World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Shares Gap Down Following Weak Earnings

Shares of World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD) gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday following a dissappointing earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $142.58, but opened at $126.50. World Acceptance shares last traded at $114.5820, with a volume of 33,735 shares.

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 net margin of 10.00% and a return on equity of 13.65%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have weighed in on WRLD shares. Zacks Research raised shares of World Acceptance from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other World Acceptance news, insider Daniel Clinton Dyer sold 8,857 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.00, for a total transaction of $1,319,693.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 33,640 shares in the company, valued at $5,012,360. The trade was a 20.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.21, for a total transaction of $149,210.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 54,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,116,277.95. This represents a 1.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,946 shares of company stock valued at $1,482,253. Corporate insiders own 41.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of World Acceptance

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its position in shares of World Acceptance by 4.0% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 2,044 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC grew its position 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 purchasing an additional 925 shares in the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC bought a new stake in shares of World Acceptance during the second quarter valued at about $522,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS increased its holdings in World Acceptance by 60.0% during the 2nd quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 800 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $132,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC raised its position in shares of World Acceptance by 163.4% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 848 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $140,000 after buying an additional 526 shares in the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

World Acceptance Trading Down 20.0%

The stock has a market cap of $574.82 million, a P/E ratio of 11.07 and a beta of 1.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 24.16 and a current ratio of 24.16. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $145.25 and a 200-day moving average price of $156.56.

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.