Ramsdens set to be acquired by US pawnbroking giant FirstCash
Financial services firm Ramsdens is set to be acquired by pawnbroking giant FirstCash in a major corporate deal.
If the deal goes ahead, the firm will be taken off the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) and into new US ownership, nearly a decade after listing its shares on the London junior market. Ramsdens’ shareholders will receive up to 609p per share under the offer, which represents a 35 per cent premium to its latest closing price. It values the business’s entire share capital at about £206 million, including dividend payments.
Headquartered on Teesside, Ramsdens operates from 175 stores within the UK, including one franchised store, and has a growing online presence. The group has 26 stores in Yorkshire and employs around 840 people in total.
A statement to accompany the announcement said: “FirstCash has a long history as a leading international pawnbroking operator with over 3,300 locations in the US, Latin America and the UK. Its stock trades on the US Nasdaq market with a market cap in excess of $10bn. FirstCash has an established track record of successfully acquiring, integrating and scaling pawnbroking businesses across international markets. FirstCash continues to expand its operations in the US and Latin America, and most recently, entered the UK market through its acquisition of H&T in 2025.”
"Ramsdens represents a compelling opportunity for FirstCash to further grow its business in the UK market through the acquisition of a highly complementary business and will further cement FirstCash's position as the largest publicly traded pawn platform in the US, Latin America and the UK.”
The Ramsdens directors believe that the offer value represents an opportunity for Ramsdens shareholders to realise an immediate cash return at a significant premium to the recent trading price for their Ramsdens shares. The directors said they consider the terms of the acquisition to be fair and reasonable.
"Accordingly, the Ramsdens directors intend to recommend unanimously that Ramsdens shareholders vote in favour of the scheme.”
The board said it recognises that the future performance of Ramsdens remains subject to a range of external factors and risks.
"In particular, Ramsdens’ recent earnings profile is closely correlated with movements in the gold price. The recent strength in the gold market, culminating in an intraday peak in excess of $5,500 per ounce on 28 January 2026, has been a supportive factor and an important part of the positive trading momentum delivered by Ramsdens over the last 12 months. However, any reversal in this trend could adversely affect trading outcomes.”
"In addition, the broader UK macroeconomic outlook remains uncertain. Elements of the business may be susceptible to further economic pressure. Taken together, these considerations introduce a degree of risk to the deliverability of Ramsdens’ medium-term aspirations. The Ramsdens board therefore believes that the acquisition provides a means of reducing risk and accelerating certain value realisation for Ramsdens’ shareholders. Having reviewed the terms of the acquisition in full, the Ramsdens board is satisfied that the offer value appropriately reflects both the current position of the business and its medium-term future potential value on AIM, while providing Ramsdens shareholders with a clear and certain route to monetisation at an attractive valuation.”
Cavendish acted as financial advisor to Ramsdens on the offer.