Wall Street Zen Downgrades World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) to Hold

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report released on Sunday.

Separately, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research note on Wednesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

World Acceptance Trading Up 5.9%

NASDAQ WRLD opened at $213.77 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 22.99, a quick ratio of 22.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. World Acceptance has a 12 month low of $110.00 and a 12 month high of $214.89. The company has a market capitalization of $991.89 million, a PE ratio of 28.97 and a beta of 1.19. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $162.60 and a 200 day simple moving average of $146.26.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The credit services provider reported $7.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $7.74 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $164.31 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $168.40 million. World Acceptance had a return on equity of 9.36% and a net margin of 5.98%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Alice Lindsay Caulder sold 609 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $181.00, for a total transaction of $110,229.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 14,682 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,657,442. This trade represents a 3.98% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Luke J. Umstetter sold 1,000 shares of World Acceptance stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $181.66, for a total value of $181,660.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 28,245 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,130,986.70. This represents a 3.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 1,879 shares of company stock valued at $335,089. 41.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On World Acceptance

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of WRLD. iSAM Funds UK Ltd acquired a new position in shares of World Acceptance in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in World Acceptance by 102.4% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 255 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its stake in World Acceptance by 241.2% in the third quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 331 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 234 shares in the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in World Acceptance by 103.2% in the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 569 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $94,000 after buying an additional 289 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aquatic Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of World Acceptance in the third quarter valued at approximately $138,000. Institutional investors 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.