Other Charges and (Gains)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Other Charges - Operating Expenses [Abstract]

Other Charges and (Gains) Store Consolidations. During 2020, we closed 28 Rent-A-Center Business stores, resulting in pre-tax charges of $1.5 million in other miscellaneous shutdown and holding costs, $0.4 million in lease impairment charges, $0.1 million in disposal of fixed assets, and $0.1 million in severance and other payroll-related costs. During 2019, we closed 88 Rent-A-Center Business stores, resulting in pre-tax charges of $3.7 million in lease impairment charges, $2.3 million in other miscellaneous shutdown and holding costs, $0.9 million in disposal of fixed assets, and $0.4 million in severance and other payroll-related costs. During 2018, we closed 138 Rent-A-Center Business stores and 9 locations in Mexico, resulting in pre-tax charges of $11.2 million, consisting of $8.1 million in lease obligation costs, $1.6 million in disposal of fixed assets, $1.3 million in other miscellaneous shutdown costs, and $0.2 million in severance and other payroll-related cost.

Cost Savings Initiatives. During 2018, we began the execution of multiple cost savings initiatives, including reductions in overhead and supply chain operations. In connection with these initiatives, we recorded pre-tax charges during 2020 consisting of $0.8 million in severance and other payroll-related costs, $0.4 million in lease impairment charges, and $0.4 million in other miscellaneous shutdown and holding costs. Costs incurred during 2019 consisted of $4.9 million in lease impairment charges, $2.6 million in severance and other payroll-related costs, $2.3 million in other miscellaneous shutdown and holding costs, and $0.4 million in disposal of fixed assets. Costs incurred during 2018 related to these initiatives included pre-tax charges of $13.1 million in severance and other payroll-related costs, $6.8 million in contract termination fees, $2.3 million in other miscellaneous shutdown costs, $3.4 million in lease obligation costs, $1.9 million in legal and advisory fees, $1.9 million related to the write-down of capitalized software, and $1.0 million in disposal of fixed assets.

COVID-19 Pandemic. In March 2020, national efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus began to be implemented. In connection with COVID-19, during 2020, we incurred approximately $1.4 million in sanitization cleaning and personal protective equipment expenses, $0.4 million in payroll-related costs, and $0.2 million in lease expense related to closed stores and idled vehicles, partially offset by real estate lease abatement credits of $0.8 million for our Rent-A-Center Business stores.

Social Unrest. During the second quarter of 2020, we incurred expenses resulting from certain civil unrest that occurred in connection with efforts to institute law enforcement and other social and political reforms. In connection with this unrest, approximately 30 Rent-A-Center Business stores were looted and/or damaged, resulting in $0.9 million of inventory write-offs and less than $0.1 million in disposal of fixed assets during 2020.

California Refranchise Sale. On October 5, 2020, we sold all 99 Rent-A-Center Business corporate stores in the state of California to an experienced franchisee. We received cash consideration of approximately $16 million, including approximately $1 million paid for related franchise fees. The sale included idle and on-rent inventory of approximately $30.0 million and property assets of approximately $0.8 million, resulting in a total loss on sale of approximately $16.6 million.

Acima Acquisition. On December 20, 2020, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Acima Holdings LLC, a leading provider of virtual lease-to-own solutions, which was completed on February 17, 2021. In connection with this acquisition, we recorded approximately $6.4 million in acquisition-related expenses during 2020 primarily including legal and other professional fees.

Vintage Settlement. On April 22, 2019, we agreed to settle all litigation with Vintage Rodeo Parent, LLC, Vintage Rodeo Acquisition, Inc., Vintage Capital Management, LLC (collectively, “Vintage Capital”) and B. Riley Financial, Inc. (“B. Riley”) relating to our termination of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, by and among Vintage Rodeo Parent, LLC, Vintage Rodeo Acquisition, Inc. and Rent-A-Center, Inc. (the “Vintage Merger Agreement”). In such settlement, we received a payment of $92.5 million in cash in May 2019, of which we retained net pre-tax proceeds of approximately $80 million following payment of all remaining costs, fees and expenses relating to the termination (the “Vintage Settlement Proceeds”). The Vintage Settlement Proceeds were recorded as a pre-tax gain upon receipt.

Merchants Preferred Acquisition. On August 13, 2019, we completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Merchants Preferred, a nationwide virtual lease-to-own provider. In connection with this acquisition, we recorded approximately $1.4 million in acquisition-related expenses during 2019 including expenses related to legal, professional, and banking transaction fees.

Sale/Partial Leaseback of Corporate Headquarters. On December 27, 2019, we completed the sale of our corporate headquarters for proceeds of $43.2 million, and entered into a lease agreement for a reduced portion, approximately 60%, of the total square footage of the building. In connection with the sale, we recorded a total gain of approximately $21.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Activity with respect to other charges and (gains) for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020 is summarized in the below table:


(In thousands)	Accrued Charges at December 31, 2018		Charges & Adjustments		Payments & Adjustments		Accrued Charges at December 31, 2019		Charges & Adjustments		Payments & Adjustments		Accrued Charges at December 31, 2020
Cash:
Labor reduction costs	$	7,623	$	3,039	$	(9,924)	$	738	$	1,334	$	(1,728)	$	344
Lease obligation costs(1)	4,882		—		(4,882)		—		(645)		645		—
Contract termination costs	—		—		—		—		—		—		—
Other miscellaneous	—		4,615		(4,615)		—		1,889		(1,889)		—
Total cash charges	$	12,505	7,654		$	(19,421)	$	738	2,578		$	(2,972)	$	344
Non-cash:
Rental merchandise losses(2)			—						860
Asset impairments(3)			9,938						2,749

Other(4)			(78,320)						30,368
Total other (gains) charges			$	(60,728)					$	36,555

(1) Includes lease abatement credits in 2020 related to renegotiated lease agreements in response to COVID-19. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-02, in 2019, previously accrued lease obligation costs related to discontinued operations were eliminated and are now reflected as an adjustment to our operating lease right-of-use assets in our condensed consolidated balance sheet.

(2) Reflects merchandise losses due to looting.

(3) Asset impairments primarily includes impairments of operating lease right-of-use assets and other property assets related to the closure of Rent-A-Center Business stores and previously closed product service centers, store damage related to looting, as well as a write-down of capitalized software for the year ended December 31, 2020. Asset impairments primarily includes impairments of operating lease right-of-use assets and other property assets related to the closure of Rent-A-Center Business stores and our product service centers for the year ended December 31, 2019.

(4) Other primarily includes a $16.6 million loss on the sale of our stores in California, $6.4 million in expenses related to the Merger, $7.9 million for legal settlement reserves, $1.2 million for state tax audit assessment reserves, $1.4 million in expenses related to COVID-19, partially offset by $2.8 million in proceeds received from the sale of a class action claim and $0.3 million in insurance proceeds related to Hurricane Maria in 2017 for the year ended December 31, 2020. Other primarily includes $92.5 million in Vintage Settlement Proceeds, $21.8 million gain on the sale of our corporate headquarters, and $1.1 million in insurance proceeds related to the 2017 hurricanes, offset by $21.4 million in incremental legal and professional fees related to the termination of the Vintage Merger Agreement and the Merchants Preferred acquisition, $13.0 million for the Blair class action settlement, $2.4 million in state tax audit assessments, and $0.3 million in other litigation settlements for the year ended December 31, 2019