World Acceptance Corporation (WRLD): Today's Featured Financial Services Winner

By TheStreet Wire - 04/30/12 - 4:01 PM EDT
Tickers in this article: WRLD

World Acceptance Corporation (WRLD) pushed the Financial Services industry higher today making it today's featured financial services winner. The industry as a whole closed the day down 0.2%. By the end of trading, World Acceptance Corporation rose 50 cents (0.8%) to $66.51 on average volume. Throughout the day, 197,230 shares of World Acceptance Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 145,900 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $64.80-$66.59 after having opened the day at $65.81 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $66.01. Other companies within the Financial Services industry that increased today were: Siebert Financial Corporation (SIEB), up 14.7%, SGOCO Group (SGOC), up 7.5%, Community Bankers Trust Corporation (BTC), up 6.7%, and Rodman & Renshaw Capital Group (RODM), up 6%.

World Acceptance Corporation engages in small-loan consumer finance business. It offers short-term small loans, medium-term larger loans, related credit insurance, and ancillary products and services, as well as loans standardized by amount and maturity. World Acceptance Corporation has a market cap of $917.4 million and is part of the financial sector. Currently there are two analysts that rate World Acceptance Corporation a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and two rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates World Acceptance Corporation as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity, attractive valuation levels and impressive record of earnings per share growth. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.

On the negative front, Heckmann (HEK), down 7.1%, Pzena Investment Management (PZN), down 6.2%, Gleacher (GLCH), down 5.5%, and NYSE Euronext (NYX), down 4.9%, were all losers within the financial services industry with Invesco (IVZ) being today's financial services industry loser.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the financial services industry could consider Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) while those bearish on the financial services industry could consider Proshares Short Financials (SEF).

Tickers in this article: WRLD