World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Shares Down 6.7% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Shares down 6.7% — WRLD traded as low as $129.91 and last at $129.39, below its 50‑day ($133.64) and 200‑day ($147.82) moving averages on slightly lighter-than-average volume.
• Earnings miss — World Acceptance reported Q4 EPS of ($0.19) vs. $0.58 expected and revenue of $128.47M vs. $133.49M, and the stock carries a consensus analyst rating of Hold.
• Insider and institutional activity: an insider (John L. Calmes, Jr.) sold 1,000 shares recently; insiders own about 41.6% of the stock while hedge funds/institutions hold roughly 83.6%.

World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) shares were down 6.7% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $129.91 and last traded at $129.39. Approximately 100,299 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 13% from the average daily volume of 115,793 shares. The stock had previously closed at $138.70.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WRLD has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings restated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of World Acceptance in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of World Acceptance from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold".

World Acceptance Trading Down 4.0%

The company has a market cap of $657.49 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.06 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a current ratio of 25.01, a quick ratio of 25.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The business's 50 day moving average price is $133.64 and its 200-day moving average price is $147.82.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The credit services provider reported ($0.19) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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 net margin of 7.46% and a return on equity of 10.80%. On average, equities analysts anticipate that World Acceptance Corporation will post 14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at World Acceptance

In other 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 transaction, the insider owned 50,334 shares in the company, valued at $7,141,387.92. The trade was a 1.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 41.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On World Acceptance

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in World Acceptance by 4.0% in 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 purchasing an additional 78 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC raised its holdings in World Acceptance by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 23,422 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $2,964,000 after purchasing an additional 925 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of World Acceptance by 6.1% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 84,846 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $14,011,000 after buying an additional 4,869 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning boosted its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 70.6% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 4,850 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $801,000 after acquiring an additional 2,007 shares during the period. Finally, Swiss National Bank increased its position in shares of World Acceptance by 16.4% during the 2nd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 7,100 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $1,172,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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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