Factoids

Complete History of RTO Enterprises

RTO Enterprises Factoids RTO Enterprises currently  operates 136 stores under 6 different brands in all 10 Canadian Provinces 20 48 11 10 3 44 Listed only on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol (RTO) Trivia Gordon Reykdal, founder of RTO Enterprises, was appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Iceland in March 2002 Mr. Reykdal was quoted in Today's Entrepreneur..."The big attraction from investors was that I had a very solid investment plan. When I started the first store, I basically used that as my model for investors because I knew I could produce results in that store,"..."I made that store very profitable in short order, so I had something to substantiate the plan I showed investors."

Related articles most recent first easyhome Enters Tulsa Market Stine, Jackson Open First easyhome Franchise in Omaha Rent to Own Franchise Week 2009: easyhome easyhome Looking for the Nation's Best RTO Operator easyhome to Open 23rd US Location in Wichita Economy Hits easyhome Revenue easyhome Enters Waco Market easyhome Names New Chief Financial Officer easyhome Plans for The Big Time; 2009 Conference Kickoff Gates Announces Two New easyhome Franchise Locations easyhome Q1 Same Store Sales Fall 1.1% on Insta-Rent Acquisition easyhome Sets Q1 Conference Call easyhome RTO Franchise Enters Texas, Arkansas easyhome Reports First Earnings Drop in Eight Years easyhome to Webcast Q4 Conference Call The End of the RTO World as You Know It; Interview With David Ingram and Bud Gates Bud Gates to Open First easyhome Store This Weekend Prater, Welch Promoted at easygates easyhome Same Store Sales Up 4.9%; Software, Acquisitions Hurt Execution easyhome Completes InstaRent Acquisition easyhome Donates $300,000 in Merchandise to Salvation Army Thrift Stores Canadian RTO Operator easyhome to Webcast Q3 Conference Call New easyhome Franchisee to Develop Austin, Waco Markets; Plans 10 Stores easyhome Moves Forward With Insta-Rent Acquisition easyhome's Insta-Rent Bid Represents 43% Premium; Board Recommends Acceptance easyhome Same Store Sales up 8.7%; Software Rollout Hurts Earnings easyhome to Acquire Insta-Rent for $10 Million easyhome Sets August 14 Webcast easyhome Announces First US Franchise Locations easyhome Leads North American Public Rent to Own Companies in Same Store Sales easyhome First Quarter Webcast Scheduled easyhome Announces Normal Course Issuer Bid Former Rent-A-Center Pros Ladd Welch, Chris Prater Join Bud Gates at easyhome U.S. easyhome US Master Franchisor Bud Gates to Address RentDirect Dealers easyhome Same Store Sales Up 13.5%; Announces New Management Structure easyhome Schedules February 22 Conference Call easyhome Reports Same Store Sales Up 8.9%; Revenue Up 17.8%; Earnings Flat easyhome Conference Call Webcast Scheduled For November easyhome CEO Delivers Backpacks In Big Yellow Bus; Event Caps Another Successful Backpack Challenge easyhome opens 200th Location easyhome Raises Over $50,000 During 2007 Backpack Challenge; Employees Summit Mount Kilimanjaro To Support Fundraising easyhome Same Store Sales Up 8.6%; Earnings Up 56.9% easyhome Testing Branded Pre-Paid Phone Service easyhome To Webcast Q2 Conference Call August 2nd easyhome Store Of The Future Opens In New York; Hundreds Wait In Line for Hours; Company To Open Up Border States To Franchisees easyhome Store Of The Future Opens In New York; Hundreds Wait In Line for Hours To Get in easyhome Honored For "A New Way To Look At Buying" Ad Campaign Special Rent to Own Industry Franchise Issue of RTO Magazine easyhome Same Store Sales Up 11.0% easyhome webcast Scheduled; Expect Review of Recent Major Announcements easyhome Launches New Staging, Events and Props Division for Furniture and Accessory Rentals John Natale Named easyhome Vice President Of U.S. Operations easyhome Wraps 2007 Conference; Sheri Reid Named Store Manager of the Year; Podcast Interview With Keynote Speaker Jack Black Podcast Interviews With easyhome CEO David Ingram, Master Franchisee Bud Gates, VP Dave Maries, Divisional VP Simon Holmes, Regional Manager Errol Penny Former Rent A Center CEO Bud Gates To Franchise easyhome Rent to Own Concept In United States Canada's Largest Rent to Own Company Prepares For Annual Convention; 2007 easyhome National Conference Begins Wednesday In Niagara Falls easyhome To Webcast Q4 Conference Call easyhome Reports Record Quarterly Revenue; Same Store Sales Up 8.1% easyhome To Webcast Q3 Conference Call easyhome Completes Second Annual Backpack Challenge; Raises $52,000 And Delivers 2,000 Backpacks, School Supplies To Needy Kids Canadian RTO Operator easyhome Reports Same Store Sales Increase; New Store Drag Hits Profit easyhome To Webcast Q2 Conference Call easyhome Expands 'Backpack Challenge' Store Fundraising Event easyhome Reports 8.7% Same Store Growth; Begins Financial Services Test Market easyhome To Webcast Q1 Conference Call easyhome Names Chris Fregren VP And CFO Canadian Rent To Own Pro's Gather easyhome Conference easyhome Reports Revenue Up 15% Over Last Year; Testing Small Loan Centers; Strong Q4 Brings Units On Rent Up 21% easyhome To Webcast Q4 Conference Call easyhome Announces 8.8% Same Store Revenue Growth In Q3 easyhome Executive VP and CFO Bill Johnson Retires easyhome To Webcast Conference Call Canada's Largest Rent to Own Company Raises $52,000 In 2 Day Charity Event easyhome Reports Record Same Store Revenue Growth of 11.9%; Class Action Settlement Puts Quarter In Red easyhome Ltd. Schedules 2005 Second Quarter Webcast easyhome's David Ingram Named Finalist For Entrepreneur Of The Year Award Judge Approves easyhome Class Action Settlement; Company To Revise Rental Agreements Quebec Court Approves easyhome Class Action Settlement easyhome Announces Approval of Stock Split easyhome Posts Record Revenue; Same Store Sales Up 7% easyhome Ltd. and Leon's Furniture Form Joint Venture;  Pilot Program Has Rent to Own Kiosk Inside Leon's Locations easyhome Board Approves Up To 10% Stock Re-purchase easyhome National Conference Wraps easyhome Conference Kicks Off In Toronto easyhome Settles Class Action For $7 Million In Coupons 10 Questions For Brent Atkinson; easyhome's Marketing Manager easyhome Webcast Conference Call Scheduled For March 8 Canada's Largest Rent to Own Reports Record Revenue; Same Store Sales Up 8.7% easyhome Webcast Conference Call Scheduled easyhome Smashes Revenue Records; Net Income Up 215%, Same Store Sales Up 10.4% easyhome Reports Same Store Sales Up 8.7%; Customer Count Up 6% Class Action Comes To Canada; easyhome Announces Possible Class Action easyhome to Webcast Q1 Conference Call Canada's easyhome Reports Record Revenue In Q4; Same Store Sales Up 7.7% easyhome Announces First Ever Webcast Conference Call Canada's Largest Rent to Own Completes Public Offering Easyhome Expects $12 Million From Stock Offer Easyhome Files Prospectus For Common Share Offering easyhome (formerly RTO Enterprises) Reports Revenue Up 10%; Same Store Growth 7.8% easyhome Reports Q2 Revenues Up 7.3%; Same Store Sales up 4%; Brand Transition Complete RTO Enterprises to Begin Trading Under New Symbol 'EH' RTO Enterprises Launches "Next Generation" Website to Go With The New Name; easyhome RTO Enterprises Announces Strong 2002 Results Q4 Net income Doubled From 2001 Interview with David Ingram, CEO RTO Enterprises RTO Enterprises To Consolidate All Brands RTO Enterprises Refinances High Interest Debt RTO Enterprises Announces Improved Q3  Results...Same Store Revenues Increase 5.0% Other RTO Around the Globe Features Australia Pabs Canada easyhome Canada RTO Enterprises UK Thorn Industries UK Crazy George's UK Box Clever UK Buy As You View Australia Radio Rentals

RTO Enterprises, Canada's largest, and North Americas fourth largest rental-purchase company, announced that it will consolidate its six retail banners into a single brand - easyhome. The introduction of easyhome marks the beginning of the company's transition from a local, fragmented business to a dominant national brand. (see our story "RTO Enterprises, our neighbors to the North")

According to company officials, the new brand was created to reflect the relationship between the stores and their customers.

David Ingram
President, CEO
RTO Enterprises
"The change to easyhome is more than a name and a new look. It is a promise to customers that reflects our understanding of their needs. We are committed to surpassing their expectations by giving them a better shopping environment, better product selection, and better-trained staff who can help our customers to an improved purchasing experience. We are confident that the strategy behind easyhome will enhance shareholder value as it positions RTO to significantly grow its business, capitalizing on the under-penetration of the Canadian rent-to-own industry."

The easyhome re-branding is the largest and most visible of several initiatives that have been implemented since RTO's new management team was put in place two years ago. Improvements to management systems and controls, employee training, merchandise, and marketing programs have already impacted key financial measures.

In two years, the company has improved its performance
from a pre-tax loss of $9.1 million in fiscal 2000, to a pre-tax profit of $2.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2002. RTO has achieved fourteen months of comparable revenue growth, seven consecutive comparable quarters of improved income before income taxes, and a 36% reduction in past due accounts.

The transition to easyhome is expected to help RTO meet its objectives of attracting more customers, and having more items on rent for longer rental periods. Results of in-store testing of the easyhome concept, conducted over a 10-month period, were very positive, with the re-branded stores recording a 30% increase in their rental agreement portfolios (monthly rental revenue available to collect) compared to an increase of 7.5% in the non re-branded stores. Customer growth was also significantly higher in the re-branded stores.

As part of the re-branding initiative, the company will transform the physical appearance of all 136 stores with a combination of re-modeling and upgrading, new fixtures, and interior signage. Stores will be brighter, with more modern fixtures that are designed to better showcase key technology products. Signage
will focus on people and lifestyles, and feature the new core colors of pumpkin, blue, green, and white.

The conversion program begins January 24, with all stores completed by May 3, 2003.