Encore Capital reports Q1 EPS 94c, consensus $1.21

Reports Q1 revenue $312.63M , consensus $323.28M. "Encore’s performance in the first quarter reflected normalized consumer behavior in each of our key markets," said Ashish Masih, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As such, collections have returned to pre-pandemic levels for our MCM business in the U.S. and have stabilized for our Cabot business in Europe. At the same time, as anticipated, the growth of portfolio supply in the U.S. is accelerating with lending and charge-off rates steadily growing. As a result, MCM portfolio purchases in the U.S. in the first quarter were a record $213M, more than double the amount we purchased in Q1 a year ago." "In Europe, in the face of near double-digit inflation, and consistent with our message from a quarter ago, we took actions in the first quarter to manage our cost base, including headcount reductions in support functions, that resulted in a $6M pre-tax charge." "As a result of the disciplined execution of our strategy, Encore is well-positioned with the operational capability and balance sheet to capitalize on the growing portfolio purchasing opportunities in the market. Looking forward, we expect portfolio purchases in the U.S. in the second quarter to be at a similar level to those in Q1. We’re also as committed as ever to the critical role we play in the consumer credit ecosystem and to help consumers regain their financial freedom, especially in this rising charge-off rate environment," said Masih.