World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Reaches New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $165.34 and last traded at $164.51, with a volume of 42791 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $159.36.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of World Acceptance from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 3rd.

World Acceptance Trading Up 3.2%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 19.32 and a current ratio of 19.32. The business's 50 day moving average price is $145.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $132.71. The firm has a market cap of $873.55 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.06 and a beta of 1.35.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The credit services provider reported $8.13 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.42 by $1.71. The firm had revenue of $165.27 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $154.52 million. World Acceptance had a net margin of 15.89% and a return on equity of 21.02%. Equities analysts expect that World Acceptance Corporation will post 14 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Alice Lindsay Caulder sold 1,010 shares of World Acceptance stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $151,500.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,315 shares in the company, valued at $1,547,250. This trade represents a 8.92% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Darrell E. Whitaker sold 2,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $155.73, for a total transaction of $389,325.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 5,074 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $790,174.02. This trade represents a 33.01% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 3,560 shares of company stock valued at $548,875. Insiders own 43.20% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On World Acceptance

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in World Acceptance by 72.1% during the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 265 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 111 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in shares of World Acceptance by 570.9% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 369 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 314 shares during the period. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS bought a new stake in shares of World Acceptance during the fourth quarter valued at about $56,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 876.2% during the first quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 820 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 736 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Amundi lifted its holdings in World Acceptance by 195.7% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 1,591 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $180,000 after purchasing an additional 1,053 shares during the period. 83.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

World Acceptance Company Profile

World Acceptance Corporation engages in consumer finance business in the United States. The company provides short-term small installment loans, medium-term larger installment loans, related credit insurance, and ancillary products and services to individuals. It offers income tax return preparation and filing services; and automobile club memberships.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.