AACE Ace Cash Express

ACE Cash Express Hosts Record Attendance at Annual Franchise Conference DALLAS, May 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACE Cash Express, Inc. , announced it recently hosted its annual franchise conference in San Antonio, TX on May 5 and May 6, 2004. A record 102 existing and potential franchisees and staff participated in training workshops and strategy seminars with ACE's top management and vendors. The 2005 conference is scheduled for August 29-31 in Las Vegas, NV. During the conference, Ray Moore, Jr. of FRM Franchise, was selected as ACE Franchisor of the Year. Gray Deans, Moore's Chief Financial Officer, accepted the award on his behalf. Moore owns four ACE franchise locations in Greenville, Plymouth, Washington, and Kinston, North Carolina. As of March 31, 2004, the Company's total 1,203-store network included 215 franchised locations, which are owned by 95 franchisees. The Company previously announced plans to expand to 400 franchised stores over the next five years. Today, the Company has signed commitments from new and existing franchise owners to open 96 new stores over the next five years. "This was a very successful conference and I am pleased with the record attendance," said Marty B. Mazer, divisional vice president of franchise. "Our annual conference gives us the opportunity to provide business-specific information to help existing owners better operate their current franchises, as well as to show potential franchisees the power and success of the ACE business model." "Expanding the role of franchising is a core strategy that increases our brand awareness and enhances customer service," stated Jay B. Shipowitz, president and chief operating officer of ACE. "Combined with our company- owned store growth plans, we see an opportunity to reach more customers and provide the underbanked consumer with the retail financial services they desire." 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, with Travelers Express and its affiliates, with its bank lenders, with American Capital Strategies, Ltd. and with H&R Block; * the Company's relationship with third-party providers of services 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. About the Company ACE Cash Express, Inc. is a leading retailer of financial services, including check cashing, short-term consumer loan and bill payment services, and the largest owner, operator and franchisor of check cashing stores in the United States. As of March 31, 2004, the Company had a network of 1,203 stores in 36 states and the District of Columbia, consisting of 988 company-owned stores and 215 franchised stores. The Company 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. The Company's website is found at http://www.acecashexpress.com/ . DATASOURCE: ACE Cash Express, Inc. CONTACT: Eric Norrington, VP Communications, +1-972-550-5032, or , or Darla Ashby, Director, Public Affairs, +1-972-550-5037, or , both of ACE Cash Express, Inc. Web site: http://www.acecashexpress.com/

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