World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Here’s Why

Shares of World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD) saw an uptick in trading volume on Wednesday . 142,524 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 31% from the previous session’s volume of 108,409 shares.The stock last traded at $139.7810 and had previously closed at $139.49.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on WRLD. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of World Acceptance in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research raised World Acceptance from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold”.

World Acceptance Trading Down 2.4%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 25.01 and a quick ratio of 25.01. The company has a market cap of $672.48 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.42 and a beta of 1.20. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $134.50 and its 200 day moving average price is $149.12.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 27th. The credit services provider reported ($0.19) earnings per share (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 company had revenue of $128.47 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $133.49 million. Research analysts anticipate that World Acceptance Corporation will post 14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at World Acceptance

In related news, insider Daniel Clinton Dyer sold 8,857 shares of World Acceptance stock in a transaction 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 owned 33,640 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,012,360. This trade represents a 20.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.21, for a total value of $149,210.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 54,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,116,277.95. The trade was a 1.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 9,946 shares of company stock worth $1,482,253 over the last quarter. 41.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On World Acceptance

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Smith Thomas W bought a new stake in shares of World Acceptance in the 4th quarter valued at $10,894,000. Millennium Management LLC boosted its stake in World Acceptance by 680.5% during the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 67,649 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $9,497,000 after acquiring an additional 58,982 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional acquired a new stake in World Acceptance in the third quarter worth $6,258,000. Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in World Acceptance by 86.3% in the fourth quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 44,301 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $6,219,000 after purchasing an additional 20,520 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bridgeway Capital Management LLC increased its stake in World Acceptance by 33.1% in the second quarter. Bridgeway Capital Management LLC now owns 57,928 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $9,565,000 after purchasing an additional 14,406 shares in the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.