PE OWNED · ON WATCH
Aaron's
Includes Aaron's Holdings
Rent-to-Own · Atlanta, GA
- PE Firm
- IQVentures
- Year Acquired
- 2024
A fintech firm took rent-to-own giant Aaron's private in 2024. The customers already paying double or triple retail are next in line.
Too Soon to Tell
- IQVentures Holdings acquired Aaron's in a $504 million take-private deal in 2024
- Aaron's store business split from sister company Progressive Leasing in a 2020 spin-off, becoming a standalone chain
- The take-private ended Aaron's public financial reporting, cutting off outside scrutiny of the business
- A December 2025 all-stock deal would fold Aaron's and CCF Holdings into publicly traded lease-to-own fintech Katapult — CCF's owners would hold roughly 80% of the combined company and Aaron's shareholders about 14%. Still pending as of July 2026.
Early Signs
- FTC testimony flagged rent-to-own prices that can run two to three times retail. Aaron's customers were paying that premium long before the buyout.
Sources
- Aaron's Company officially acquired as IQVentures takes it private(2024-10-07)
- The Aaron's Company goes private in $504M deal with fintech IQVentures(2024-10)
- PROG Holdings Begins Operating as an Independent, Publicly Traded Company (Dec 2020 Aaron's spin-off)(2020-12)
- Survey of Rent-to-Own Customers (FTC staff report)(2000-04)
- FTC Testifies on Consumer Protection and the Rent-to-Own Industry (prices can be two to three times retail)(2011-07-26)
- Katapult Holdings Form 8-K: Merger Agreement among Katapult, Aaron's, and CCF Holdings (SEC)(2025-12-15)
- IQVentures Completes Acquisition of The Aaron's Company(2024-10-03)