Stephens Begins Coverage on World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD)

Stock analysts at Stephens initiated coverage on shares of World Acceptance (NASDAQ:WRLD) in a research report issued on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage set an “equal weight” rating and a $10.00 price target on the credit services provider’s stock. Stephens’ target price indicates a potential downside of 91.53% from the stock’s current price.

Separately, StockNews.com downgraded shares of World Acceptance from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 19th.

World Acceptance Price Performance

NASDAQ:WRLD opened at $118.01 on Wednesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $116.90 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $122.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 19.53 and a quick ratio of 19.53. The company has a market cap of $678.56 million, a P/E ratio of 8.02 and a beta of 1.40. World Acceptance has a one year low of $101.85 and a one year high of $149.31.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other World Acceptance news, insider Luke J. Umstetter sold 550 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.30, for a total transaction of $62,865.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 11,370 shares in the company, valued at $1,299,591. This represents a 4.61 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Company insiders own 43.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On World Acceptance

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Quadrature Capital Ltd raised its holdings in World Acceptance by 89.5% in the 1st quarter. Quadrature Capital Ltd now owns 23,869 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $3,455,000 after acquiring an additional 11,275 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its position in World Acceptance by 125.2% during the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 22,184 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $2,741,000 after purchasing an additional 12,333 shares during the period. Comerica Bank grew its stake in World Acceptance by 63.1% during the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 2,562 shares of the credit services provider’s stock worth $371,000 after buying an additional 991 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its holdings in World Acceptance by 122.4% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 585 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $72,000 after buying an additional 322 shares during the period. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of World Acceptance by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 3,770 shares of the credit services provider’s stock valued at $547,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. 83.63% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

World Acceptance Company Profile

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.