picture. The company's most recent earnings report for the third quarter of 2025, released on October 30, painted a portrait of a diversified business navigating a challenging economic environment with mixed results. On one hand, the company posted a solid 9.0% year-over-year increase in consolidated revenue to $1.16 billion and delivered Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.00, beating analyst expectations. This performance was largely fueled by the company's fintech-oriented segments.

However, challenges remain. The legacy Rent-A-Center business reported a 3.6% decline in same-store sales, although this marked a slight improvement from the previous quarter. More critically, the fast-growing Acima segment, while posting an impressive 10.4% revenue increase, also saw a 50 basis point rise in lease charge-off rates. In their last public guidance, company leaders projected that these charge-offs would peak around 10% in the fourth quarter of 2025 before improving this year. Investors will be eager for confirmation that this trend is unfolding as expected and for leadership's strategy to manage credit quality without stifling growth.

Despite these headwinds, Wall Street analysts maintain a largely positive outlook on the stock, with consensus ratings leaning towards a “Strong Buy” or “Moderate Buy.” Average analyst price targets suggest a significant potential upside from its current trading level. The ICR presentation is a key opportunity for Karam and Khouri to validate this optimism by providing a clear outlook for 2026, including projections for revenue, earnings, and free cash flow, which was a point of strength in 2025.

A Strategic Focus on Tech-Driven Financial Inclusion

Beyond the immediate financials, the presentation will be a referendum on Upbound Group's core strategy: leveraging technology to provide financial solutions for a vast, often overlooked consumer base. The company's mission to “Elevate Financial Opportunity for All” is embodied in its high-growth brands, Acima and Brigit, which stand in contrast to the more traditional Rent-A-Center model.

Brigit, a financial health app, has been a standout performer, reporting a remarkable 40.2% revenue growth in the third quarter, driven by a 26.8% surge in paying subscribers. Acima, a leading lease-to-own platform, has been a consistent engine of expansion, achieving its eighth consecutive quarter of revenue and Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) growth. The leadership team will likely highlight technological innovations like Acima’s “Tap-to-Lease” virtual card and digital enhancements to the RentACenter.com platform as key differentiators.

For the audience at ICR, which includes a heavy focus on fintech and consumer technology, demonstrating a clear roadmap for continued innovation will be paramount. The discussion will likely center on how Upbound plans to scale these tech-forward platforms, enhance the customer experience through self-service options, and use its vast data resources to underwrite responsibly while expanding its market reach across the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The ability to articulate how this technological prowess translates into sustainable, profitable growth will be crucial for maintaining investor confidence.

New Leadership Takes Center Stage

The ICR Conference will serve as a significant public debut for the new leadership duo at the helm of Upbound Group. Fahmi Karam stepped into the CEO role in November 2025, the same time that Hal Khouri, a seasoned executive with over 30 years of financial leadership experience, was appointed EVP and Chief Financial Officer. While both were present for the company’s third-quarter earnings call, this Fireside Chat represents one of their first major opportunities to jointly present their long-term vision to the broader investment community.

Their performance will be closely scrutinized for signs of a cohesive strategy and confident command of the business. Based on their initial public statements, observers can expect them to emphasize the strength of the company's diversified business model, which allows it to capture different segments of the consumer market. They will likely reiterate their commitment to managing credit risk proactively while continuing to invest in the growth of Acima and Brigit.

The presentation is more than just a financial update; it is a chance for Karam and Khouri to build rapport and trust with the market. They will need to address the challenges facing the Rent-A-Center segment head-on, outlining a credible plan for stabilization and improvement. Simultaneously, they must champion the innovation and expansion driving their other brands, painting a compelling picture of a company poised for future success. The live webcast, available on the company's investor relations website, underscores a commitment to transparency as they steer the company into its next chapter. As the market tunes in, the leadership's ability to communicate this vision effectively could set the tone for Upbound Group's entire year.