UPBD
Upbound Group, Inc. (UPBD) Economic Moat Analysis (2026)
Overall Score
Profitability Returns
Gross margin remains solid at 49.1%, but net margin is only 1.9% and EBIT margin is 5.0%, indicating limited pricing power.
Returns are middling with ROIC at 6.5% and ROE at 12.8%, suggesting only a modest moat.
Asset efficiency is decent, with asset turnover at 1.53x and operating cash flow conversion remaining healthy.
Balance Sheet Financial Resilience
Leverage is manageable but not low, with net debt to EBITDA at 0.91x and debt to equity at 2.33x.
Liquidity is tight, as the current ratio is 0.87x and working capital remains negative.
Interest coverage is adequate at 2.2x, but the balance sheet still limits flexibility.
Cash Flow Quality
Free cash flow generation is strong, with FCF yield at 31.1% and FCF to EBITDA conversion remaining attractive.
Capex intensity is low, with capex at just 1.5% of revenue and 16.3% of operating cash flow.
Cash conversion is efficient, supported by a negative cash conversion cycle of -1.3 days.
Valuation Support
The stock screens inexpensive on cash flow and sales, with EV/FCF at 7.7x and EV/Sales at 0.58x.
Earnings-based multiples are also reasonable, with P/E at 12.3x and EV/EBITDA at 1.56x.
The valuation appears to reflect the company’s modest profitability and leverage profile rather than a clear moat premium.
Sources
- Company filings (10-K, 10-Q, investor presentations)
- Financial and market data providers
- Public news and industry information
🔒 Go Beyond This Framework
This is one of 10 institutional-grade frameworks Invetso runs on Upbound Group, Inc.. Unlock the complete analysis — SWOT, Economic Moat, Porter’s Five Forces, Management, PESTLE and the Invetso Quality Score.

