World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD) Sees Large Growth in Short Interest

World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ:WRLD) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 434,180 shares, an increase of 24.2% from the March 15th total of 349,634 shares. Approximately 15.1% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 167,312 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.6 days.

World Acceptance Trading Down 2.7%

WRLD opened at $130.86 on Friday. World Acceptance has a one year low of $110.00 and a one year high of $185.48. The stock has a market capitalization of $646.45 million, a PE ratio of 16.76 and a beta of 1.17. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $135.58 and its 200 day moving average price is $142.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 25.01 and a current ratio of 25.01.

World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The credit services provider reported ($0.19) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.58 by ($0.77). World Acceptance had a net margin of 7.46% and a return on equity of 10.80%. The business had revenue of $128.47 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $133.49 million. As a group, equities research analysts expect that World Acceptance will post 14 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on WRLD shares. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of World Acceptance in a report on Friday, March 27th. Zacks Research upgraded World Acceptance from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat, World Acceptance has an average rating of “Hold”.

Insider Buying and Selling at World Acceptance

In other news, insider John L. Calmes, Jr. sold 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.88, for a total transaction of $141,880.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 50,334 shares in the company, valued at $7,141,387.92. The trade was a 1.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 41.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. iSAM Funds UK Ltd acquired a new position in World Acceptance in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its holdings 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 acquiring an additional 234 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in World Acceptance by 103.2% during the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 569 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $94,000 after purchasing an additional 289 shares in the last quarter. Aquatic Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in World Acceptance during the third quarter worth $138,000. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in World Acceptance during the third quarter worth $215,000. 83.63% of the stock is currently 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.