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Rent-A-Center, Inc.: Business Overview, Financials & Competitive Analysis

Rent-A-Center, Inc. scores 5/10 on the AskCyborg Cyborg Score (Mixed). Stable but challenged market position with strong cash generation offsetting structural margin pressures and secular retail sector headwinds. As of March 2026, market cap stood at $1.11B, declining 36% from January 2025 to December 2025. TTM revenue as of May 2026 is $4.24B, indicating stable operations despite valuation pressure. Despite.

What is Rent-A-Center, Inc.'s industry? Rent-A-Center, Inc. (rentacenter.com) operates in Retail Stores and Shopping Centers. AskCyborg classifies Rent-A-Center, Inc. under Retail Stores and Shopping Centers in its company registry.

Rent-A-Center (now operating as Upbound Group, Inc.) is a lease-to-own provider with over 1,900 locations serving roughly 1.5 million customers annually since its founding in 1973. The company provides access to high-...

5/ 10Mixed

Cyborg Score thesis

Stable but challenged market position with strong cash generation offsetting structural margin pressures and secular retail...

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Industry Retail Stores and Shopping Centers
3 named competitors
3 recent developments
11 analyst dimensions
Synthesized from analyst-debate stress-testing across 11 dimensions and hundreds of data points. Methodology →
Cyborg Score recalibrated: November 2, 2026
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What's in This Report
Rent-A-Center, Inc. OverviewStrategic ProfileCompetitive LandscapeIndustry ContextKey facts
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Rent-A-Center, Inc. Overview

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Rent-A-Center (now operating as Upbound Group, Inc.) is a lease-to-own provider with over 1,900 locations serving roughly 1.5 million customers annually since its founding in 1973. The company provides access to high-quality, durable products including furniture, appliances, consumer electronics, and computers via flexible lease-purchase agreements with no long-term debt obligation.

Strategic Profile

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Strategic initiatives include the Acima acquisition (2021) and a 2023 rebrand to Upbound Group, combining technology-driven lease-to-own solutions with core values of respect, empowerment, simplicity, collaboration, and community impact. The company operates as a cash flow machine, targeting underserved consumers seeking flexible financing alternatives to traditional retail credit.

Competitive Landscape

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The lease-to-own and rental furniture sector includes Aaron's (furniture and electronics rental), Upstart Holdings (digital lending), and traditional retailers with in-store financing programs. Rent-A-Center competes on accessibility for credit-constrained consumers, omnichannel reach, and flexible payment options rather than product selection or brand prestige.

Industry Context

Rent-A-Center, Inc. operates in Retail Stores and Shopping Centers.

Key facts

Founded: 1973 · Headquarters: Plano, US · Employees: Approx. 1,900 store locations · Revenue: $4.24B · Market cap: $1.11B

What the AI analysts debated

AI-generated and not independently verified: selected findings from the multi-agent debate on Rent-A-Center, Inc..

  • Company rebranded from Rent-A-Center to Upbound Group in February 2023 to modernize brand identity and emphasize financial empowerment mission
  • TTM revenue of $4.24B as of May 2026 demonstrates continued scale in lease-to-own category despite market cap contraction
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Recent developments

Material events tracked by the AskCyborg corpus.

  • February 2023Rebranded from Rent-A-Center, Inc. to Upbound Group, Inc.
  • 2021Acquired Acima to expand digital lease-to-own capabilities
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Named competitors

Pulled from the analyst-debate framework. Click any competitor to see their Cyborg Score.

Aaron'sLease-to-own furniture, appliances, and electronics→Buddy's Home FurnishingsNational lease-to-own furniture and appliances with focus on accelerated ownership options→Progressive LeasingVirtual lease-to-own provider partnering with major retailers like Best Buy and Lowe's→

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Industry context

Rent-A-Center, Inc. operates in Retail Stores and Shopping Centers. See how the rest of the sector scores on the Cyborg framework.

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Frequently asked questions

What does Rent-A-Center, Inc. do?+
Rent-A-Center (now operating as Upbound Group, Inc.) is a lease-to-own provider with over 1,900 locations serving roughly 1.5 million customers annually since its founding in 1973. The company provides access to high-...
What is Rent-A-Center, Inc.'s Cyborg Score?+
Rent-A-Center, Inc. has a Cyborg Score of 5/10 (Mixed). The score synthesizes business model, financials, leadership, competitive position, technology, marketing, and ESG dimensions across hundreds of data points.
Who are Rent-A-Center, Inc.'s main competitors?+
Named competitors include Aaron's, Buddy's Home Furnishings, Progressive Leasing. The full competitive landscape is in the AskCyborg report.
How can I get the full Rent-A-Center, Inc. research report?+
Get the report plus analyst-debate audio at askcyborg.com -- no credit card required for preview access. Pro adds saved-company audio playlists and monitoring.
How current is the Rent-A-Center, Inc. research?+
The Cyborg Score is recalibrated weekly. Recent developments are tracked continuously and surfaced in every report.

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