Zacks Research Upgrades World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) to Hold

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) was upgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research report on Monday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold”.

World Acceptance Price Performance

World Acceptance stock opened at $145.32 on Monday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $146.38 and its 200 day simple moving average is $160.03. The company has a quick ratio of 24.16, a current ratio of 24.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.60. The stock has a market cap of $732.41 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.91 and a beta of 1.08. World Acceptance has a 12-month low of $104.99 and a 12-month high of $185.48.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The credit services provider reported ($0.38) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.87 by ($2.25). The business had revenue of $120.12 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $127.85 million. World Acceptance had a net margin of 10.00% and a return on equity of 13.65%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that World Acceptance will post 14 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Daniel Clinton Dyer sold 8,857 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.00, for a total transaction of $1,319,693.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 33,640 shares in the company, valued at $5,012,360. This trade represents a 20.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.21, for a total transaction of $149,210.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 54,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,116,277.95. The trade was a 1.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 9,946 shares of company stock valued at $1,482,253. 41.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. PDT Partners LLC raised its position in World Acceptance by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. PDT Partners LLC now owns 4,894 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $619,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its position in World Acceptance by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 2,044 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 10,600 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $1,750,000 after acquiring an additional 82 shares in the last quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. increased its position in World Acceptance by 2.9% during the second quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 3,480 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $575,000 after buying an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in World Acceptance by 4.6% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,637 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $446,000 after buying an additional 117 shares during the period. 83.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

World Acceptance Company Profile

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.