World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Stock Price Down 6.1% - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Shares fell 6.1% on Friday to about $144.92 (intraday low $145.26) with ~72,686 shares traded, roughly 41% below the stock's average daily volume.
• Earnings missed expectations: WRLD reported quarterly EPS of ($0.19) versus a $0.58 consensus and revenue of $128.47M vs. $133.49M, and analysts maintain an average rating of "Hold."
• Insider and institutional ownership notable: An insider sold 1,000 shares on March 10, while filings show insiders own 41.6% and institutional investors hold 83.63% of the company.

World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report)'s share price dropped 6.1% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $145.26 and last traded at $144.9170. Approximately 72,686 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 41% from the average daily volume of 122,184 shares. The stock had previously closed at $154.37.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

WRLD has been the subject of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Zacks Research upgraded World Acceptance from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, World Acceptance currently has an average rating of "Hold".

World Acceptance Price Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $723.78 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.72 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a quick ratio of 25.01, a current ratio of 25.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $133.75 and a 200 day simple moving average of $144.25.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results 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). World Acceptance had a return on equity of 10.80% and a net margin of 7.46%.The firm had revenue of $128.47 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $133.49 million. As a group, research analysts predict that World Acceptance Corporation will post 14 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.88, for a total value of $141,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 50,334 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,141,387.92. This trade represents a 1.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 41.60% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On World Acceptance

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of WRLD. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 4.0% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 2,044 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $259,000 after buying an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 4.1% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 23,422 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $2,964,000 after buying an additional 925 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 16.7% in the second quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 28,651 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $4,731,000 after buying an additional 4,092 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in World Acceptance by 23.0% in the second quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 26,865 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $4,436,000 after purchasing an additional 5,025 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP boosted its holdings in World Acceptance by 0.8% in the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 10,600 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $1,750,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.63% 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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