World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Upgraded to Buy (B-) at Weiss Ratings

Key Points

• World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) was upgraded to a Buy (B-) rating by Weiss Ratings, indicating a positive outlook for the stock.
• The company has seen significant trading activity, with shares rising 2.1% to reach $180.39 amid recent upgrades from multiple analysts.
• Insider trading has been notable, with substantial sales of shares by company insiders, leading to a decrease in their positions in the company.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Weiss Ratings from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Weiss Ratings reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the company. Zacks Research raised World Acceptance from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, September 22nd. Wall Street Zen lowered World Acceptance from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, July 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $10.00.

World Acceptance Stock Up 2.1%

Shares of NASDAQ WRLD traded up $3.67 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $180.39. 47,607 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 39,222. The firm has a market capitalization of $983.10 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.17 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a current ratio of 17.83, a quick ratio of 17.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.10. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $169.28 and a 200 day simple moving average of $154.68. World Acceptance has a twelve month low of $104.99 and a twelve month high of $185.48.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The credit services provider reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.44 by ($2.19). World Acceptance had a net margin of 14.29% and a return on equity of 18.95%. The firm had revenue of $132.45 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $122.38 million. As a group, equities analysts expect that World Acceptance will post 14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at World Acceptance

In related news, SVP Alice Lindsay Caulder sold 1,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $167.33, for a total transaction of $167,330.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 16,515 shares in the company, valued at $2,763,454.95. The trade was a 5.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Prescott General Partners Llc sold 347,064 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $172.88, for a total value of $60,000,424.32. Following the transaction, the insider owned 41,804 shares in the company, valued at $7,227,075.52. This trade represents a 89.25% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 356,559 shares of company stock valued at $61,548,969. 41.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On World Acceptance

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in World Acceptance by 570.9% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 369 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $47,000 after buying an additional 314 shares in the last quarter. Magnetar Financial LLC bought a new stake in World Acceptance in the first quarter worth about $308,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of World Acceptance by 2.4% during the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 16,162 shares of the credit services provider's stock valued at $2,045,000 after acquiring an additional 386 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake in World Acceptance by 17.0% in the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 62,019 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $7,849,000 after buying an additional 9,005 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in World Acceptance by 2.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 349,238 shares of the credit services provider's stock worth $44,196,000 after purchasing an additional 7,429 shares during the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About World Acceptance

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.

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