World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Cut to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded World Acceptance from “strong-buy” to “buy,” while Weiss Ratings maintained a “hold (c)” rating; the overall analyst consensus is “Hold.”
• World Acceptance reported quarterly EPS of $2.12, exceeding the $0.58 consensus estimate, though revenue of $127.79 million fell short of the $143.90 million forecast.
• Insiders sold 7,396 shares worth approximately $1.49 million over the past three months, while institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.63% of the company.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

World Acceptance Stock Performance

NASDAQ:WRLD opened at $187.13 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $872.03 million, a PE ratio of 22.12 and a beta of 1.14. The business's fifty day moving average price is $188.83 and its 200 day moving average price is $157.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 13.49 and a quick ratio of 13.49. World Acceptance has a 12 month low of $110.00 and a 12 month high of $227.68.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The credit services provider reported $2.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.58 by $1.54. The company had revenue of $127.79 million during 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 at World Acceptance

In related news, Director Benjamin E. Robinson III sold 2,031 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $222.77, for a total transaction of $452,445.87. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,836 shares in the company, valued at $1,077,315.72. This represents a 29.58% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, SVP Alice Lindsay Caulder sold 609 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.00, for a total value of $110,229.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 14,682 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,657,442. The trade was a 3.98% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have sold 7,396 shares of company stock valued at $1,493,090. 38.00% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Smith Thomas W acquired a new position in World Acceptance during the fourth quarter worth $10,894,000. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of World Acceptance by 680.5% during the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 67,649 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $9,497,000 after purchasing an additional 58,982 shares during the period. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in World Acceptance by 86.3% in the fourth quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 44,301 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $6,219,000 after acquiring an additional 20,520 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in World Acceptance during the 2nd quarter worth $4,577,000. Finally, Bridgeway Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of World Acceptance by 33.1% in the 2nd quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 57,928 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $9,565,000 after acquiring an additional 14,406 shares during the period. 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.

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