World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Upgraded at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded World Acceptance from “buy” to “strong-buy,” although Weiss Ratings maintained a “hold” rating and the stock’s overall analyst consensus remains “Hold.”
• World Acceptance reported quarterly EPS of $2.12, beating the $0.58 consensus estimate, while revenue of $139.21 million fell short of expectations.
• The stock opened at $179.81, down 0.7%; insiders have sold 7,396 shares worth about $1.49 million over the past 90 days, while institutional investors own 83.63% of the company.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday.

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

World Acceptance Trading Down 0.7%

Shares of World Acceptance stock opened at $179.81 on Friday. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $186.20 and its 200-day simple moving average is $155.28. World Acceptance has a 1 year low of $110.00 and a 1 year high of $227.68. The company has a market cap of $837.91 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.25 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a current ratio of 13.49, a quick ratio of 22.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, July 24th. The credit services provider reported $2.12 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $1.54. World Acceptance had a return on equity of 12.13% and a net margin of 6.71%.The firm had revenue of $139.21 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $143.90 million.

Insider Buying and Selling at World Acceptance

In other World Acceptance news, SVP Alice Lindsay Caulder sold 609 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The stock was 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 $2,657,442. This trade represents a 3.98% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $186.00, for a total value of $372,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 48,334 shares in the company, valued at $8,990,124. This trade represents a 3.97% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 7,396 shares of company stock valued at $1,493,090 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 38.00% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On World Acceptance

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. iSAM Funds UK Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of World Acceptance during the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in World Acceptance by 102.4% in the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 255 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its holdings in World Acceptance by 241.2% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 331 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 234 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in World Acceptance by 103.2% in the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 569 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $94,000 after acquiring an additional 289 shares during the period. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in World Acceptance by 15.4% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 548 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $123,000 after acquiring an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

World Acceptance Company Profile

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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