---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001084961-26-000038"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ECPG"
cik: "0001084961"
company_name: "ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC"
filed_at: "2026-05-06T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-14T22:28:13.031808+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.8
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Encore Capital Q1 EPS $3.86, record collections $718M; raises FY26 guidance

## Summary
- EPS of $3.86 (up 100% YoY from $1.93); revenue $475M (+21%).
- Global collections record $718M (+19% YoY); MCM U.S. collections record $556M (+23%).
- Portfolio purchases $363M, including $316M in U.S. (one of strongest quarters ever).
- Raises FY26 collections guidance to ~$2.8B (+8% YoY); EPS guidance raised to $13.00 (+19%).
- Repurchased $20M of common stock in Q1.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001084961-26-000038
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ECPG
- cik: 0001084961
- company_name: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC
- filed_at: 2026-05-06T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.8
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1084961/000108496126000038/0001084961-26-000038-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1084961/000108496126000038/ecpg-20260506.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001084961-26-000038
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001084961-26-000038.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001084961-26-000038.txt

## Source-grounded claims
- claim_id: 31d0a543b2c7edd54275b712f00b66dd7891c98f
  claim: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC reported first quarter ended March 31, 2026 results: EPS $3.86. Guidance raised.
  evidence_excerpt: Earnings per share of $3.86 SAN DIEGO, May 6, 2026 -- Encore Capital Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECPG), an international specialty finance company, today reported consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1084961/000108496126000038/0001084961-26-000038-index.htm
- claim_id: 6ee5f1c0b58b78f0285ba3611b9e1b5b22a5abed
  claim: ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP INC reported full-year 2026 results: EPS $13.00. Guidance raised.
  evidence_excerpt: we are raising our earnings guidance and now expect our earnings per share in 2026 to increase 19% to $13.00.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1084961/000108496126000038/0001084961-26-000038-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.