Company: FCFS
Filing Date: 2025-02-03
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000840489-25-000032
Chunk: 102

Company: FirstCash Holdings, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-03
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 102
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 to consumers with better credit histories. These reports and statements typically characterize these products as predatory or abusive and often focus on alleged instances of pawn operators purchasing or accepting stolen property as pawn collateral. If the negative characterization of the Company’s businesses becomes increasingly accepted by consumers, demand for its products could significantly decrease, which could materially affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, if the negative characterization of these types of transactions becomes increasingly accepted by legislators and regulators, the Company could become subject to more restrictive laws and regulations that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, any negative public perception of pawnshops generally would also likely have a material negative impact on the Company’s retail operations, including reducing the number of consumers willing to shop at the Company’s stores.

Judicial or administrative decisions, CFPB rulemaking, amendments to the Federal Arbitration Act (the “FAA”) or new legislation could render the arbitration agreements the Company uses illegal or unenforceable.

The Company includes dispute arbitration provisions in its employment agreements and in its pawn, LTO and retail finance agreements to the extent permitted to do so under applicable law. These provisions are designed to allow the Company to resolve any employee or customer disputes through individual arbitration rather than in court. The Company’s arbitration provisions explicitly provide that all arbitrations will be conducted on an individual basis and not on a class or collective basis. Thus, the Company’s arbitration agreements, if enforced, have the effect of mitigating, but not eliminating, class and collective action liability. 

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However, a number of state and federal circuit courts and the National Labor Relations Board have concluded that arbitration agreements with consumer class action waivers are “unconscionable” and hence unenforceable, particularly where a small dollar amount is in controversy on an individual basis. 

Therefore, it is possible that the Company’s consumer arbitration agreements will be rendered unenforceable. Additionally, Congress has considered legislation that would generally limit or prohibit mandatory dispute arbitration in certain consumer contracts, and it has adopted such prohibitions with respect to certain mortgage loans and certain consumer loans to active-duty members of the military and their dependents.

Any judicial or administrative decision, federal legislation or agency rule that would impair the Company’s ability to enter into and enforce consumer arbitration agreements with class action waivers could significantly increase the Company’s exposure to class action litigation as well as litigation in plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions. Such litigation could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial