Aaron’s Inc. profit jumps 28% to $49.2 million

Aaron’s Inc. (NYSE: AAN) reported improved profitability in the first quarter due to cost reductions and better performance from its core retail business. The Atlanta-based electronics, furniture and appliance rentals retailer said its revenue jumped 40.4 percent to $821.8 million, while profit spiked 28.4 percent to $49.2 million, or 68 cents a share. “Profitability in the core business stabilized in the quarter, and we believe our strategies can ultimately restore growth in this segment,”…