AACE Ace Cash Express

ACE Cash Express Issues Inaugural 'Status Report on the Retail Financial Service Needs of U.S. Consumers' DALLAS, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACE Cash Express, Inc. (NASDAQ:AACE), a leading retailer of financial services, today announced that it has issued a report offering insights on the current state of the retail financial service needs of consumers in the United States. A copy of the report is available at http://www.acecashexpress.com/ . The report provides an overview of the evolving nature of how Americans access and utilize financial services at the retail level and the increasing number of consumers who periodically or rarely utilize the traditional retail banking system. As a leading provider of services to these consumers, ACE has a unique perspective on the dynamics that are fundamentally altering the landscape of retail financial services. Jay Shipowitz, CEO of ACE Cash Express, stated, "America is changing and so too are the financial service needs of its citizens. Continued immigration, increased urban concentration, erosion of the middle class and other factors have combined to produce a growing segment of the population who do not utilize traditional retail banks. This has given rise to the services offered by ACE and other providers who understand and meet the unique needs of these consumers." About ACE ACE Cash Express, Inc. is a leading retailer of financial services, including check cashing, short-term consumer loans and bill payment services, and the largest owner, operator and franchisor of check cashing stores in the United States. As of September 30, 2004, ACE had a network of 1,257 stores in 37 states and the District of Columbia, consisting of 1,055 company-owned stores and 202 franchised stores. ACE focuses on serving unbanked and underbanked consumers, many of whom seek alternatives to traditional banking relationships in order to gain convenient and immediate access to check cashing services and short-term consumer loans. ACE's website is found at http://www.acecashexpress.com/ . Forward Looking Statements This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are generally identified by the use of words such as "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "target," "goal," "should," "would," and terms with similar meanings. Although the Company believes that the current views and expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these views and expectations, and the related statements, are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are not under the Company's control and may not even be predictable. Any inaccuracy in the assumptions, as well as those risks, uncertainties and other factors, could cause the actual results to differ materially from these in the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and factors include, but are not limited to, matters described in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as: * the Company's relationships with Republic Bank & Trust Company, with Travelers Express and its affiliates and with its bank lenders; * the Company's relationships with providers of services or products offered by the Company or property used in its operations; * federal and state governmental regulation of check cashing, short-term consumer lending and related financial services businesses; * any litigation regarding the Company's short-term consumer lending activities; * theft and employee errors; * the availability of adequate financing, suitable locations, acquisition opportunities and experienced management employees to implement the Company's growth strategy; * increases in interest rates, which would increase the Company's borrowing costs; * the fragmentation of the check cashing industry and competition from various other sources, such as banks, savings and loans, short-term consumer lenders, and other similar financial services entities, as well as retail businesses that offer services offered by the Company; * the terms and performance of third-party services offered at the Company's stores; and * customer demand and response to services offered at the Company's stores. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether because of future events, new information, a change in the Company's views or expectations, or otherwise. The Company makes no prediction or statement about the performance of its Common Stock. DATASOURCE: ACE Cash Express, Inc. CONTACT: Jay B. Shipowitz, President & CEO, +1-972-550-5030, or , or Eric Norrington, Vice President of Communications, +1-972-550-5032, or , both of ACE Cash Express, Inc. Web site: http://www.acecashexpress.com/

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