World Acceptance Corporation Reports Fiscal 2024 Third Quarter Results
- None.
- None.
Insights
The reported financial results of World Acceptance Corporation for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 reveal a significant increase in net income to $16.7 million, up from $5.8 million in the same quarter of the prior year, which is a noteworthy improvement. This sharp rise in profitability, coupled with a substantial decrease in the provision for credit losses by $19.0 million and a reduction in net charge-offs by $22.6 million, suggests a stronger balance sheet and improved credit management. However, the total revenues have seen a decline of 6.0%, indicating a potential challenge in revenue generation.
From an investor's perspective, the improvement in delinquency rates, with a drop from 4.9% to 3.7% in accounts 90+ days past due, signals enhanced credit quality. This could be seen as a positive indicator of the company's operational efficiency and risk management practices. Additionally, the decrease in the debt to equity ratio from 2.0:1 to 1.4:1 and the reduction in interest expense by 16.9% reflect a healthier capital structure, potentially increasing the company's financial flexibility and reducing risk for equity holders.
Despite these positive signs, the decrease in gross loans outstanding by 9.9% year-over-year and the decline in same store gross loans of 8.2% could raise concerns about the company's growth prospects and market position. Investors may also be wary of the increased G&A expenses as a percentage of revenues, which could indicate inefficiencies or rising operational costs that may not be fully offset by the reduction in personnel and other expenses.
The consumer lending industry, in which World Acceptance Corporation operates, is highly sensitive to economic cycles and consumer credit health. The company's strategic decision to ease underwriting standards incrementally, as stated in the report, suggests a move to capture market share and address a competitive landscape. The reported increase in borrowing from new and former customers could be a response to market demand and an attempt to stimulate growth.
However, the portfolio's shift towards customers with more than two years of tenure, now comprising 77.5% of the mix, indicates a focus on customer retention and potentially higher creditworthiness. This strategic shift may be aimed at building a more stable and reliable revenue base in the face of economic uncertainty. The increase in advertising expenses by 181.1% also points to efforts to attract new customers, which could be essential for future revenue streams.
It is also important to note the company's stock repurchase activities, with a significant increase in the volume of shares repurchased compared to the previous fiscal year. This may reflect management's confidence in the company's intrinsic value and could be a signal to the market of underpricing. Such buybacks can be accretive to earnings per share and potentially beneficial to shareholders, but they also reduce the capital available for other investments or debt reduction.
The financial results of World Acceptance Corporation must be contextualized within the broader economic environment. The company's conservative approach to lending and the focus on credit quality are prudent in light of the current economic uncertainties, potentially including rising interest rates and economic slowdown concerns. The ability to improve net income despite a decrease in total revenues is commendable and may demonstrate operational resilience.
However, the contraction in the loan portfolio could be indicative of broader economic trends, such as reduced consumer borrowing or increased competition from other lending institutions. The increased yield on interest and insurance may reflect a response to inflationary pressures or a strategic pricing adjustment to manage risk.
It's also worth noting that the company's financial performance, such as the return on average assets and equity, outpaces some industry norms, which could make it an attractive case study for financial stability and credit risk management strategies in uncertain economic times. These indicators will be critical for stakeholders to monitor as they reflect the company's ability to generate returns on invested capital and equity.
Third fiscal quarter highlights
During its third fiscal quarter, World Acceptance Corporation continued to focus on credit quality and a conservative approach to its lending operations. Management believes that continuing to carefully invest in our best customers and closely monitoring performance will put the Company in a strong position throughout the fiscal year, particularly given the uncertain economic environment.
Highlights from the third quarter include:
-
Net income of
$16.7 million -
Diluted net income per share of
$2.84 -
Recency delinquency on accounts 90+ days past due improved from
4.9% at December 31, 2022, to3.7% at December 31, 2023 -
Total revenues of
, including a 180 basis point yield increase compared to the same quarter in the prior year$137.7 million
Portfolio results
Gross loans outstanding were
The following table includes the volume of gross loan origination balances, excluding tax advance loans, by customer type for the following comparative quarterly periods:
|
Q3 FY 2024 |
Q3 FY 2023 |
Q3 FY 2022 |
New Customers |
|
|
|
Former Customers |
|
|
|
Refinance Customers |
|
|
|
Our customer base decreased by
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had 1,052 open branches. For branches open at least twelve months, same store gross loans decreased
Three-month financial results
Net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 increased to
Total revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 decreased to
The Company accrues for expected losses with a current expected credit loss ("CECL") methodology. This accounting methodology requires us to create a provision for credit losses on the day we originate the loan. The provision for credit losses decreased
CECL Allowance and Provision (Dollars in millions) |
|
FY 2024 |
|
FY 2023 |
|
Difference |
|
Reconciliation |
Beginning Allowance - September 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Change due to Growth |
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|
|
|
|
|
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Change due to Expected Loss Rate on Performing Loans |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Change due to 90 day past due |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Ending Allowance - December 31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Net Charge-offs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Provision |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Note: The change in allowance for the quarter plus net charge-offs for the quarter equals the provision for the quarter (see above reconciliation). |
The provision benefited from substantially lower charge-offs during the quarter.
Net charge-offs for the quarter decreased
Accounts 61 days or more past due decreased to
The table below is updated to use the customer tenure-based methodology that aligns with our CECL methodology. After experiencing rapid portfolio growth during fiscal years 2019 and 2020, primarily in new customers, our gross loan balance experienced pandemic related declines in fiscal 2021 before rebounding during fiscal 2022. Over the last eighteen months we have tightened our lending to new customers substantially. The tables below illustrate the changes in the portfolio weighting.
Gross Loan Balance By Customer Tenure at Origination |
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As of |
Less Than 2 Years |
More Than 2 Years |
Total |
12/31/2018 |
|
|
|
12/31/2019 |
|
|
|
12/31/2020 |
|
|
|
12/31/2021 |
|
|
|
12/31/2022 |
|
|
|
12/31/2023 |
|
|
|
Year-Over-Year Growth (Decline) in Gross Loan Balance by Customer Tenure at Origination |
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12 Month Period Ended |
Less Than 2 Years |
More Than 2 Years |
Total |
12/31/2018 |
|
|
|
12/31/2019 |
|
|
|
12/31/2020 |
|
|
|
12/31/2021 |
|
|
|
12/31/2022 |
|
|
|
12/31/2023 |
|
|
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Portfolio Mix by Customer Tenure at Origination |
||
As of |
Less Than 2 Years |
More Than 2 Years |
12/31/2018 |
|
|
12/31/2019 |
|
|
12/31/2020 |
|
|
12/31/2021 |
|
|
12/31/2022 |
|
|
12/31/2023 |
|
|
General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses increased
Personnel expense decreased
Occupancy and equipment expense decreased
Advertising expense increased
Interest expense for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, decreased by
Other key return ratios for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 included a
The Company repurchased 148,765 shares of its common stock on the open market at an aggregate purchase price of approximately
Nine-Month Results
Net income for the nine-months ended December 31, 2023, increased
About World Acceptance Corporation (World Finance)
Founded in 1962, World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ: WRLD), is a people-focused finance company that provides personal installment loan solutions and personal tax preparation and filing services to over one million customers each year. Headquartered in
Third quarter conference call
The senior management of World Acceptance Corporation will be discussing these results in its quarterly conference call to be held at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time today. A simulcast of the conference call will be available on the Internet at https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=DOmXS8u2. The call will be available for replay on the Internet for approximately 30 days.
During the conference call, the Company may discuss and answer questions concerning business and financial developments and trends that have occurred after quarter-end. The Company’s responses to questions, as well as other matters discussed during the conference call, may contain or constitute information that has not been disclosed previously.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information
This press release may contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that represent the Company’s current expectations or beliefs concerning future events. Statements other than those of historical fact, as well as those identified by words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “project,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “probable” and any variation of the foregoing and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results or performance to differ from the expectations expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include the following: recently enacted, proposed or future legislation and the manner in which it is implemented; changes in the
These and other factors are discussed in greater detail in Part I, Item 1A,“Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, as filed with the SEC and the Company’s other reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC from time to time. World Acceptance Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements it makes. The Company is also not responsible for updating the information contained in this press release beyond the publication date, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet services.
WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES |
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
Three months ended December 31, |
|
Nine months ended December 31, |
|||||||||
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|||||
Revenues: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Interest and fee income |
$ |
118,665 |
|
$ |
126,201 |
|
$ |
352,237 |
|
$ |
386,868 |
|
Insurance and other income, net |
|
19,084 |
|
|
20,331 |
|
|
61,711 |
|
|
68,841 |
|
Total revenues |
|
137,749 |
|
|
146,532 |
|
|
413,948 |
|
|
455,709 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Provision for credit losses |
|
40,632 |
|
|
59,609 |
|
|
127,697 |
|
|
214,051 |
|
General and administrative expenses: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Personnel |
|
39,890 |
|
|
40,701 |
|
|
120,120 |
|
|
131,174 |
|
Occupancy and equipment |
|
12,090 |
|
|
12,932 |
|
|
37,138 |
|
|
39,658 |
|
Advertising |
|
3,721 |
|
|
1,324 |
|
|
8,712 |
|
|
4,542 |
|
Amortization of intangible assets |
|
1,051 |
|
|
1,115 |
|
|
3,183 |
|
|
3,353 |
|
Other |
|
9,157 |
|
|
8,879 |
|
|
27,829 |
|
|
27,569 |
|
Total general and administrative expenses |
|
65,909 |
|
|
64,951 |
|
|
196,982 |
|
|
206,296 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Interest expense |
|
11,690 |
|
|
14,070 |
|
|
36,475 |
|
|
38,277 |
|
Total expenses |
|
118,231 |
|
|
138,630 |
|
|
361,154 |
|
|
458,624 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Income (loss) before income taxes |
|
19,518 |
|
|
7,902 |
|
|
52,794 |
|
|
(2,915 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Income tax expense |
|
2,853 |
|
|
2,097 |
|
|
10,508 |
|
|
484 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net income (loss) |
$ |
16,665 |
|
$ |
5,805 |
|
$ |
42,286 |
|
$ |
(3,399 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Net income (loss) per common share, diluted |
$ |
2.84 |
|
$ |
0.99 |
|
$ |
7.17 |
|
$ |
(0.59 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding |
|
5,860 |
|
|
5,857 |
|
|
5,897 |
|
|
5,743 |
|
WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES |
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
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December 31, 2023 |
|
March 31, 2023 |
|
December 31, 2022 |
|||||||
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ |
12,776 |
|
|
$ |
16,509 |
|
|
$ |
20,962 |
|
Gross loans receivable |
|
1,400,622 |
|
|
|
1,390,016 |
|
|
|
1,553,985 |
|
Less: |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Unearned interest, insurance and fees |
|
(372,311 |
) |
|
|
(376,675 |
) |
|
|
(431,298 |
) |
Allowance for credit losses |
|
(121,082 |
) |
|
|
(125,553 |
) |
|
|
(144,539 |
) |
Loans receivable, net |
|
907,229 |
|
|
|
887,788 |
|
|
|
978,148 |
|
Income taxes receivable |
|
1,717 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
912 |
|
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net |
|
80,049 |
|
|
|
81,289 |
|
|
|
83,437 |
|
Property and equipment, net |
|
23,196 |
|
|
|
23,926 |
|
|
|
24,378 |
|
Deferred income taxes, net |
|
37,048 |
|
|
|
41,722 |
|
|
|
43,402 |
|
Other assets, net |
|
38,045 |
|
|
|
43,423 |
|
|
|
41,094 |
|
Goodwill |
|
7,371 |
|
|
|
7,371 |
|
|
|
7,371 |
|
Intangible assets, net |
|
12,107 |
|
|
|
15,291 |
|
|
|
16,403 |
|
Total assets |
$ |
1,119,538 |
|
|
$ |
1,117,319 |
|
|
$ |
1,216,107 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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LIABILITIES & SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY |
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|
|
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|
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Liabilities: |
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Senior notes payable |
$ |
305,089 |
|
|
$ |
307,911 |
|
|
$ |
426,490 |
|
Senior unsecured notes payable, net |
|
279,916 |
|
|
|
287,353 |
|
|
|
296,050 |
|
Income taxes payable |
|
— |
|
|
|
2,533 |
|
|
|
— |
|
Operating lease liability |
|
82,471 |
|
|
|
83,735 |
|
|
|
86,010 |
|
Accounts payable and accrued expenses |
|
45,043 |
|
|
|
50,560 |
|
|
|
48,801 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
712,519 |
|
|
|
732,092 |
|
|
|
857,351 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
Shareholders' equity |
|
407,019 |
|
|
|
385,227 |
|
|
|
358,756 |
|
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity |
$ |
1,119,538 |
|
|
$ |
1,117,319 |
|
|
$ |
1,216,107 |
|
WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES |
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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED STATISTICS
|
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|
Three months ended December 31, |
|
Nine months ended December 31, |
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|
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
|
2023 |
|
2022 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Gross loans receivable |
|
$ |
1,400,622 |
|
|
$ |
1,553,985 |
|
$ |
1,400,622 |
|
|
$ |
1,553,985 |
|
|
Average gross loans receivable (1) |
|
|
1,383,194 |
|
|
|
1,562,199 |
|
|
1,388,752 |
|
|
|
1,585,306 |
|
|
Net loans receivable (2) |
|
|
1,028,311 |
|
|
|
1,122,687 |
|
|
1,028,311 |
|
|
|
1,122,687 |
|
|
Average net loans receivable (3) |
|
|
1,014,113 |
|
|
|
1,131,636 |
|
|
1,015,237 |
|
|
|
1,153,443 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Expenses as a percentage of total revenue: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Provision for credit losses |
|
|
29.5 |
% |
|
|
40.7 |
% |
|
30.8 |
% |
|
|
47.0 |
% |
|
General and administrative |
|
|
47.8 |
% |
|
|
44.3 |
% |
|
47.6 |
% |
|
|
45.3 |
% |
|
Interest expense |
|
|
8.5 |
% |
|
|
9.6 |
% |
|
8.8 |
% |
|
|
8.4 |
% |
|
Operating income as a % of total revenue (4) |
|
|
22.7 |
% |
|
|
15.0 |
% |
|
21.6 |
% |
|
|
7.8 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Loan volume (5) |
|
|
744,193 |
|
|
|
787,775 |
|
|
2,133,642 |
|
|
|
2,476,631 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Net charge-offs as percent of average net loans receivable on an annualized basis |
|
|
19.1 |
% |
|
|
25.1 |
% |
|
17.4 |
% |
|
|
23.6 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Return on average assets (trailing 12 months) |
|
|
6.0 |
% |
|
|
1.2 |
% |
|
6.0 |
% |
|
|
1.2 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Return on average equity (trailing 12 months) |
|
|
17.3 |
% |
|
|
4.1 |
% |
|
17.3 |
% |
|
|
4.1 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Branches opened or acquired (merged or closed), net |
|
|
(1 |
) |
|
|
(20 |
) |
|
(21 |
) |
|
|
(83 |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Branches open (at period end) |
|
|
1,052 |
|
|
|
1,084 |
|
|
1,052 |
|
|
|
1,084 |
_______________________________________________________ |
|
(1) |
Average gross loans receivable is determined by averaging month-end gross loans receivable over the indicated period, excluding tax advances. |
(2) |
Net loans receivable is defined as gross loans receivable less unearned interest and deferred fees. |
(3) |
Average net loans receivable is determined by averaging month-end gross loans receivable less unearned interest and deferred fees over the indicated period, excluding tax advances. |
(4) |
Operating income is computed as total revenues less provision for credit losses and general and administrative expenses. |
(5) |
Loan volume includes all loan balances originated by the Company. It does not include loans purchased through acquisitions. |
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240119413627/en/
John L. Calmes, Jr.
Executive VP, Chief Financial & Strategy Officer, and Treasurer
(864) 298-9800
Source: World Acceptance Corporation
FAQ
What is World Acceptance Corporation's ticker symbol?
What was World Acceptance Corporation's net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2024?
What was the change in recency delinquency on accounts 90+ days past due from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2023?
What was the change in total revenues for World Acceptance Corporation for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same quarter of the prior year?
What was the change in G&A expenses for World Acceptance Corporation for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to the same quarter of the prior fiscal year?