WINTON GROUP Ltd Reduces Stock Position in World Acceptance Corporation $WRLD

Key Points

• WINTON GROUP Ltd cut its World Acceptance stake by 68.7% in the second quarter, selling 15,395 shares and retaining 7,018 shares valued at approximately $1.57 million. Institutional investors collectively own 83.63% of the company.
• World Acceptance reported quarterly EPS of $2.12, surpassing estimates of $0.58, while revenue of $127.79 million fell short of the $143.90 million consensus forecast.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious, with the stock carrying an average “Hold” rating. Insiders have sold 141,505 shares worth about $26.68 million over the past 90 days, while WRLD recently traded near $190.75.

WINTON GROUP Ltd lessened its stake in World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD - Free Report) by 68.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,018 shares of the credit services provider's stock after selling 15,395 shares during the period. WINTON GROUP Ltd owned approximately 0.15% of World Acceptance worth $1,571,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in World Acceptance by 97.5% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 20,545 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $2,774,000 after purchasing an additional 10,140 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new stake in shares of World Acceptance during the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,577,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in shares of World Acceptance in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,239,000. Jennison Associates LLC bought a new position in shares of World Acceptance in the 1st quarter worth approximately $680,000. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 7,253.3% in the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 2,206 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $298,000 after purchasing an additional 2,176 shares during the period. 83.63% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WRLD has been the subject of several recent research reports. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of World Acceptance from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, August 10th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold".

World Acceptance Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WRLD opened at $190.75 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 13.49 and a current ratio of 13.49. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $190.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $167.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $888.89 million, a PE ratio of 22.55 and a beta of 1.14. World Acceptance Corporation has a 52-week low of $110.00 and a 52-week high of $227.68.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, July 24th. The credit services provider reported $2.12 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $1.54. The firm had revenue of $127.79 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $143.90 million. World Acceptance had a return on equity of 12.13% and a net margin of 6.71%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other World Acceptance news, insider John Calmes, Jr. sold 2,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $186.00, for a total transaction of $372,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 48,334 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,990,124. This trade represents a 3.97% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Charles Way sold 833 shares of World Acceptance stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.00, for a total transaction of $187,425.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 12,729 shares in the company, valued at $2,864,025. This represents a 6.14% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 141,505 shares of company stock worth $26,678,630 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 38.00% of the company's stock.

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.

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