World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Shares Down 6.7% – Here’s What Happened

World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD)’s share price fell 6.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $129.91 and last traded at $129.39. 100,299 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 13% from the average session volume of 115,793 shares. The stock had previously closed at $138.70.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently commented on WRLD shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of World Acceptance in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research upgraded World Acceptance from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

World Acceptance Stock Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 25.01, a current ratio of 25.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $133.64 and a 200 day simple moving average of $147.82. The company has a market capitalization of $657.49 million, a PE ratio of 17.06 and a beta of 1.19.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The credit services provider reported ($0.19) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by ($0.77). The firm had revenue of $128.47 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $133.49 million. World Acceptance had a return on equity of 10.80% and a net margin of 7.46%. Equities research analysts predict that World Acceptance Corporation will post 14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at World Acceptance

In other World Acceptance news, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.88, for a total value of $141,880.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 50,334 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,141,387.92. The trade was a 1.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders own 41.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On World Acceptance

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in World Acceptance by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 87,588 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $12,299,000 after purchasing an additional 2,469 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. lifted its position in shares of World Acceptance by 14.2% during the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 85,622 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $14,482,000 after acquiring an additional 10,649 shares during the period. Smith Thomas W acquired a new stake in shares of World Acceptance in the 4th quarter worth approximately $10,894,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in World Acceptance by 15.6% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 76,188 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $10,696,000 after purchasing an additional 10,308 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in World Acceptance by 680.5% in the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 67,649 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $9,497,000 after purchasing an additional 58,982 shares during the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About World Acceptance

World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ: WRLD) is a consumer finance company headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1972, the company provides credit solutions to underserved customers who may have limited access to traditional banking services. Over the decades, World Acceptance has built a reputation for tailored lending that emphasizes responsible underwriting and personalized customer service.

The company’s core product offerings include short-term installment loans designed to meet the immediate financial needs of its clients.