Mego Financial Corp. Reports Results for First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2002

Press Release: Mego Financial Corp.
January 16, 2002
LAS VEGAS, NV -- Mego Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: MEGO) announced Monday financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2002, ended November 30, 2001.

Total revenues for the Company were $20.3 million during the three months ended November 30, 2001 versus $24.3 million during the three months ended November 30, 2000. The net decrease was primarily due to a net decrease of $4.5 million to $14.3 million in timeshare interest and land sales during the quarter, compared to $18.8 million during the year ago period. A pretax loss of $1.9 million was recorded during the fiscal 2002 first quarter compared to pretax income of $306,000 earned during the fiscal 2001 first quarter. Net loss applicable to common stock amounted to $1.3 million during the fiscal 2002 first quarter, or a loss of $0.36 per share, compared to net income applicable to common stock of $946,000, or $0.27 per share, during the fiscal 2001 first quarter.

The Company noted that first quarter performance was adversely affected by the economic downturn in the tourism industry following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The Company expects the market to slowly recover.

On December 13, 2001, the Company announced that it had entered into an agreement with an investor, LC Acquisition Corp., of New York, NY, for the purchase by the investor from the Company of 750,000 shares of its common stock at $4.00 per share. In addition, LC Acquisition Corp. has entered into an agreement with certain officers, directors and other shareholders for the purchase of an aggregate of 1,269,634 shares of the Company's common stock at a price of $4.00 per share. The consummation of all of these agreements is conditioned on approval by the Company's shareholders. The Company has also entered into an agreement with Doerge Capital Management for the purchase of 500,000 shares of the Company's common stock at $4.00 per share. This agreement is conditioned on the approval by the Company's shareholders and the filing of an S-3 Registration Statement. A shareholder vote on these matters will be held at a meeting on January 17, 2002.

Mego Financial is a developer and operator of timeshare properties and a provider of consumer financing to purchasers of timeshare interests and land parcels through its wholly owned subsidiary, Preferred Equities Corporation, established in 1970. Mego Financial is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada and has properties it operates under the banner of ``Ramada Vacation Suites'' in Nevada, New Jersey, Colorado, Florida and Hawaii. Mego Financial also owns Central Nevada Utilities, serving a large portion of the fast-growing Palrump Valley, near Las Vegas.

This press release contains ``forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward- looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties or other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Mego Financial to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference, include, but are not limited to those discussed in the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Mego Financial's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2001, and in the form 10-Q for the quarter ended November 30, 2001, and subsequent documents filed by Mego Financial Corp. with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                 MEGO FINANCIAL CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES
               CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
           (thousands of dollars, except per share amounts)
                              (unaudited)


                                              Three Months Ended
                                                 November 30,
                                         ---------------------------
                                             2001             2000
                                         ---------------------------
REVENUES
  Timeshare interest sales, net          $   10,073       $   14,018
  Land sales, net                             4,191            4,742
  Interest income                             3,977            3,209
  Financial income                              423              479
  Gain on sale of notes receivable                -              292
  Gain on sale of investments
   and other assets                              40                8
  Incidental operations                         547              490
  Other                                       1,037            1,042
                                         -----------      -----------
             Total revenues                  20,288           24,280
                                         -----------      -----------

COSTS AND EXPENSES
  Direct cost of:
    Timeshare interest sales                  1,965            3,157
    Land sales                                  740              769
  Interest expense                            3,377            3,044
  Marketing and sales                        10,405           11,464
  Incidental operations                         307              354
  Depreciation                                  430              392
  General and administrative                  4,975            4,794
                                         -----------      -----------

             Total costs and expenses        22,199           23,974
                                         -----------      -----------

INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES            (1,911)             306

INCOME TAXES (BENEFIT)                         (650)            (640)
                                         -----------      -----------

NET INCOME (LOSS) APPLICABLE
 TO COMMON STOCK                         $   (1,261)      $      946
                                         ===========      ===========

INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE
  Basic and Diluted:
    Net income (loss) applicable
     to common stock                     $    (0.36)      $     0.27
                                         ===========      ===========

          Weighted-average number
           of common shares               3,500,557        3,500,557
                                         ===========      ==========
           and common share equivalents
             outstanding




                 MEGO FINANCIAL CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
           (thousands of dollars, except per share amounts)
                              (unaudited)


ASSETS                                    November 30,     August 31,
                                             2001             2001
                                         -------------     ----------
Cash and cash equivalents                $    2,483        $   1,894
Restricted cash                               3,329            1,926
Notes receivable, net of allowance
 for cancellations and discounts of
 $15,005 at November 30, 2001 and
 $15,084 at August 31, 2001                 109,621          105,127
Retained interests in
 receivables sold, at fair value              3,705            3,603
Timeshare interests held for sale            17,543           18,139
Land and improvements inventory               3,036            3,152
Other investments, net of
 accumulated depreciation of $77
 at November 30, 2001                        10,174           10,251
Property and equipment, net of
 accumulated depreciation of $17,543
 at November 30, 2001 and $17,098
 at August 31, 2001                          16,646           16,867
Deferred selling costs                        5,053            5,466
Prepaid debt expenses                         2,270            2,359
Other assets                                 20,647           17,044
                                         -----------      -----------

            TOTAL ASSETS                 $  194,507       $  185,828
                                         ===========      ===========


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities:
   Notes and contracts payable           $  131,501        $ 120,238
   Accounts payable and
    accrued liabilities                      25,437           24,337
   Reserve for notes receivable
    sold with recourse                        3,652            3,998
   Deposits                                   2,771            3,201
   Deferred income taxes                        561            1,617
                                         -----------      -----------

            Total liabilities
             before subordinated debt       163,922          153,391
                                         -----------      -----------

Subordinated debt                             4,211            4,211

Stockholders' equity:
   Preferred stock, $.01 par
    value (authorized--5,000,000 shares,
    none outstanding)                             -                -
   Common stock, $.01 par
    value (authorized--50,000,000 shares;
    3,500,557 shares issued and
    outstanding at November 30, 2001 and
    August 31, 2001)                             35               35
   Additional paid-in capital                13,068           13,068
   Retained earnings                         15,255           16,516
   Accumulated other comprehensive loss      (1,984)          (1,393)
                                         -----------      -----------

            Total stockholders' equity       26,374           28,226
                                         -----------      -----------

            TOTAL LIABILITIES AND
             STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY        $  194,507        $ 185,828
                                         ===========      ===========




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Kelly Keisling, 212/697-9191