Ellen H. Bryant, EZCORP INC's Chief Legal Officer, filed a Form 4 disclosing the sale of 20,000 shares of the company's Class A Non-Voting Common Stock on February 17, 2026. The shares were sold at $25.00 per share, producing total proceeds of $500,000. After the sale, Bryant's direct holdings in EZCORP total 147,786 shares.
The insider transaction arrives alongside company disclosures that have drawn investor attention. EZCORP reported a fiscal first quarter adjusted EBITDA of $70 million, a result that exceeded both Citizens' internal estimate of $56 million and the broader market expectation of $57 million. Company commentary and analyst notes attribute a portion of the upside to elevated gold prices, which had a favorable effect on results during the quarter.
In addition to the quarterly performance, EZCORP expanded its retail footprint through a transaction that gives it a controlling interest in Founders One, LLC. The deal adds 105 pawn stores in the United States as well as locations across 11 other countries to EZCORP's operating portfolio.
Market analysts reacted to the company updates with upward adjustments to their valuation targets while maintaining positive ratings. Citizens lifted its price target on EZCORP to $33 from $26. Canaccord Genuity increased its target to $34 from $28 and described the most recent quarter as "another record quarter," citing sales growth of 19% that surpassed estimates.
Taken together, the insider sale, the quarter's financial metrics, and the acquisition activity present a mixed but notable set of developments for the company. The executive stock sale is a discrete insider liquidity event recorded under SEC rules. The financial and strategic updates highlight operational drivers and capital deployment decisions that investors and analysts have already incorporated into revised price targets.
Because the available filings and company statements provide specific transaction details and summary financial results, this report focuses on those documented items rather than on broader market speculation. The filings establish the concrete facts of the insider sale and the company's reported quarterly performance and acquisition activity.