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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 


 

Form 10-K

 


 

(Mark One)

 

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005

 

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from                      to                     

 

Commission file number 0-19599

 

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

South Carolina   570425114
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
108 Frederick Street Greenville, South Carolina   29607
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

(864) 298-9800

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT: NONE

 

SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:

 

Common Stock, no par value

(Title of Class)

 


 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ¨

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2). Yes x No ¨

 

The aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of September 30, 2004, computed by reference to the closing sale price on such date, was $421,262,598. (For purposes of calculating this amount only, all directors and executive officers are treated as affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.) As of June 3, 2005, 18,719,707 shares of the registrant’s Common Stock, no par value, were outstanding.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement pertaining to the 2005 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (“the Proxy Statement”) and filed pursuant to Regulation 14A are incorporated herein by reference into Part III hereof.

 



Table of Contents

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

Form 10-K Report

 

Table of Contents

 

Item No.


   Page

PART I

    

1.

   Business    1

2.

   Properties    9

3.

   Legal Proceedings    9

4.

   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders    9

PART II

    

5.

   Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities    9

6.

   Selected Financial Data    11

7.

   Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations    12

7A.

   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk    21

8.

   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data    22

9.

   Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure    41

9A.

   Controls and Procedures    41

PART III

    

10.

   Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant    42

11.

   Executive Compensation    42

12.

   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters    42

13.

   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions    42

14.

   Principal Accountant Fees and Services    42

PART IV

    

15.

   Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules    43

 


Table of Contents

Introduction

 

World Acceptance Corporation, a South Carolina corporation, operates a small-loan consumer finance business in twelve states. As used herein, the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us,” or similar formulations include World Acceptance Corporation and each of its subsidiaries, except that when used with reference to the Common Stock or other securities described herein and in describing the positions held by management or agreements of the Company, it includes only World Acceptance Corporation. All references in this report to “fiscal 2005” are to the Company’s fiscal year ended March 31, 2005.

 

The Company maintains an Internet website, www.worldacceptance.com“, where interested persons will be able to access free of charge, among other information, the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and its current reports on Form 8-K, as well as amendments to these filings, via a link to a third party website. These documents are available for access as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file these documents with the SEC. The Company files these reports with the SEC via the SEC’s EDGAR filing system, and such reports also may be accessed via the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov. The Company will also provide either electronic or paper copies free of charge upon written request to P.O. Box 6429, Greenville, SC 29606-6429.

 

PART I.

 

Item 1. Description of Business

 

General. The Company is engaged in the small-loan consumer finance business, offering short-term small loans, medium-term larger loans, related credit insurance and ancillary products and services to individuals. The Company generally offers standardized installment loans of between $130 to $3,000 through 579 offices in South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama and Colorado as of March 31, 2005. The Company generally serves individuals with limited access to other sources of consumer credit from banks, savings and loans, other consumer finance businesses and credit card lenders. The Company also offers income tax return preparation services and refund anticipation loans to its customers and others.

 

Small-loan consumer finance companies operate in a highly structured regulatory environment. Consumer loan offices are individually licensed under state laws, which, in many states, establish allowable interest rates, fees and other charges on small loans made to consumers and maximum principal amounts and maturities of these loans. The Company believes that virtually all participants in the small-loan consumer finance industry charge the maximum rates permitted under applicable state laws in those states with usury limitations.

 

The small-loan consumer finance industry is a highly fragmented segment of the consumer lending industry. Small-loan consumer finance companies generally make loans to individuals of up to $1,000 with maturities of one year or less. These companies approve loans on the basis of the personal creditworthiness of their customers and maintain close contact with borrowers to encourage the repayment or refinancing of loans. By contrast, commercial banks, savings and loans and other consumer finance businesses typically make loans of more than $1,000 with maturities of more than one year. Those financial institutions generally approve consumer loans on the security of qualifying personal property pledged as collateral or impose more stringent credit requirements than those of small-loan consumer finance companies. As a result of their higher credit standards and specific collateral requirements, commercial banks, savings and loans and other consumer finance businesses typically charge lower interest rates and fees and experience lower delinquency and charge-off rates than do small-loan consumer finance companies. Small-loan consumer finance companies generally charge higher interest rates and fees to compensate for the greater credit risk of delinquencies and charge-offs and increased loan administration and collection costs.

 

Expansion. During fiscal 2005, the Company opened twenty-seven new offices. Thirty other offices were purchased and four offices were closed, merged into other existing offices, or sold due to their inability to grow to profitable levels. The Company plans to open or acquire at least 25 new offices in each of the next two fiscal years by increasing the number of offices in its existing market areas and in new states where it believes demographic profiles and state regulations are attractive. The Company’s ability to expand operations into new states is dependent upon its ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain any such approvals or consents.

 

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The Company’s expansion is also dependent upon its ability to identify attractive locations for new offices and hire suitable personnel to staff, manage and supervise new offices. In evaluating a particular community, the Company examines several factors, including the demographic profile of the community, the existence of an established small-loan consumer finance market and the availability of suitable personnel to staff, manage and supervise the new offices. The Company generally locates new offices in communities already served by at least one small-loan consumer finance company.

 

The small-loan consumer finance industry is highly fragmented in the twelve states in which the Company currently operates. The Company believes that its competitors in these markets are principally independent operators with fewer than 20 offices. The Company also believes that attractive opportunities to acquire offices from competitors in its existing markets and to acquire offices in communities not currently served by the Company will become available as conditions in the local economies and the financial circumstances of the owners change.

 

The following table sets forth the number of offices of the Company at the dates indicated:

 

     At March 31,

State


   1996

   1997

   1998

   1999

   2000

   2001

   2002

   2003

   2004

   2005

South Carolina

   62    68    64    63    63    62    62    65    65    65

Georgia

   39    45    49    49    48    48    52    52    74    76

Texas

   104    131    128    131    135    135    136    142    150    164

Oklahoma

   39    40    41    40    43    43    46    45    47    51

Louisiana (1)

   20    18    21    20    21    20    20    20    20    20

Tennessee (2)

   18    24    28    30    35    38    40    45    51    55

Illinois (3)

   3    11    20    30    30    29    28    28    30    33

Missouri (4)

   —      1    9    16    18    22    22    22    26    36

New Mexico (5)

   —      6    9    10    13    12    12    16    19    20

Kentucky (6)

   —      —      —      —      4    10    13    30    30    36

Alabama (7)

   —      —      —      —      —      —      —      5    14    21

Colorado (8)

   —      —      —      —      —      —      —      —      —      2
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Total

   282    336    360    379    410    420    441    470    526    579
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

(1) The Company commenced operations in Louisiana in May 1991.

 

(2) The Company commenced operations in Tennessee in April 1993.

 

(3) The Company commenced operations in Illinois in September 1996.

 

(4) The Company commenced operations in Missouri in August 1996.

 

(5) The Company commenced operations in New Mexico in December 1996.

 

(6) The Company commenced operations in Kentucky in March 2000.

 

(7) The Company commenced operations in Alabama in January 2003.

 

(8) The Company commenced operations in Colorado in August 2004.

 

Loan and Other Products. In each state in which it operates, the Company offers loans that are standardized by amount and maturity in an effort to reduce documentation and related processing costs. Substantially all of the Company’s loans are payable in monthly installments with terms of four to fifteen months, and all loans are prepayable at any time without penalty. In fiscal 2005, the Company’s average originated loan size and term were approximately $754 and nine months, respectively. State laws regulate lending terms, including the maximum loan amounts and interest rates and the types and maximum amounts of fees, insurance premiums and other costs that may be charged. As of March 31, 2005, the annual percentage rates on loans offered by the Company, which include interest, fees and other charges as calculated for the purposes of federal consumer loan disclosure requirements, ranged from 30% to 215% depending on the loan size, maturity and the state in which the loan is made. In addition, in certain states, the Company sells credit insurance in connection with its loans as agent for an unaffiliated insurance company, which may increase its returns on loans originated in those states.

 

Specific allowable charges vary by state and, consistent with industry practice, the Company generally charges the maximum rates allowable under applicable state law. Statutes in Texas and Oklahoma allow for indexing the maximum loan amounts to the Consumer Price Index. Fees charged by the Company include origination and account maintenance fees, monthly handling charges and, in South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Alabama, non-file fees, which are collected by the Company and paid as premiums to an unaffiliated insurance company for non-recording insurance.

 

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The Company, as an agent for an unaffiliated insurance company, markets and sells credit life, credit accident and health, credit property, and unemployment insurance in connection with its loans in states where the sale of such insurance is permitted by law. Credit life insurance provides for the payment in full of the borrower’s credit obligation to the lender in the event of death. Credit accident and health insurance provides for repayment of loan installments to the lender that come due during the insured’s period of income interruption resulting from disability from illness or injury. Credit property insurance insures payment of the borrower’s credit obligation to the lender in the event that the personal property pledged as security by the borrower is damaged or destroyed. Unemployment insurance provides for repayment of loan installments to the lender that come due during the insured’s period of involuntary unemployment. The Company requires each customer to obtain credit insurance in the amount of the loan for all loans originated in Georgia, and encourages customers to obtain credit insurance for loans originated in South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky and on a limited basis in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Customers in those states typically obtain such credit insurance through the Company. Charges for such credit insurance are made at maximum authorized rates and are stated separately in the Company’s disclosure to customers, as required by the Truth-in-Lending Act. In the sale of insurance policies, the Company as agent writes policies only within limitations established by its agency contracts with the insurer. The Company does not sell credit insurance to non-borrowers.

 

The Company also markets automobile club memberships to its borrowers in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky as an agent for an unaffiliated automobile club. Club memberships entitle members to automobile breakdown and towing insurance and related services. The Company is paid a commission on each membership sold, but has no responsibility for administering the club, paying insurance benefits or providing services to club members. The Company generally does not market automobile club memberships to non-borrowers.

 

In fiscal 1995 the Company implemented its World Class Buying Club, and began marketing certain electronic products and appliances to its Texas borrowers. Since implementation, the Company has expanded this program to Georgia, Tennessee, New Mexico and Missouri. The program is not offered in the other states where the Company operates as it is not permitted by the various state regulations. Borrowers participating in this program can purchase a product from a catalog available at a branch office or by direct mail and finance the purchase with a retail installment sales loan provided by the Company. Products sold through this program are shipped directly by the suppliers to the Company’s customers and, accordingly, the Company is not required to maintain any inventory to support the program. During fiscal 2004, however, the company tried, on a limited basis, to maintain a few inventory items in each of its branch offices participating in the program. Having certain items on hand enhanced sales and will continue to be done on a limited basis in the future.

 

Since fiscal 1997, the Company has expanded its product line to include larger balance, lower risk, and lower yielding individual consumer loans. These loans typically average $2,500 to $3,000, with terms of 18 to 24 months, compared to $300 to $500, with 8 to 12 month terms for the smaller loans. The Company offers these loans in all states except Texas and Colorado, where they are not profitable under the Company’s lending criteria and strategy. Additionally, the Company has purchased numerous larger loan offices and has made several bulk purchases of larger loans receivable. As of March 31, 2005, the larger class of loans accounted for approximately $103.8 million of gross loans receivable, a 19.8% increase over the balance outstanding at March 31, 2004. This portfolio now represents 29.5% of the total loan balances as of the end of the fiscal year. Management believes that these loans provide lower expense and loss ratios, thus providing positive contributions. While the Company does not intend to change its primary lending focus from its small-loan business, it does intend to continue expanding the larger loan product line as part of its ongoing growth strategy.

 

Another service offered by the Company is income tax return preparation, electronic filing and refund anticipation loans. Begun as an experiment in fiscal 1999, this program is now provided in all but a few of the Company’s offices. The number of returns completed has grown from 16,000 in fiscal 2000 to approximately 55,000 in fiscal 2005, and the net revenues to the Company from this service grew from approximately $1.0 million to approximately $6.8 million over this same period. The Company believes that this is a beneficial service for its existing customer base and plans to continue to promote and expand the program.

 

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Loan Activity and Seasonality. The following table sets forth the composition of the Company’s gross loans receivable by state at March 31 of each year from 1996 through 2005:

 

     At March 31,

 

State


   1996

    1997

    1998

    1999

    2000

    2001

    2002

    2003

    2004

    2005

 

South Carolina

   33 %   26 %   23 %   22 %   21 %   21 %   19 %   15 %   14 %   12 %

Georgia

   13     13     14     16     15     12     12     12     13     13  

Texas

   35     39     35     31     28     25     24     23     21     20  

Oklahoma

   8     7     7     7     6     6     5     5     5     5  

Louisiana (1)

   5     3     4     4     3     3     3     3     3     3  

Tennessee (2)

   6     10     11     12     13     11     12     14     15     18  

Illinois (3)

   —       —       2     3     4     5     5     5     5     5  

Missouri (4)

   —       —       1     2     3     4     5     5     6     6  

New Mexico (5)

   —       2     3     3     3     3     3     3     3     3  

Kentucky (6)

   —       —       —       —       4     10     12     13     12     12  

Alabama (7)

   —       —       —       —       —       —       —       2     3     3  

Colorado (8)

   —       —       —       —       —       —       —       —       —       —    
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %   100 %
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


(1) The Company commenced operations in Louisiana in May 1991.

 

(2) The Company commenced operations in Tennessee in April 1993.

 

(3) The Company commenced operations in Illinois in September 1996.

 

(4) The Company commenced operations in Missouri in August 1996.

 

(5) The Company commenced operations in New Mexico in December 1996.

 

(6) The Company commenced operations in Kentucky in March 2000.

 

(7) The Company commenced operations in Alabama in January 2003.

 

(8) The Company commenced operations in Colorado in August 2004.

 

The following table sets forth the total number of loans and the average loan balance by state at March 31, 2005:

 

     Total Number
of Loans


   Average Gross Loan
Balance


South Carolina

   51,673    $ 870

Georgia

   56,700      743

Texas

   165,091      426

Oklahoma

   34,559      549

Louisiana

   13,839      625

Tennessee

   56,318      1,099

Illinois

   22,111      831

Missouri

   21,567      1,029

New Mexico

   14,604      671

Kentucky

   31,774      1,294

Alabama

   13,448      915

Colorado

   1,292      590
    
      

Total

   482,976       
    
      

 

The Company’s highest loan demand occurs generally from October through December, its third fiscal quarter. Loan demand is generally lowest and loan repayment highest from January to March, its fourth fiscal quarter. Consequently, the Company experiences significant seasonal fluctuations in its operating results and cash needs. Operating results from the Company’s third fiscal quarter are generally lower than in other quarters and operating results for its fourth fiscal quarter are generally higher than in other quarters.

 

Lending and Collection Operations. The Company seeks to provide short-term loans to the segment of the population that has limited access to other sources of credit. In evaluating the creditworthiness of potential customers, the Company primarily examines the individual’s discretionary income, length of current employment, duration of

 

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residence and prior credit experience. Loans are made to individuals on the basis of the customer’s discretionary income and other factors and are limited to amounts that the customer can reasonably be expected to repay from that income. All of the Company’s new customers are required to complete standardized credit applications in person or by telephone at local Company offices. Each of the Company’s local offices is equipped to perform immediate background, employment and credit checks and approve loan applications promptly, often while the customer waits. The Company’s employees verify the applicant’s employment and credit histories through telephone checks with employers, other employment references and a variety of credit services. Substantially all new customers are required to submit a listing of personal property that will be pledged as collateral to secure the loan, but the Company does not rely on the value of such collateral in the loan approval process and generally does not perfect its security interest in that collateral. Accordingly, if the customer were to default in the repayment of the loan, the Company may not be able to recover the outstanding loan balance by resorting to the sale of collateral. The Company generally approves less than 50% of applications for loans to new customers.

 

The Company believes that the development and continual reinforcement of personal relationships with customers improve the Company’s ability to monitor their creditworthiness, reduce credit risk and generate repeat loans. It is not unusual for the Company to have made a number of loans to the same customer over the course of several years, many of which were refinanced with a new loan after two or three payments. In determining whether to refinance existing loans, the Company typically requires loans to be current on a recency basis, and repeat customers are generally required to complete a new credit application if they have not completed one within the prior two years.

 

In fiscal 2005, approximately 87% of the Company’s loans were generated through refinancings of outstanding loans and the origination of new loans to previous customers. A refinancing represents a new loan transaction with a present customer in which a portion of the new loan proceeds is used to repay the balance of an existing loan and the remaining portion is advanced to the customer. The Company actively markets the opportunity to refinance existing loans prior to maturity, thereby increasing the amount borrowed and increasing the fees and other income realized. For fiscal 2003, 2004, and 2005, the percentages of the Company’s loan originations that were refinancings of existing loans were 77.1%, 77.2% and 77.6%, respectively.

 

The Company allows refinancing of delinquent loans on a case-by-case basis for those customers who otherwise satisfy the Company’s credit standards. Each such refinancing is carefully examined before approval to avoid increasing credit risk. A delinquent loan may generally be refinanced only if the customer has made payments which, together with any credits of insurance premiums or other charges to which the customer is entitled in connection with the refinancing, reduce the balance due on the loan to an amount equal to or less than the original cash advance made in connection with the loan. The Company does not allow the amount of the new loan to exceed the original amount of the existing loan. The Company believes that refinancing delinquent loans for certain customers who have made periodic payments allows the Company to increase its average loans outstanding and its interest, fee and other income without experiencing a material increase in loan losses. These refinancings also provide a resolution to temporary financial setbacks for these borrowers and sustain their credit rating. While allowed on a selective basis, refinancings of delinquent loans amounted to less than 3% of the Company’s loan volume in fiscal 2005.

 

To reduce late payment risk, local office staff encourage customers to inform the Company in advance of expected payment problems. Local office staff also promptly contact delinquent customers following any payment due date and thereafter remain in close contact with such customers through phone calls, letters or personal visits to the customer’s residence or place of employment until payment is received or some other resolution is reached. When representatives of the Company make personal visits to delinquent customers, the Company’s policy is to encourage the customers to return to the Company’s office to make payment. Company employees are instructed not to accept payment outside of the Company’s offices except in unusual circumstances. In Georgia, Oklahoma, and Illinois, the Company is permitted under state laws to garnish customers’ wages for repayment of loans, but the Company does not otherwise generally resort to litigation for collection purposes, and rarely attempts to foreclose on collateral.

 

Insurance-related Operations. In Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama and on a limited basis, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, the Company sells credit insurance to customers in connection with its loans as an agent for an unaffiliated insurance company. These insurance policies provide for the payment of the outstanding balance of the Company’s loan upon the occurrence of an insured event. The Company earns a commission on the sale of such credit insurance, which is based in part on the claims experience of the insurance company on policies sold on its behalf by the Company.

 

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The Company has a wholly-owned, captive insurance subsidiary that reinsures a portion of the credit insurance sold in connection with loans made by the Company. Certain coverages currently sold by the Company on behalf of the unaffiliated insurance carrier are ceded by the carrier to the captive insurance subsidiary, providing the Company with an additional source of income derived from the earned reinsurance premiums. In fiscal 2005, the captive insurance subsidiary reinsured approximately 4.4% of the credit insurance sold by the Company and contributed approximately $223,000 to the Company’s total revenues.

 

The Company typically does not perfect its security interest in collateral securing its smaller loans by filing Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) financing statements. Statutes in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky and Alabama permit the Company to charge a non-file or non-recording insurance fee in connection with loans originated in these states. These fees are equal in aggregate amount to the premiums paid by the Company to purchase non-file insurance coverage from an unaffiliated insurance company. Under its non-file insurance coverage, the Company is reimbursed for losses on loans resulting from its policy not to perfect its security interest in collateral pledged to secure the loans. The Company generally perfects its security interest in collateral on larger loan transactions (typically greater than $1,000) by filing UCC financing statements.

 

Monitoring and Supervision. The Company’s loan operations are organized into Southern, Central and Western Divisions, with the Southern Division consisting of South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and Alabama; the Central Division of Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky; and the Western Division of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado. Several levels of management monitor and supervise the operations of each of the Company’s offices. Branch managers are directly responsible for the performance of their respective offices and must approve all credit applications. District supervisors are responsible for the performance of eight to ten offices in their districts, typically communicate with the branch managers of each of their offices at least weekly and visit the offices monthly. Each of the state Vice Presidents of Operations monitor the performance of all offices within their states (or partial state in the case of Texas), primarily through communication with district supervisors. These Vice Presidents of Operations typically communicate with the district supervisors of each of their districts weekly and visit each office in their states quarterly.

 

Senior management receives daily delinquency, loan volume, charge-off, and other statistical reports consolidated by state and has access to these daily reports for each branch office. At least monthly, district supervisors audit the operations of each office in their geographic area and submit standardized reports detailing their findings to the Company’s senior management. At least once per year, each office undergoes an audit by the Company’s internal auditors. These audits include an examination of cash balances and compliance with Company loan approval, review and collection procedures and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

 

In fiscal 1994 the Company converted all of its loan offices to a new computer system following its acquisition of Paradata Financial Systems, a small software company located near St. Louis, Missouri. This system uses a proprietary data processing software package developed by Paradata, and has enabled the Company to fully automate all loan account processing and collection reporting. The system also provides significantly enhanced management information and control capabilities. The Company also markets the system to other finance companies, but experiences significant fluctuations from year to year in the amount of revenues generated from sales of the system to third parties and does not expect such revenues to be material.

 

Staff and Training. Local offices are generally staffed with three employees. The branch manager supervises operations of the office and is responsible for approving all loan applications. Each office generally has one assistant manager who contacts delinquent customers, reviews loan applications and prepares operational reports and one customer service representative who takes and processes loan applications and payments and assists in the preparation of operational reports and collection and marketing activities. Large offices may employ additional assistant managers and service representatives.

 

New employees are required to review a detailed training manual that outlines the Company’s operating policies and procedures. The Company tests each employee on the training manual during the first year of employment. In addition, each branch provides in-office training sessions once every week and training sessions outside the office for one full day every two months.

 

Compensation. The Company administers a performance-based compensation program for all of its district supervisors and branch managers. The Company annually reviews the performance of branch managers and adjusts their base salaries based upon a number of factors, including office loan growth, delinquencies and profitability.

 

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Branch managers also receive incentive compensation based upon office profitability and delinquencies. In addition, branch managers are paid a cash bonus for training personnel who are promoted to branch manager positions. Assistant managers and service representatives are paid a base salary and incentive compensation based primarily upon their office’s loan volume and delinquency ratio.

 

Advertising. The Company actively advertises through direct mail, targeting both its present and former customers and potential customers who have used other sources of consumer credit. The Company creates mailing lists from public records of collateral filings by other consumer credit sources, such as furniture retailers and other consumer finance companies and obtains or acquires mailing lists from other sources. In addition to the general promotion of its loans for vacations, back-to-school needs and other uses, the Company advertises extensively during the October through December holiday season and in connection with new office openings. The Company believes its advertising contributes significantly to its ability to compete effectively with other providers of small-loan consumer credit. In fiscal 2005, advertising expenses were approximately 3.7% of total revenues.

 

Competition. The small-loan consumer finance industry is highly fragmented, with numerous competitors. The majority of the Company’s competitors are independent operators with fewer than 20 offices. Competition from nationwide consumer finance businesses is limited because these companies typically do not make loans of less than $1,000.

 

The Company believes that competition between small-loan consumer finance companies occurs primarily on the basis of the strength of customer relationships, customer service and reputation in the local community, rather than pricing, as participants in this industry generally charge comparable interest rates and fees. The Company believes that its relatively larger size affords it a competitive advantage over smaller companies by increasing its access to, and reducing its cost of, capital.

 

Several of the states in which the Company currently operates limit the size of loans made by small-loan consumer finance companies and prohibit the extension of more than one loan to a customer by any one company. As a result, many customers borrow from more than one finance company, enabling the Company to obtain information on the credit history of specific customers from other consumer finance companies. The Company generally seeks to open new offices in communities already served by at least one other small-loan consumer finance company.

 

Government Regulation. Small-loan consumer finance companies are subject to extensive regulation, supervision and licensing under various federal and state statutes, ordinances and regulations. In general, these statutes establish maximum loan amounts and interest rates and the types and maximum amounts of fees, insurance premiums and other costs that may be charged. In addition, state laws regulate collection procedures, the keeping of books and records and other aspects of the operation of small-loan consumer finance companies. Generally, state regulations also establish minimum capital requirements for each local office. State agency approval is required to open new branch offices. Accordingly, the ability of the Company to expand by acquiring existing offices and opening new offices will depend in part on obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals.

 

A Texas regulation requires the approval of the Texas Consumer Credit Commissioner for the acquisition, directly or indirectly, of more than 10% of the voting or common stock of a consumer finance company. A Louisiana statute prohibits any person from acquiring control of 50% or more of the shares of stock of a licensed consumer lender, such as the Company, without first obtaining a license as a consumer lender. The overall effect of these laws, and similar laws in other states, is to make it more difficult to acquire a consumer finance company than it might be to acquire control of a nonregulated corporation.

 

Each of the Company’s branch offices is separately licensed under the laws of the state in which the office is located. Licenses granted by the regulatory agencies in these states are subject to renewal every year and may be revoked for failure to comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. In the states in which the Company currently operates, licenses may be revoked only after an administrative hearing.

 

The Company and its operations are regulated by several state agencies, including the Industrial Loan Division of the Office of the Georgia Insurance Commissioner, the Consumer Finance Division of the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs, the Texas Office of the Consumer Credit Commission, the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit, the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions, the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions, the Missouri Division of Finance, the Consumer Credit Division of the Illinois Department of Financial Institutions, the Consumer Credit Bureau of the New Mexico Financial Institutions Division, the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, the Alabama State Banking Department

 

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and the Colorado Uniform Commercial Code Commission. These state regulatory agencies audit the Company’s local offices from time to time, and each state agency performs an annual compliance audit of the Company’s operations in that state.

 

The Company is also subject to state regulations governing insurance agents in the states in which it sells credit insurance. State insurance regulations require that insurance agents be licensed, govern the commissions that may be paid to agents in connection with the sale of credit insurance and limit the premium amount charged for such insurance. The Company’s captive insurance subsidiary is regulated by the insurance authorities of the Turks and Caicos Islands of the British West Indies, where the subsidiary is organized and domiciled.

 

The Company is subject to extensive federal regulation as well, including the Truth-in-Lending Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the regulations thereunder and the Federal Trade Commission’s Credit Practices Rule. These laws require the Company to provide complete disclosure of the principal terms of each loan to every prospective borrower, prohibit misleading advertising, protect against discriminatory lending practices and proscribe unfair credit practices. Among the principal disclosure items under the Truth-in-Lending Act are the terms of repayment, the final maturity, the total finance charge and the annual percentage rate charged on each loan. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits creditors from discriminating against loan applicants on the basis of race, color, sex, age or marital status. Pursuant to Regulation B promulgated under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, creditors are required to make certain disclosures regarding consumer rights and advise consumers whose credit applications are not approved of the reasons for the rejection. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the Company to provide certain information to consumers whose credit applications are not approved on the basis of a report obtained from a consumer reporting agency. The Credit Practices Rule limits the types of property a creditor may accept as collateral to secure a consumer loan. Violations of the statutes and regulations described above may result in actions for damages, claims for refund of payments made, certain fines and penalties, injunctions against certain practices and the potential forfeiture of rights to repayment of loans.

 

Consumer finance companies are affected by changes in state and federal statutes and regulations. The Company actively participates in trade associations and in lobbying efforts in the states in which it operates. Although the Company is not aware of any pending or proposed legislation that would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, there can be no assurance that future regulatory changes will not adversely affect the Company’s lending practices, operations, profitability or prospects.

 

Employees. As of March 31, 2005, the Company had 2,075 employees, none of whom were represented by labor unions. The Company considers its relations with its personnel to be good. The Company seeks to hire people who will become long-term employees. The Company experiences a high level of turnover among its entry-level personnel, which the Company believes is typical of the small-loan consumer finance industry.

 

Executive Officers. The names and ages, positions, terms of office and periods of service of each of the Company’s executive officers (and other business experience for executive officers who have served as such for less than five years) are set forth below. The term of office for each executive officer expires upon the earlier of the appointment and qualification of a successor or such officers’ death, resignation, retirement or removal.

 

Name and Age


  

Position


  

Period of Service as Executive Officer and Pre-executive
Officer Experience (if an Executive Officer for Less Than
Five Years)


Charles D. Walters (66)

   Chairman and Director    Chairman since July 1991; CEO between July 1991 and August 2003; President between July 1986 and August 2003; Director since April 1989

Douglas R. Jones (53)

   President and Chief Executive Officer; Director    CEO since August 2003; President since August 1999; Chief Operating Officer from August 1999 until August 2003; from October 1977 until August 1999, various positions with Associates Financial Services, Inc., Dallas, Texas with most recent being Regional Operations Director

A. Alexander McLean, III (54)

   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer; Director    Executive Vice President since August 1996; Senior Vice President since July 1992; CFO and Director since July 1989

 

 

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Mark C. Roland (49)

   Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer    Chief Operating Officer since April 2005; Executive Vice President since April 2002; Senior Vice President from January 1996 to April 2002; Senior Vice President – Operations Support, Fleet Finance, Atlanta, Georgia, from January 1993 to January 1996

Charles F. Gardner, Jr. (43)

   Senior Vice President, Western Division    Since April 2000; Vice President, Operations – Southeast Texas and New Mexico from December 1996 to April 2000; Supervisor of West Texas from July 1987 to December 1996

 

Item 2. Properties

 

The Company owns its headquarters facility of approximately 14,000 square feet and a printing and mailing facility of approximately 13,000 square feet in Greenville, South Carolina, and all of the furniture, fixtures and computer terminals located in each branch office. As of March 31, 2005, the Company had 579 branch offices, most of which are leased pursuant to short-term operating leases. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, total lease expense was approximately $6.9 million, or an average of approximately $12,225 per office. The Company’s leases generally provide for an initial three- to five-year term with renewal options. The Company’s branch offices are typically located in shopping centers, malls and the first floors of downtown buildings. Branch offices generally have a uniform physical layout and range in size from 800 to 1,200 square feet.

 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

 

From time to time the Company is involved in routine litigation relating to claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business in which damages in various amounts are claimed. However, the Company believes that it is not presently a party to any such other pending legal proceedings that would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.

 

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

 

There were no matters submitted to the Company’s security holders during the fourth fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005.

 

PART II.

 

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

Since November 26, 1991, the Company’s Common Stock has traded on the NASDAQ National Market System (“NASDAQ”) under the symbol WRLD. As of June 3, 2005, there were 94 holders of record of Common Stock and approximately 2,000 persons or entities who hold their stock in nominee or “street” names through various brokerage firms.

 

Since April 1989, the Company has not declared or paid any cash dividends on its Common Stock. Its policy has been to retain earnings for use in its business and on occasion, repurchase it’s common stock on the open market. In the future, the Company’s Board of Directors will determine whether to pay cash dividends based on conditions then existing, including the Company’s earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other relevant factors. In addition, the Company’s credit agreements with its lenders impose restrictions on the amount of cash dividends that may be paid on its capital stock.

 

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The following table set forth certain information about the Company’s repurchases of its Common Stock during the quarter ended March 31, 2005:

 

     Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

     (a) Total
Number
of Shares
Purchased


   (b) Average
Price Paid
per Share


   (c) Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
as Part of
Publicly
Announced
Plans or
Programs


   (d) Approximate
Dollar Value of
Shares That
May Yet be
Purchased
Under the Plans
or Programs*


January 1 through January 31, 2005

   —        —      —      $ 7,683,180

February 1, through February 28, 2005

   —        —      —      $ 7,683,180

March 1 through March 31, 2005

   53,000    $ 27.17    53,000    $ 6,243,140
    
  

  
      

Total for the Quarter

   53,000    $ 27.17    53,000       
    
  

  
      

* The reported purchases, and remaining amounts to be purchased, are pursuant to a repurchase of up to $10,000,000 in Company Common Stock announced May 28, 2004. This repurchase authorization had no stated expiration date, but the remaining portion of this authorization was cancelled at a regular scheduled Board Meeting on May 12, 2005. At this meeting, the Board of Directors authorized an additional $20 million of repurchases under the Company’s stock repurchase program. This authorization which was disclosed in a press release dated May 13, 2005 is not subject to specific targets or any expiration date, but may be discontinued at any time.

 

At its regular scheduled Board meeting on May 12, 2005, the Board of Directors authorized an additional $20 million for use under the Company’s stock repurchase program. This authorization was disclosed in a Press Release dated May 13, 2005.

 

The table below reflects the stock prices published by Nasdaq by quarter for the last two fiscal years. The last reported sale price on June 3, 2005, was $26.70.

 

Market Price of Common Stock

 

     Fiscal 2005

Quarter


   High

   Low

First

   $ 20.20    $ 15.23

Second

     25.15      17.20

Third

     27.79      21.62

Fourth

     30.69      25.11
     Fiscal 2004

Quarter


   High

   Low

First

   $ 16.35    $ 9.00

Second

     16.68      12.74

Third

     20.23      14.38

Fourth

     24.40      17.98

 

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Table of Contents
Item 6. Selected Financial Data

 

Selected Consolidated Financial and Other Data

(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

     Years Ended March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

    2003

    2002

    2001

 

Statement of Operations Data:

                                        

Interest and fee income

   $ 177,582     $ 151,499     $ 133,256     $ 117,193     $ 103,412  

Insurance commissions and other income

     33,176       27,653       22,415       19,362       17,132  
    


 


 


 


 


Total revenues

     210,758       179,152       155,671       136,555       120,544  
    


 


 


 


 


Provision for loan losses

     40,037       33,481       29,570       25,688       19,749  

General and administrative expenses

     112,223       96,313       85,757       75,418       68,264  

Interest expense

     4,640       3,943       4,493       5,415       8,260  
    


 


 


 


 


Total expenses

     156,900       133,737       119,820       106,521       96,273  
    


 


 


 


 


Income before income taxes

     53,858       45,415       35,851       30,034       24,271  

Income taxes

     19,868       16,650       12,987       10,695       8,670  
    


 


 


 


 


Net income

   $ 33,990     $ 28,765     $ 22,864     $ 19,339     $ 15,601  
    


 


 


 


 


Net income per common share (diluted)

   $ 1.74     $ 1.49     $ 1.25     $ 1.00     $ 83  
    


 


 


 


 


Diluted weighted average common equivalent shares

     19,558       19,347       18,305       19,340       18,840  
    


 


 


 


 


Balance Sheet Data (end of period):

                                        

Loans receivable

   $ 267,024     $ 236,528     $ 203,175     $ 172,637     $ 162,389  

Allowance for loan losses

     (20,673 )     (17,261 )     (15,098 )     (12,926 )     (12,032 )
    


 


 


 


 


Loans receivable, net

     246,351       219,267       188,077       159,711       150,357  

Total assets

     293,507       261,969       228,317       195,247       183,160  

Total debt

     83,900       95,032       102,532       83,382       91,632  

Shareholders’ equity

     189,711       156,580       116,041       102,433       82,727  

Other Operating Data:

                                        

As a percentage of average loans receivable:

                                        

Provision for loan losses

     15.3 %     15.1 %     15.2 %     14.8 %     12.6 %

Net charge-offs

     14.6 %     14.7 %     14.6 %     14.8 %     12.0 %

Number of offices open at year-end

     579       526       470       441       420  

 

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Table of Contents
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

General

 

The Company’s financial performance continues to be dependent in large part upon the growth in its outstanding loans receivable, the ongoing introduction of new products and services for marketing to its customer base, the maintenance of loan quality and acceptable levels of operating expenses. Since March 31, 2000, gross loans receivable have increased at a 15.2% annual compounded rate from $173.6 million to $351.5 million at March 31, 2005. The increase reflects both the higher volume of loans generated through the Company’s existing offices and the contribution of loans generated from new offices opened or acquired over the period. During this same five-year period, the Company has grown from 410 offices to 579 offices as of March 31, 2005. The Company plans to open or acquire at least 25 new offices in each of the next two fiscal years.

 

The Company continues to identify new products and services for marketing to its customer base. In addition to new insurance-related products, which have been introduced in selected states over the last several years, the Company sells and finances electronic items and appliances to its existing customer base. This program is called the “World Class Buying Club.” Total loan volume under this program amounted to $8.3 million during fiscal 2005, a 27.6% increase from the prior fiscal year. While this represents less than 1% of the Company’s total loan volume, it remains a very profitable program, which the Company plans to continue to emphasize in fiscal 2006 and beyond.

 

The Company’s ParaData Financial Systems subsidiary provides data processing systems to 109 separate finance companies, including the Company, and currently supports approximately 1,170 individual branch offices in 45 states. ParaData’s revenue is highly dependent upon its ability to attract new customers, which often requires substantial lead time, and as a result its revenue may fluctuate greatly from year to year. During fiscal 2005, its net revenues from system sales and support amounted to $2.3 million, approximately the same as in fiscal 2004. ParaData’s pretax income contribution to the Company also can fluctuate greatly and was $332,000, $288,000, and $486,000, in fiscal 2005, fiscal 2004, and fiscal 2003, respectively. ParaData’s net revenue and resulting net contribution to the Company will continue to fluctuate on a year to year basis, but management believes this business should remain profitable over the long term. Additionally, and more importantly, ParaData continues to provide state-of-the-art data processing support for the Company’s in-house integrated computer system at little or no net cost to the Company.

 

Since fiscal 1997, the Company has expanded its product line to include larger balance, lower risk, and lower yielding individual consumer loans. These loans typically average $2,500 to $3,000, with terms of 18 to 24 months, compared to smaller loans, which average $300 to $500, with terms of 8 to 12 months. The Company offers the larger loans in all states except Texas and Colorado, where they are not profitable under our lending criteria and strategy. Additionally, the Company has purchased numerous larger loan offices and has made several bulk purchases of larger loans receivable. As of March 31, 2005, the larger loan category accounted for approximately $103.8 million of gross loans receivable, a 19.8% increase over the balance outstanding at March 31, 2004. At the end of the current fiscal year, this portfolio was 29.5% of the total loan balances, a slight increase from the end of the previous year. Management believes that these loans provide lower expense and loss ratios, and thus provide positive contributions. While the Company does not intend to change its primary lending focus from its small-loan business, it does intend to continue expanding the larger loan product line as part of its ongoing growth strategy.

 

In fiscal 1999, the Company tested an income tax return preparation and refund anticipation loan program in 40 of its offices. Based on the results of this test, the Company expanded this program in fiscal 2000 into substantially all of its offices. Since that time, the program has grown dramatically, with the Company preparing approximately 45,000, 50,000, and 55,000 returns in fiscal 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively. Net revenue generated by the Company from this program during fiscal 2005 amounted to approximately $6.8 million. The Company believes that this profitable business provides a beneficial service to its existing customer base and plans to continue to promote and expand the program in the future.

 

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Table of Contents

The following table sets forth certain information derived from the Company’s consolidated statements of operations and balance sheets, as well as operating data and ratios, for the periods indicated:

 

     Years Ended March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

    2003

 
     (Dollars in thousands)  

Average gross loans receivable (1)

   $ 344,133     292,110     257,595  

Average loans receivable (2)

     261,187     221,240     195,148  

Expenses as a percentage of total revenue:

                    

Provision for loan losses

     19.0 %   18.7 %   19.0 %

General and administrative

     53.2 %   53.8 %   55.1 %

Total interest expense

     2.2 %   2.2 %   2.9 %

Operating margin (3)

     27.8 %   27.6 %   25.9 %

Return on average assets

     11.8 %   11.7 %   10.4 %

Offices opened and acquired, net

     53     56     29  

Total offices (at period end)

     579     526     470  

(1) Average gross loans receivable have been determined by averaging month-end gross loans receivable over the indicated period.

 

(2) Average loans receivable have been determined by averaging month-end gross loans receivable less unearned interest and deferred fees over the indicated period.

 

(3) Operating margin is computed as total revenues less provision for loan losses and general and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues.

 

Comparison of Fiscal 2005 Versus Fiscal 2004

 

Net income was $34.0 million during fiscal 2005, an 18.2% increase over the $28.8 million earned during fiscal 2004. This increase resulted from an increase in operating income (revenues less provision for loan losses and general and administrative expenses) of $9.1 million, or 18.5%, offset by an increase in interest expense and income taxes.

 

Interest and fee income during fiscal 2005 increased by $26.1 million, or 17.2%, over fiscal 2004. This increase resulted from an increase of $39.9 million, or 18.1%, in average loans receivable between the two fiscal years. The increase in average loans receivable, especially the larger loans, was partially due to several acquisitions during the year. The Company acquired approximately $21.5 million in net loans in 20 separate transactions during fiscal 2005.

 

Insurance commissions and other income increased by $5.5 million, or 20.0%, over the two fiscal years. Insurance commissions increased by $3.1 million, or 22.6%, as a result of the increase in loan volume in states where credit insurance may be sold. Other income increased by $2.4 million, or 17.5%, over the two years, primarily due to the increase in fees from income tax return preparation.

 

Total revenues increased to $210.8 million in fiscal 2005, a $31.6 million, or 17.6%, increase over the $179.2 million in fiscal 2004. Revenues from the 462 offices open throughout both fiscal years increased by 8.6%. At March 31, 2005, the Company had 579 offices in operation, an increase of 53 net offices from March 31, 2004.

 

The provision for loan losses during fiscal 2005 increased by $6.6 million, or 19.6%, from the previous year. This increase resulted from a combination of increases in both the general allowance for loan losses and the amount of loans charged off. Net charge-offs for fiscal 2005 amounted to $38.0 million, a 16.7% increase over the $32.6 million charged off during fiscal 2004, and net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans declined slightly from 14.7% to 14.6% when comparing the two annual periods.

 

General and administrative expenses during fiscal 2005 increased by $15.9 million, or 16.5%, over the previous fiscal year. This increase was due primarily to costs associated with the new offices opened or acquired during the fiscal year. General and administrative expenses, when divided by average open offices, increased by 2.4% when comparing the two fiscal years and, overall, general and administrative expenses as a percent of total revenues decreased from 53.8% in fiscal 2004 to 53.2% during fiscal 2005.

 

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Interest expense increased by $698,000, or 17.7%, during fiscal 2005, as compared to the previous fiscal year as a result of an increase in average debt outstanding of 4.8%, combined with an increase in interest rates.

 

The Company’s effective income tax rate increased to 36.9% during fiscal 2005 from 36.7% during the previous fiscal year. This increase resulted primarily from increased state income taxes.

 

Comparison of Fiscal 2004 Versus Fiscal 2003

 

Net income amounted to $28.8 million in fiscal 2004, a 25.8% increase over the $22.9 million earned during fiscal 2003. This increase resulted from an increase of $9.0 million, or 22.3%, in operating income, combined with a reduction in interest expense of $551,000, or 12.3%, offset by a $3.7 million increase in income taxes.

 

Interest and fee income during fiscal 2004 increased by $18.2 million, or 13.7%, over fiscal 2003. This increase resulted primarily from an increase of $26.1 million, or 13.4%, in average loans receivable between the two fiscal years. This increase in loans receivable resulted form growth in our existing offices, new offices opened during the fiscal year and acquisitions. As in the prior year, acquisitions continued to play an important role in our overall growth strategy. During fiscal 2004, $24.5 million of gross loans were purchased in 21 separate transactions. These loans were added to 37 new offices and 29 existing offices.

 

Insurance commissions and other income amounted to $27.7 million in fiscal 2004, a $5.2 million, or 23.4%, increase over the $22.4 million earned in fiscal 2003. Insurance commissions increased by $3.1 million, or 29.4%, and other income increased by $2.1 million, or 18.1%. The increase in insurance commissions resulted from the growth in the loan portfolio in those states where credit insurance may be sold in conjunction with the loan transaction. Other income, which consists primarily of commissions from the sale of Motor Club memberships and AD&D insurance, revenues from ParaData, the gross profit on the sale of items through the Company’s World Class buying Club, and fees from the tax preparation business, were up mainly from an increase in the net fees generated from tax preparation and electronic filing.

 

Total revenues were $179.2 million during fiscal 2004, a 15.1% increase over the $155.7 million in the prior fiscal year. Revenues from the 433 offices that were open throughout both fiscal years increased by 9.8%.

 

The provision for loan losses during fiscal 2004 increased by $3.9 million, or 13.2%, from the previous year. This increase resulted primarily from an increase in loan losses over the two fiscal periods. As a percentage of average loans receivable, net charge-offs rose slightly to 14.7% during fiscal 2004 from 14.6% during fiscal 2003.

 

General and administrative expenses increased by $10.6 million, or 12.3%, over the two fiscal years. The Company’s profitability benefited by improved expense ratios, as total general and administrative expense as a percent of total revenues decreased from 55.1% in fiscal 2003 to 53.8% in fiscal 2004. This ratio improved because of the average general and administrative expense per open office rose by 5.1% over the two fiscal years, while the average revenue increased 9.8%.

 

Interest expense was $3.9 million in fiscal 2004, a decrease of $551,000, or 12.3%, from $4.5 million in fiscal 2003. This decrease was due to reductions in average debt outstanding, as well as overall interest rates when comparing the two fiscal years. Average debt outstanding decreased by 4.8% and the average interest rate decreased from 4.2% in fiscal 2003 to 3.8% in fiscal 2004.

 

The Company’s effective income tax rate increased from 36.2% in fiscal 2003 to 36.7% in fiscal 2004 primarily due to an increase in state income taxes.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

The Company’s accounting and reporting policies are in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and conform to general practices within the finance company industry. The significant accounting policies used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. Certain critical accounting policies involve significant judgment by the Company’s management, including the use of estimates and assumptions which affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. As a result, changes in these estimates and assumptions could significantly affect the Company’s financial position and results of operations. The Company considers its policies regarding the allowance for loan losses to be its most critical accounting policy due to the significant degree of management judgment. The Company has developed policies and procedures for assessing the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses that take into consideration various assumptions and estimates with respect to the loan portfolio. The Company’s assumptions and estimates may be affected in the future by changes in economic conditions, among other factors. For additional discussion concerning the allowance for loan losses, see “Credit Quality” below.

 

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Table of Contents

Credit Quality

 

The Company’s delinquency and net charge-off ratios reflect, among other factors, changes in the mix of loans in the portfolio, the quality of receivables, the success of collection efforts, bankruptcy trends and general economic conditions.

 

Delinquency is computed on the basis of the date of the last full contractual payment on a loan (known as the recency method) and on the basis of the amount past due in accordance with original payment terms of a loan (known as the contractual method). Management closely monitors portfolio delinquency using both methods to measure the quality of the Company’s loan portfolio and the probability of credit losses.

 

The following table classifies the gross loans receivable of the Company that were delinquent on a recency and contractual basis for at least 60 days at March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003:

 

     At March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

    2003

 
     (Dollars in thousands)  

Recency basis:

                    

60-89 days past due

   $ 5,591     5,190     4,960  

90 days or more past due

     3,209     1,916     1,661  
    


 

 

Total

   $ 8,800     7,106     6,621  
    


 

 

Percentage of period-end gross loans receivable

     2.5 %   2.3 %   2.5 %
    


 

 

Contractual basis:

                    

60-89 days past due

   $ 7,040     6,474     6,169  

90 days or more past due

     7,255     5,259     5,060  
    


 

 

Total

   $ 14,295     11,733     11,229  
    


 

 

Percentage of period-end gross loans receivable

     4.1 %   3.8 %   4.2 %
    


 

 

 

Loans are charged off at the earlier of when such loans are deemed to be uncollectible or when six months have elapsed since the date of the last full contractual payment. The Company’s charge-off policy has been consistently applied, and no significant changes have been made to the policy during the periods reported. Management considers the charge-off policy when evaluating the appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses.

 

At the end of fiscal 2005, the Company experienced an increase in contractual delinquency to 4.1% from 3.8% at March 31, 2004. The delinquency rate on a recency basis also increased from 2.3% at the end of fiscal 2004 to 2.5% at the end of the current fiscal year. Charge-offs as a percent of average loans decreased from 14.7% in fiscal 2004 to 14.6% in fiscal 2005.

 

In fiscal 2005, approximately 87.2% of the Company’s loans were generated through renewals of outstanding loans and the origination of new loans to previous customers. A renewal represents a new loan transaction with a present customer in which a portion of the new loan proceeds is used to repay the balance of an existing loan and the remaining portion is advanced to the customer. For fiscal 2003, 2004, and 2005, the percentages of the Company’s loan originations that were renewals of existing loans were 77.1%, 77.2%, and 77.6%, respectively. The Company’s renewal policies are determined based on state regulations and customer payment history. A renewal is considered a current renewal if the customer is no more than 45 days delinquent on a contractual basis. Delinquent renewals may be extended to customers that are more than 45 days past due on a contractual basis if the customer completes a new application and the manager believes that the customer’s ability and intent to repay has improved. It is the Company’s policy to not renew delinquent loans in amounts greater than the original amounts financed. In all cases, a customer must complete a new application every two years. During fiscal 2005, delinquent renewals represented 2.4% of the Company’s total loan volume.

 

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Table of Contents

Charge-offs, as a percentage of loans made by category, are greatest on loans made to new borrowers and less on loans made to former borrowers and renewals. This is as expected due to the payment history experience available on repeat borrowers. However, as a percentage of total loans charged off, renewals represent the greatest percentage due to the volume of loans made in this category. The following table depicts the charge-offs as a percent of loans made by category and as a percent of total charge-offs during fiscal 2005:

 

     Loan Volume
by Category


    Percent of
Total Charge-offs


    Percent of
Loans Made


 

Renewals

   77.6 %   72.6 %   4.7 %

Former Borrowers

   9.6 %   5.4 %   3.0 %

New Borrowers

   12.8 %   22.0 %   11.8 %
    

 

     
     100.0 %   100.0 %      
    

 

     

 

The Company maintains an allowance for loan losses in an amount that, in management’s opinion, is adequate to cover losses inherent in the existing loan portfolio. The Company charges against current earnings, as a provision for loan losses, amounts added to the allowance to maintain it at levels expected to cover probable losses of principal. When establishing the allowance for loan losses, the Company takes into consideration the growth of the loan portfolio, the mix of the loan portfolio, current levels of charge-offs, current levels of delinquencies, and current economic factors. In accordance with Statement of Accounting Standards No. 5 “Accounting for Contingencies” (SFAS No. 5), the Company accrues an estimated loss if it is probable and can be reasonably estimated. It is probable that there are losses in the existing portfolio. To estimate the losses, the Company uses historical information for net charge-offs and average loan life by loan type. This methodology is based on the fact that many customers renew their loans prior to the contractual maturity. Average contractual loan terms are approximately nine months and the average life is approximately four months. Based on this methodology, the Company had an allowance for loan losses that approximated six months of average net charge-offs at March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003. Therefore, at each year end the Company had an allowance for loan losses that covered estimated losses for its existing loans based on historical charge-offs and average lives. In addition, the entire loan portfolio turns over approximately 3.0 times during a typical twelve-month period. Therefore, a large percentage of loans that are charged off during any fiscal year are not on the Company’s books at the beginning of the fiscal year. The Company believes that it is not appropriate to provide for losses on loans that have not been originated, that twelve months of net charge-offs is not needed in the allowance, and that the methodology employed is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

 

For the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, the Company recorded adjustments of approximately $1.4 million, $1.3 million, and $1.0 million, respectively, to the allowance for loan losses in connection with acquisitions in accordance generally accepted accounting principles. These adjustments represent the allowance for loan losses on acquired loans.

 

The Company records acquired loans at fair value based on current interest rates, less allowances for uncollectibility and collection costs. The acquired loan portfolios generally include some loans that the Company deems uncollectible but which do not have an allowance assigned to them by the acquiree. An allowance for loan losses is then estimated based on a review of the loan portfolio, considering delinquency levels, charge-offs, loan mix and other current economic factors. The Company then records the acquired loans at their gross value and records the related allowance for loan losses. These are reflected as purchase accounting acquisitions in the table below. Subsequent charge-offs related to acquired loans are reflected in the purchase accounting acquisition adjustment in the year of acquisition. Also see Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements.

 

The Company believes that its allowance for loan losses is adequate to cover losses in the existing portfolio at March 31, 2005.

 

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The following is a summary of the changes in the allowance for loan losses for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003:

 

     March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

    2003

 

Balance at the beginning of the year

   $ 17,260,750     15,097,780     12,925,644  

Provision for loan losses

     40,036,597     33,481,447     29,569,889  

Loan losses

     (41,984,428 )   (35,731,794 )   (30,987,772 )

Recoveries

     3,941,348     3,118,924     2,541,785  

Purchase accounting acquisitions

     1,418,473     1,294,393     1,048,234  
    


 

 

Balance at the end of the year

   $ 20,672,740     17,260,750     15,097,780  
    


 

 

Allowance as a percentage of loans receivable, net of unearned and deferred fees

     7.7 %   7.3 %   7.4 %

Net charge-offs as a percentage of average loans receivable (1)

     14.6 %   14.7 %   14.6 %

(1) Average loans receivable have been determined by averaging month-end gross loans receivable less unearned interest and deferred fees over the indicated period.

 

Quarterly Information and Seasonality

 

The Company’s loan volume and corresponding loans receivable follow seasonal trends. The Company’s highest loan demand typically occurs from October through December, its third fiscal quarter. Loan demand has generally been the lowest and loan repayment highest from January to March, its fourth fiscal quarter. Loan volume and average balances typically remain relatively level during the remainder of the year. This seasonal trend affects quarterly operating performance through corresponding fluctuations in interest and fee income and insurance commissions earned and the provision for loan losses recorded, as well as fluctuations in the Company’s cash needs. Consequently, operating results for the Company’s third fiscal quarter generally are significantly lower than in other quarters and operating results for its fourth fiscal quarter significantly higher than in other quarters.

 

The following table sets forth, on a quarterly basis, certain items included in the Company’s unaudited consolidated financial statements and shows the number of offices open during fiscal years 2004 and 2005.

 

     At or for the Three Months Ended

     June 30,
2003


   Sept. 30,
2003


   Dec. 31,
2003


   March 31,
2004


   June 30,
2004


   Sept. 30,
2004


   Dec. 31,
2004


   March 31,
2005


     (Dollars in thousands)

Total revenues

   $ 40,263    41,676    44,285    52,928    47,478    49,754    53,166    60,360

Provision for loan losses

     7,929    9,328    11,077    5,147    8,627    11,282    13,731    6,397

General and administrative expenses

     22,643    21,961    25,074    26,635    26,419    26,531    29,460    29,813

Net income

     5,611    6,101    4,604    12,449    7,266    6,906    5,501    14,317

Gross loans receivable

   $ 279,805    283,485    334,485    310,131    334,567    349,402    384,715    351,496

Number of offices open

     473    486    516    526    544    575    578    579

 

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Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer

 

Effective April 1, 2005, The Company adopted SOP No. 03-3 (“SOP 03-3”), “Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer,” which prohibits carry over or creation of valuation allowances in the initial accounting of all loans acquired in a transfer that are within the scope of this SOP. The prohibition of the valuation allowance carryover applies to the purchase of an individual loan, a pool of loans, a group of loans, and loans acquired in a purchase business combination. The initial adoption of this issue did not have an impact on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this pronouncement on future acquisitions.

 

Share-Based Payment

 

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123R (“SFAS 123R”), “Share-Based Payment,” which requires companies to recognize in the income statement the grant-date fair value of stock options and other equity-based compensation issued to employees. SFAS 123R is an amendment of SFAS No. 123 (“SFAS 123”), “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” and its related implementation guidance. SFAS 123R does not change the accounting guidance for share-based payment transactions with parties other than employees provided in SFAS 123. Under SFAS 123R, the way an award is classified will affect the measurement of compensation cost. Liability-classified awards are remeasured to fair value at each balance-sheet date until the award is settled. Liability-classified awards include the following:

 

    Employee awards with cash-based settlement or repurchase features, such as a stock appreciation right with a cash-settlement option;

 

    Awards for a fixed dollar amount settleable in the company‘s stock;

 

    Share-based awards with a net-settlement feature for an amount in excess of the minimum tax withholding; and

 

    Awards that vest or become exercisable based on the achievement of a condition other than service, performance, or market condition.

 

Equity-classified awards are measured at grant-date fair value, amortized over the subsequent vesting period, and are not subsequently remeasured. Equity-classified awards include the following:

 

    Share-based awards with net-settlement features for minimum tax withholdings;

 

    Awards that permit a cashless exercise using a broker unrelated to the employer;

 

    Awards containing a put feature that give employees the right to require the company to repurchase the shares at fair value, when the employee bears the risks and rewards normally associated with ownership for six months or longer.

 

Effective April 21, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an amendment to Rule 4-01(a)(1) of Regulation S-X delaying the effective date for public entities that do not file as small business issuers to the first annual period beginning after June 15, 2005 instead of SFAS 123R’s original effective date, which was as of the beginning of the first interim reporting period beginning after June 15, 2005. The Company will adopt this SFAS on April 1, 2006 and is evaluating the impact on the Company’s fiscal 2007 results of operations.

 

Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions

 

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153 (“SFAS 153”), “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets-an amendment of APB Opinion No. 29,” which eliminates the exception for nonmonetary exchanges of similar productive assets and replaces it with a general exception for exchanges of nonmonetary assets that do not have commercial substance. A nonmonetary exchange has commercial substance if the future cash flows of the entity are expected to change significantly as a result of the exchange. SFAS 153 is effective for nonmonetary transactions occurring in fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2005.

 

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Table of Contents

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The Company has financed its operations, acquisitions and office expansion through a combination of cash flow from operations and borrowings from its institutional lenders. The Company has generally applied its cash flow from operations to fund its increasing loan volume, fund acquisitions, repay long-term indebtedness, and repurchase its common stock. As the Company’s gross loans receivable increased from $266.8 million at March 31, 2002 to $351.5 million at March 31, 2005, net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005 was $55.1 million, $70.4 million, and $88.1 million, respectively.

 

The Company’s primary ongoing cash requirements relate to the funding of new offices and acquisitions, the overall growth of loans outstanding, the repayment of long-term indebtedness and the repurchase of its common stock. The Company repurchased 1,986,000 shares of its common stock under its repurchase program, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $16.0 million, between February 1996 and October 1996. Because of certain loan agreement restrictions, the Company suspended its stock repurchases in October 1996. The stock repurchase program was reinstated in January 2000, and 144,000 shares were repurchased in fiscal 2000, 275,000 shares in fiscal 2001, 252,000 shares in fiscal 2002, 1,623,549 shares in fiscal 2003, and 486,000 in fiscal 2005 for respective aggregate purchase prices of $724,000, $1,434,000, $2,179,000, $12,001,000, and $8,751,000. The Company believes stock repurchases to be a viable component of the Company’s long-term financial strategy and an excellent use of excess cash when the opportunity arises. The Board of Directors on May 12, 2005, authorized the Company to increase its share repurchase program by up to $20 million. In addition, the Company plans to open or acquire at least 25 new offices in each of the next two fiscal years. Expenditures by the Company to open and furnish new offices generally averaged approximately $20,000 per office during fiscal 2005. New offices have also required from $100,000 to $400,000 to fund outstanding loans receivable originated during their first 12 months of operation.

 

The Company acquired 30 offices and a number of loan portfolios from competitors in 8 states in 20 separate transactions during fiscal 2005. Gross loans receivable purchased in these transactions were approximately $27.4 million in the aggregate at the dates of purchase. The Company believes that attractive opportunities to acquire new offices or receivables from its competitors or to acquire offices in communities not currently served by the Company will continue to become available as conditions in local economies and the financial circumstances of owners change.

 

At March 31, 2005, the Company’s accounts payable and accrued expenses included $5.8 million for an acquisition where the contract was signed and the assets were transferred but the cash payment had not been made. The payment was remitted on April 1, 2005.

 

The Company has a $152.0 million base credit facility with a syndicate of banks. In addition to the base revolving credit commitment, there is a $15 million seasonal revolving credit commitment available November 15 of each year through March 31 of the immediately succeeding year to cover the increase in loan demand during this period. The credit facility will expire on September 30, 2006. Funds borrowed under the revolving credit facility bear interest, at the Company’s option, at either the agent bank’s prime rate per annum or the LIBOR rate plus 2.00% per annum. At March 31, 2005, the interest rate on borrowings under the revolving credit facility was 4.9%. The Company pays a commitment fee equal to 0.375% per annum of the daily unused portion of the revolving credit facility. Amounts outstanding under the revolving credit facility may not exceed specified percentages of eligible loans receivable. On March 31, 2005, $82.9 million was outstanding under this facility, and there was $69.1 million of unused borrowing availability under the borrowing base limitations.

 

The Company is currently in negotiations with its banks to extend the maturity date of its credit facility to September 30, 2007. The Company does not currently anticipate any problems in getting this extension approved, but will not know definitely until some time in the second quarter of fiscal 2006.

 

The Company’s credit agreements contain a number of financial covenants, including minimum net worth and fixed charge coverage requirements. The credit agreements also contain certain other covenants, including covenants that impose limitations on the Company with respect to (i) declaring or paying dividends or making distributions on or acquiring common or preferred stock or warrants or options; (ii) redeeming or purchasing or prepaying principal or interest on subordinated debt; (iii) incurring additional indebtedness; and (iv) entering into a merger, consolidation or sale of substantial assets or subsidiaries. The Company was in compliance with these agreements at March 31, 2005 and does not believe that these agreements will materially limit its business and expansion strategy.

 

 

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Table of Contents

The following table summarizes the Company’s contractual cash obligations by period (in thousands):

 

     Fiscal Year Ended March 31,

     (Dollars in thousands)
     2006

   2007

   2008

   2009

   2010

   Thereafter

   Total

Maturities of Notes Payable

   $ 200    83,100    200    200    200    0    83,900

Minimum Lease Payments

     5,340    2,978    1,065    157    50    0    9,590
    

  
  
  
  
  
  

Total

   $ 5,540    86,078    1,265    357    250    0    93,490
    

  
  
  
  
  
  

 

The Company believes that cash flow from operations and borrowings under its revolving credit facility will be adequate for the next twelve months, and for the foreseeable future thereafter, to fund the expected cost of opening or acquiring new offices, including funding initial operating losses of new offices and funding loans receivable originated by those offices and the Company’s other offices. Management is not currently aware of any trends, demands, commitments, events or uncertainties that it believes will result in, or are reasonably likely to result in, the Company’s liquidity increasing or decreasing in any material way. From time to time, the Company has needed and obtained, and expects that it will continue to need on a periodic basis, an increase in the borrowing limits under its revolving credit facility. The Company has successfully obtained such increases in the past and anticipates that it will be able to do so in the future as the need arises; however, there can be no assurance that this additional funding will be available (or available on reasonable terms) if and when needed.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

The Company’s financial instruments consist of the following: cash, loans receivable, senior notes payable, and other note payable. Fair value approximates carrying value for all of these instruments. Loans receivable are originated at prevailing market rates and have an average life of approximately four months. Given the short-term nature of these loans, they are continually repriced at current market rates. The Company’s revolving credit facility has a variable rate based on a margin over LIBOR and reprices with any changes in LIBOR. The Company’s outstanding debt under its revolving credit facility and its other note payable was $83.9 million at March 31, 2005. Interest on borrowings under this facility is based, at the Company’s option, on the prime rate or LIBOR plus 2.00%. Based on the outstanding balance at March 31, 2005, a change of 1% in the interest rates would cause a change in interest expense of approximately $839,000 on an annual basis.

 

Inflation

 

The Company does not believe that inflation has a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations. The primary impact of inflation on the operations of the Company is reflected in increased operating costs. While increases in operating costs would adversely affect the Company’s operations, the consumer lending laws of three of the twelve states in which the Company operates allow indexing of maximum loan amounts to the Consumer Price Index. These provisions will allow the Company to make larger loans at existing interest rates in those states, which could partially offset the potential increase in operating costs due to inflation.

 

Legal Matters

 

As of March 31, 2005, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various legal actions arising from their normal business activities in which damages in various amounts are claimed. Although the amount of any ultimate liability with respect to such matters cannot be determined, the Company believes that any such liability will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations taken as a whole.

 

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Table of Contents

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This annual report, including “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” contains various “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions, as well as information currently available to management. Statements other than those of historical fact, as well as those identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “should,” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in any such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company’s actual financial results, performance or financial condition may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or expected. Among the key factors that could cause the Company’s actual financial results, performance or condition to differ from the expectations expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements are the following: changes in interest rates; risks inherent in making loans, including repayment risks and value of collateral; recently enacted, proposed or future legislation; the timing and amount of revenues that may be recognized by the Company; changes in current revenue and expense trends (including trends affecting charge-offs); changes in the Company’s markets and general changes in the economy (particularly in the markets served by the Company); the unpredictable nature of litigation; and other matters discussed in this annual report and the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements it may make.

 

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” of this report is incorporated by reference in response to this Item 7A.

 

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Table of Contents

 

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

     March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

 
Assets               

Cash

   $ 3,046,677     4,314,107  

Gross loans receivable

     351,496,149     310,130,665  

Less:

              

Unearned interest and deferred fees

     (84,472,686 )   (73,602,603 )

Allowance for loan losses

     (20,672,740 )   (17,260,750 )
    


 

Loans receivable, net

     246,350,723     219,267,312  

Property and equipment, net

     9,806,237     9,273,602  

Deferred tax asset

     10,690,000     9,535,000  

Other assets, net

     6,254,360     4,065,296  

Intangible assets, net

     17,358,505     15,514,003  
    


 

     $ 293,506,502     261,969,320  
    


 

Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity               

Liabilities:

              

Senior notes payable

     82,900,000     91,350,000  

Subordinated notes payable

     —       2,000,000  

Other notes payable

     1,000,000     1,682,000  

Income taxes payable

     1,624,069     383,009  

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     18,271,240     9,973,974  
    


 

Total liabilities

     103,795,309     105,388,983  
    


 

Shareholders’ equity:

              

Preferred stock, no par value

              

Authorized 5,000,000 shares, no shares issued or outstanding

     —       —    

Common stock, no par value

              

Authorized 95,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 18,984,907 and 18,857,197 shares at March 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively

     —       —    

Additional paid-in capital

     11,964,056     12,822,906  

Retained earnings

     177,747,137     143,757,431  
    


 

Total shareholders’ equity

     189,711,193     156,580,337  
    


 

Commitments and contingencies

              
     $ 293,506,502     261,969,320  
    


 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

 

     Years Ended March 31,

     2005

   2004

   2003

Revenues:

                

Interest and fee income

   $ 177,581,630    151,499,678    133,255,872

Insurance commissions and other income

     33,176,378    27,652,829    22,414,951
    

  
  

Total revenues

     210,758,008    179,152,507    155,670,823
    

  
  

Expenses:

                

Provision for loan losses

     40,036,597    33,481,447    29,569,889
    

  
  

General and administrative expenses:

                

Personnel

     73,361,104    62,696,557    55,537,903

Occupancy and equipment

     12,430,896    10,183,032    9,026,611

Data processing

     1,910,285    1,955,642    1,765,844

Advertising

     7,792,313    7,093,498    5,755,145

Amortization of intangible assets

     2,585,267    2,264,619    2,172,584

Other

     14,143,555    12,120,018    11,499,105
    

  
  
       112,223,420    96,313,366    85,757,192

Interest expense

     4,640,285    3,942,572    4,493,219
    

  
  

Total expenses

     156,900,302    133,737,385    119,820,300
    

  
  

Income before income taxes

     53,857,706    45,415,122    35,850,523

Income taxes

     19,868,000    16,650,000    12,987,000
    

  
  

Net income

   $ 33,989,706    28,765,122    22,863,523
    

  
  

Net income per common share:

                

Basic

   $ 1.81    1.58    1.28
    

  
  

Diluted

   $ 1.74    1.49    1.25
    

  
  

Weighted average shares outstanding:

                

Basic

     18,761,066    18,251,639    17,860,101
    

  
  

Diluted

     19,557,515    19,347,080    18,304,976
    

  
  

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

     Additional
Paid-in
Capital


    Retained
Earnings


    Total

 

Balances at March 31, 2002

   $ 681,354     101,752,026     102,433,380  

Proceeds from exercise of stock options (416,734 shares), including tax benefits of $392,945

     2,745,120     —       2,745,120  

Common stock repurchases (1,623,549 shares)

     (2,377,753 )   (9,623,240 )   (12,000,993 )

Net income

     —       22,863,523     22,863,523  
    


 

 

Balances at March 31, 2003

     1,048,721     114,992,309     116,041,030  

Proceeds from exercise of stock options (1,237,146 shares), including tax benefits of $3,774,332

     11,774,185     —       11,774,185  

Net income

     —       28,765,122     28,765,122  
    


 

 

Balances at March 31, 2004

     12,822,906     143,757,431     156,580,337  

Proceeds from exercise of stock options (577,710 shares), including tax benefits of $3,181,612

     7,891,669     —       7,891,669  

Common stock repurchases (486,000 shares)

     (8,750,519 )   —       (8,750,519 )

Net income

     —       33,989,706     33,989,706  
    


 

 

Balances at March 31, 2005

   $ 11,964,056     177,747,137     189,711,193  
    


 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

     Years Ended March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

    2003

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

                    

Net income

   $ 33,989,706     28,765,122     22,863,523  

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

                    

Amortization of intangible assets

     2,585,267     2,264,619     2,172,584  

Amortization of loan costs and discounts

     56,098     156,886     123,086  

Provision for loan losses

     40,036,597     33,481,447     29,569,889  

Depreciation

     2,073,933     1,757,211     1,726,424  

Deferred taxes

     (1,155,000 )   (918,000 )   (1,685,000 )

Change in accounts:

                    

Other assets, net

     (2,245,162 )   481,993     (333,570 )

Income taxes payable

     4,422,672     2,110,324     (175,574 )

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

     8,297,266     2,276,741     881,200  
    


 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

     88,061,377     70,376,343     55,142,562  
    


 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

                    

Increase in loans receivable, net

     (45,628,235 )   (46,380,225 )   (41,272,627 )

Net assets acquired from office acquisitions, primarily loans

     (21,678,455 )   (18,661,742 )   (16,874,896 )

Increase in intangible assets from acquisitions

     (4,429,769 )   (3,179,814 )   (2,804,077 )

Purchases of property and equipment, net

     (2,419,886 )   (2,362,994 )   (2,891,724 )
    


 

 

Net cash used by investing activities

     (74,156,345 )   (70,584,775 )   (63,843,324 )
    


 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

                    

Proceeds (repayment) of senior revolving notes payable, net

     (8,450,000 )   (6,700,000 )   21,150,000  

Repayment of subordinated notes payable

     (2,000,000 )   (2,000,000 )   (2,000,000 )

Proceeds (repayment) of other notes payable

     (682,000 )   1,200,000     —    

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     4,710,057     7,999,853     2,352,175  

Repurchase of common stock

     (8,750,519 )   —       (12,000,993 )
    


 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     (15,172,462 )   499,853     9,501,182  
    


 

 

Increase (decrease) in cash

     (1,267,430 )   291,421     800,420  

Cash at beginning of year

     4,314,107     4,022,686     3,222,266  
    


 

 

Cash at end of year

   $ 3,046,677     4,314,107     4,022,686  
    


 

 

 

See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.

 

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(1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

The Company’s accounting and reporting policies are in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and conform to general practices within the finance company industry. The following is a description of the more significant of these policies used in preparing the consolidated financial statements.

 

Nature of Operations

 

The Company is a small-loan consumer finance company head-quartered in Greenville, South Carolina that offers short-term small loans, medium-term larger loans, related credit insurance products and ancillary products and services to individuals who have limited access to other sources of consumer credit. It also offers income tax return preparation services and refund anticipation loans (through a third party bank) to its customer base and to others.

 

The Company also markets computer software and related services to finance companies through its ParaData Financial Systems (“ParaData”) subsidiary.

 

As of March 31, 2005, the Company operated 579 offices in South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, New Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama and Colorado.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of World Acceptance Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries (the “Company”). Subsidiaries consist of operating entities in various states, ParaData, a software company acquired during fiscal 1994, and WAC Insurance Company, Ltd., a captive reinsurance company established in fiscal 1994. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principals requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Business Segments

 

The Company reports operating segments in accordance with SFAS No. 131, “Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information” (“SFAS No. 131”). Operating segments are components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. SFAS 131 requires that a public enterprise report a measure of segment profit or loss, certain specific revenue and expense items, segment assets, information about the way that the operating segments were determined and other items.

 

The Company has one reportable segment, which is the consumer finance company. The other revenue generating activities of the Company, including the sale of insurance products, income tax preparation, buying club and the automobile club, are done in the existing branch network in conjunction with or as a compliment to the lending operation. There is no discrete financial information available for these activities and they do not meet the criteria under SFAS 131 to be reported separately.

 

ParaData provides data processing systems to 109 separate finance companies, including the Company. At March 31, 2005 and 2004, ParaData had total assets of $1,904,000 and $3,760,000, respectively, which represented less than 2.0% of total consolidated assets at each fiscal year end. Total net revenues (system sales and support) for ParaData for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003 were $2,332,000, $2,251,000, and $2,268,000, respectively, which represented less than 3% of consolidated revenue for each year. For the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, ParaData had income before income taxes of $332,000, $288,000, and $486,000, respectively. Although ParaData is an operating segment under SFAS 131, it does not meet the criteria to require separate disclosure.

 

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Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

For purposes of the statement of cash flows, the Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less from the date of original issuance to be cash equivalents.

 

Loans and Interest Income

 

The Company is licensed to originate direct cash consumer loans in the states of Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, New Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama and Colorado. During fiscal 2005 and 2004, the Company originated loans generally ranging up to $3,000, with terms of 24 months or less. Experience indicates that a majority of the direct cash consumer loans are renewed.

 

Fees received and direct costs incurred for the origination of loans are deferred and amortized to interest income over the contractual lives of the loans. Unamortized amounts are recognized in income at the time that loans are renewed or paid in full.

 

Loans are carried at the gross amount outstanding, reduced by unearned interest and insurance income, net deferred origination fees and direct costs, and an allowance for loan losses. Unearned interest is deferred at the time the loans are made and accreted to income on a collection method, which approximates the level yield method. Charges for late payments are credited to income when collected.

 

The Company generally offers its loans at the prevailing statutory rates for terms not to exceed 24 months. Management believes that the carrying value approximates the fair value of its loan portfolio.

 

Allowance for Loan Losses

 

The Company maintains an allowance for loan losses in an amount that, in management’s opinion, is adequate to cover losses inherent in the existing loan portfolio. The Company charges against current earnings, as a provision for loan losses, amounts added to the allowance to maintain it at levels expected to cover probable losses of principal. When establishing the allowance for loan losses, the Company takes into consideration the growth of the loan portfolio, the mix of the loan portfolio, current levels of charge-offs, current levels of delinquencies, and current economic factors. The allowance for loan losses has an allocated and an unallocated component. The Company uses historical information for net charge-offs by loan type and average loan life by loan type to estimate the allocated component of the allowance for loan losses. This methodology is based on the fact that many customers renew their loans prior to the contractual maturity. Average contractual loan terms are approximately nine months and the average loan life is approximately four months. The allowance for loan loss model also reserves 100% of the principal on loans greater than 90 days past due on a recency basis. Loans are charged off at the earlier of when such loans are deemed to be uncollectible or when six months have elapsed since the date of the last full contractual payment. The Company’s charge-off policy has been consistently applied and no significant changes have been made to the policy during the periods reported. Management considers the charge-off policy when evaluating the appropriateness of the allowance for loan losses.

 

The Company records acquired loans at fair value based on current interest rates, less allowances for uncollectibility and collection costs. The acquired loan portfolios generally include some loans that the Company deems uncollectible but which do not have an allowance assigned to them by the acquiree. An allowance for loan losses is then estimated based on a review of the loan portfolio, considering delinquency levels, charge-offs, loan mix and other current economic factors. The Company then records the acquired loans at their gross value and records the related allowance for loan losses. These are reflected as purchase accounting acquisitions (also see Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements). Subsequent charge-offs related to acquired loans are reflected in the purchase accounting acquisition adjustment in the year of acquisition. At March 31, 2005 and 2004, there were no concentrations of loans in any local economy, type of property, or to any one borrower.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the related asset as follows: building, 40 years; furniture and fixtures, 5 to 10 years; equipment, 3 to 7 years; and vehicles, 3 years. Amortization of leasehold improvements is recorded using the straight-line method over the lesser of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. Additions to premises and equipment and major replacements or betterments are added at cost. Maintenance, repairs, and minor replacements are charged to operating expense as incurred. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is reflected in income.

 

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Other Assets

 

Other assets include cash surrender value of life insurance policies, prepaid expenses and other deposits.

 

Intangible Assets

 

Intangible assets include the cost of acquiring existing customers, the value assigned to noncompete agreements, and goodwill (the excess cost over the fair value of the net assets acquired). These assets are being amortized as follows: customer lists, 9 years; and non-compete agreements, the term of agreement, which approximates the estimated useful lives. Effective April 1, 2002, the Company ceased amortization of goodwill. Management periodically evaluates the recoverability of the unamortized balances of these assets and adjusts them as necessary.

 

The Company tests for impairment in accordance with SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” (“SFAS 142”). Potential impairment of goodwill exists when the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its implied fair value. The fair value for each reporting unit is computed using one or a combination of the following three methods; income, market value, or cost method. The income method uses a discounted cash flow analysis to determine fair value by considering a reporting unit’s capital structure and applying a risk-adjusted discount rate to forecast earnings based on a capital asset pricing model. The market value method uses recent transaction analysis or publicly traded comparable analysis for similar assets and liabilities to determine fair value. The cost method assumes the net assets of a recent business combination accounted for under the purchase method of accounting will be recorded at fair value if no event or circumstance has occurred triggering a decline in the value. To the extent a reporting unit’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value, an indication exists that the reporting unit’s goodwill may be impaired, and a second test will be performed. In the second step, the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill, determined by allocating the reporting unit’s fair value to all of its assets (recognized and unrecognized) and liabilities as if the reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination at the date of the impairment test, is compared to its carrying amount. If the implied fair value of reporting unit goodwill is lower than its carrying amount, goodwill is impaired and is written down to its implied fair value. The loss recognized is limited to the carrying amount of goodwill. Once an impairment loss is recognized, future increases in fair value will not result in the reversal of previously recognized losses.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

SFAS No. 107, “Disclosures about the Fair Value of Financial Instruments” requires disclosures about the fair value of all financial instruments, whether or not recognized in the balance sheet, for which it is practicable to estimate that value. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. The Company’s financial instruments consist of the following: cash, loans receivable, senior notes payable, and other note payable. Fair value approximates carrying value for all of these instruments. Loans receivable are originated at prevailing market rates and have an average life of approximately four months. Given the short-term nature of these loans, they are continually repriced at current market rates. The Company’s revolving credit facility and other note payable have a variable rate based on a margin over LIBOR and reprice with any changes in LIBOR.

 

Insurance Premiums

 

Insurance premiums for credit life, accident and health, property and unemployment insurance written in connection with certain loans, net of refunds and applicable advance insurance commissions retained by the Company, are remitted monthly to an insurance company. All commissions are credited to unearned insurance commissions and recognized as income over the life of the related insurance contracts using a method similar to that used for the recognition of interest income.

 

Non-file Insurance

 

Non-file premiums are charged on certain loans at inception and renewal in lieu of recording and perfecting the Company’s security interest in the assets pledged on certain loans and are remitted to a third-party insurance company for non-file insurance coverage. Such insurance and the related insurance premiums, claims, and recoveries are not reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements except as a reduction in loan losses (see note 6).

 

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Certain losses related to such loans, which are not recoverable through life, accident and health, property, or unemployment insurance claims are reimbursed through non-file insurance claims subject to policy limitations. Any remaining losses are charged to the allowance for loan losses.

 

Income Taxes

 

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

 

Supplemental Cash Flow Information

 

For the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, the Company paid interest of $4,529,445, $3,747,688 and $4,448,128, respectively.

 

For the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, the Company paid income taxes of $16,600,328, $15,457,676, and $14,847,574, respectively.

 

Supplemental non-cash financing activities for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, consist of:

 

     2005

   2004

   2003

Tax benefits from exercise of stock options

   $ 3,181,612    3,774,332    392,945
    

  
  

 

Earnings Per Share

 

Earnings per share (“EPS”) are computed in accordance with SFAS No. 128, “Earnings per Share.” Basic EPS includes no dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution of securities that could share in the earnings of the Company. Potential common stock included in the diluted EPS computation consists of stock options, which are computed using the treasury stock method.

 

Reclassifications

 

Certain reclassification entries have been made for fiscal 2004 and 2003 to conform with fiscal 2005 presentation. There was no impact on shareholders’ equity or net income previously reported as a result of these reclassifications.

 

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Stock-Based Compensation

 

At March 31, 2005, the Company had three stock-based employee compensation option plans, which are described more fully in Note 10. The Company accounts for its option plans under the recognition and measurement principles of APB Opinion 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related Interpretations (“APB Opinion 25”). No stock-based employee compensation cost is reflected in net income related to these plans, as all options granted under those plans had an exercise price equal to or greater than the market value of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. The following table illustrates the effect on net income and earnings per share as if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock Based Compensation” (“SFAS 123”) to stock-based employee compensation option plans for the years ended March 31.

 

(Dollars in thousands except per share amounts)


   2005

   2004

   2003

Net income

                

As reported

   $ 33,990    28,765    22,864

Deduct:

                

Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax effect

     1,038    1,080    806
    

  
  

Pro forma net income

   $ 32,952    27,685    22,058
    

  
  

Basic earnings per share

                

As reported

   $ 1.81    1.58    1.28
    

  
  

Pro forma

   $ 1.76    1.52    1.24
    

  
  

Diluted earnings per share

                

As reported

   $ 1.74    1.49    1.25
    

  
  

Pro forma

   $ 1.68    1.43    1.21
    

  
  

 

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer

 

Effective April 1, 2005, The Company adopted SOP No. 03-3 (“SOP 03-3”), “Accounting for Certain Loans or Debt Securities Acquired in a Transfer,” which prohibits carry over or creation of valuation allowances in the initial accounting of all loans acquired in a transfer that are within the scope of this SOP. The prohibition of the valuation allowance carryover applies to the purchase of an individual loan, a pool of loans, a group of loans, and loans acquired in a purchase business combination. The initial adoption of this issue did not have an impact on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this pronouncement on future acquisitions.

 

Share-Based Payment

 

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123R (“SFAS 123R”), “Share-Based Payment,” which requires companies to recognize in the income statement the grant-date fair value of stock options and other equity-based compensation issued to employees. SFAS 123R is an amendment of SFAS No. 123 (“SFAS 123”), “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” and its related implementation guidance. SFAS 123R does not change the accounting guidance for share-based payment transactions with parties other than employees provided in SFAS 123. Under SFAS 123R, the way an award is classified will affect the measurement of compensation cost. Liability-classified awards are remeasured to fair value at each balance-sheet date until the award is settled. Liability-classified awards include the following:

 

    Employee awards with cash-based settlement or repurchase features, such as a stock appreciation right with a cash-settlement option;

 

    Awards for a fixed dollar amount settleable in the company‘s stock;

 

    Share-based awards with a net-settlement feature for an amount in excess of the minimum tax withholding; and

 

    Awards that vest or become exercisable based on the achievement of a condition other than service, performance, or market condition.

 

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Equity-classified awards are measured at grant-date fair value, amortized over the subsequent vesting period, and are not subsequently remeasured. Equity-classified awards include the following:

 

    Share-based awards with net-settlement features for minimum tax withholdings;

 

    Awards that permit a cashless exercise using a broker unrelated to the employer;

 

    Awards containing a put feature that give employees the right to require the company to repurchase the shares at fair value, when the employee bears the risks and rewards normally associated with ownership for six months or longer.

 

Effective April 21, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an amendment to Rule 4-01(a)(1) of Regulation S-X delaying the effective date for public entities that do not file as small business issuers to the first annual period beginning after June 15, 2005 instead of SFAS 123R’s original effective date, which was as of the beginning of the first interim reporting period beginning after June 15, 2005. The Company will adopt this SFAS on April 1, 2006 and is evaluating the impact on the Company’s fiscal 2007 results of operations.

 

Accounting for Nonmonetary Transactions

 

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 153 (“SFAS 153”), “Exchanges of Nonmonetary Assets-an amendment of APB Opinion No. 29,” which eliminates the exception for nonmonetary exchanges of similar productive assets and replaces it with a general exception for exchanges of nonmonetary assets that do not have commercial substance. A nonmonetary exchange has commercial substance if the future cash flows of the entity are expected to change significantly as a result of the exchange. SFAS 153 is effective for nonmonetary transactions occurring in fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2005.

 

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(2) Allowance for Loan Losses

 

The following is a summary of the changes in the allowance for loan losses for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003:

 

     March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

    2003

 

Balance at the beginning of the year

   $ 17,260,750     15,097,780     12,925,644  

Provision for loan losses

     40,036,597     33,481,447     29,569,889  

Loan losses

     (41,984,428 )   (35,731,794 )   (30,987,772 )

Recoveries

     3,941,348     3,118,924     2,541,785  

Purchase accounting acquisitions

     1,418,473     1,294,393     1,048,234  
    


 

 

Balance at the end of the year

   $ 20,672,740     17,260,750     15,097,780  
    


 

 

 

For the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, the Company recorded adjustments of approximately $1.4 million, $1.3 million, and $1.0 million, respectively, to the allowance for loan losses in connection with its acquisitions in accordance generally accepted accounting principles. These adjustments represent the allowance for loan losses on acquired loans (also see Note 1).

 

(3) Property and Equipment

 

Summaries of property and equipment follow:

 

     March 31,

 
     2005

    2004

 

Land

   $ 250,443     250,443  

Buildings and leasehold improvements

     3,970,157     3,587,981  

Furniture and equipment

     17,721,483     16,140,532  
    


 

       21,942,083     19,978,956  

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

     (12,135,846 )   (10,705,354 )
    


 

Total

   $ 9,806,237     9,273,602  
    


 

 

(4) Intangible Assets

 

Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization, consist of:

 

     March 31,

     2005

   2004

Cost of acquiring existing customers

   $ 10,671,432    9,580,015

Value assigned to noncompete agreements

     2,107,129    2,789,637

Goodwill

     4,533,219    3,053,826

Other

     46,725    90,525
    

  

Total

   $ 17,358,505    15,514,003
    

  

 

The following summarizes the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the year ended March 31, 2004 and 2005:

 

Balance at March 31, 2003

   $ 1,788,420

Goodwill acquired during the year

     1,265,406
    

Balance at March 31, 2004

   $ 3,053,826

Goodwill acquired during the year

     1,479,393
    

Balance at March 31, 2005

   $ 4,533,219
    

 

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The estimated amortization expense for intangible assets for the years ended March 31 is as follows: $2,716,990 for 2006, $2,447,406 for 2007, $1,983,585 for 2008, $1,636,234 for 2009, $1,347,538 for 2010, and an aggregate of $2,693,533 for the years thereafter.

 

Goodwill is tested for impairment annually. The Company performed an annual impairment test as of March 31, 2005 and determined that none of the recorded goodwill was impaired.

 

(5) Notes Payable

 

Summaries of the Company’s notes payable follow:

 

Senior Notes Payable

 

$152,000,000 Revolving Credit Facility – This facility provides for borrowings of up to $152.0 million, with $82.9 million outstanding at March 31, 2005, subject to a borrowing base formula. The Company may borrow, at its option, at the rate of prime or LIBOR plus 2.00%. At March 31, 2005, the Company’s interest rate was 4.9% and the unused amount available under the revolver was $69.1 million. The revolving credit facility has a commitment fee of 0.375% per annum on the unused portion of the commitment. Borrowings under the revolving credit facility mature on September 30, 2006.

 

A member of the Company’s Board of Directors serves as an Executive Vice President of The South Financial Group, which is the Parent of Carolina First Bank. As of March 31, 2005 Carolina First Bank had committed to fund up to $20.0 million under the credit facility and had outstanding $1.0 million in another note payable.

 

Other Note Payable

 

The Company also has a $1.0 million note payable to a bank, bearing interest of LIBOR plus 2.00% payable monthly, which is to be repaid in five annual installments of $200,000 ending on May 1, 2009.

 

The various debt agreements contain restrictions on the amounts of permitted indebtedness, investments, working capital, repurchases of common stock and cash dividends. At March 31, 2005, $57.3 million was available under these covenants for the payment of cash dividends, or the repurchase of the Company’s common stock. In addition, the agreements restrict liens on assets and the sale or transfer of subsidiaries. The Company was in compliance with the various debt covenants for all periods presented.

 

The aggregate annual maturities of the notes payable for each of the fiscal years subsequent to March 31, 2005, are as follows: 2006, $200,000; 2007, $83,100,000; 2008, $200,000; 2009, $200,000; 2010, $200,000; and none thereafter.

 

(6) Non-file Insurance

 

The Company maintains non-file insurance coverage with an unaffiliated insurance company. The following is a summary of the non-file insurance activity for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003:

 

     2005

   2004

   2003

Insurance premiums written

   $ 3,953,652    3,391,523    2,120,692

Recoveries on claims paid

   $ 290,062    296,330    304,215

Claims paid

   $ 4,119,148    3,060,456    2,253,125

 

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(7) Leases

 

The Company conducts most of its operations from leased facilities, except for its owned corporate office building. It is expected that in the normal course of business, expiring leases will be renewed at the Company’s option or replaced by other leases or acquisitions of other properties. All of the Company’s leases are operating leases.

 

The future minimum lease payments under noncancelable operating leases as of March 31, 2005, are as follows:

 

2006

   $ 5,340,152

2007

     2,977,760

2008

     1,065,333

2009

     156,843

2010

     50,094

Thereafter

     0
    

Total future minimum lease payments

   $ 9,590,182
    

 

Rental expense for cancelable and noncancelable operating leases for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, was $6,857,274, $5,460,005, and $4,830,932, respectively.

 

(8) Income Taxes

 

Income tax expense attributable to income from continuing operations consists of:

 

     Current

   Deferred

    Total

Year ended March 31, 2005:

                 

U.S. Federal

   $ 18,945,000    (860,000 )   18,085,000

State and local

     2,078,000    (295,000 )   1,783,000
    

  

 
     $ 21,023,000    (1,155,000 )   19,868,000
    

  

 

Year ended March 31, 2004:

                 

U.S. Federal

   $ 16,182,000    (813,000 )   15,369,000

State and local

     1,386,000    (105,000 )   1,281,000
    

  

 
     $ 17,568,000    (918,000 )   16,650,000
    

  

 

Year ended March 31, 2003:

                 

U.S. Federal

   $ 13,577,000    (1,468,000 )   12,109,000

State and local

     1,095,000    (217,000 )   878,000
    

  

 
     $ 14,672,000    (1,685,000 )   12,987,000
    

  

 

 

Income tax expense attributable to income from continuing operations was $19,868,000, $16,650,000, and $12,987,000, for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively, and differed from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate of 35% to pretax income from continuing operations as a result of the following:

 

     2005

    2004

    2003

 

U.S. Federal

   $ 18,850,000     15,895,000     12,458,000  

Increase (reduction) in income taxes resulting from:

                    

State tax, net of federal benefit

     1,159,000     833,000     571,000  

Change in valuation allowance

     104,000     122,000     (18,000 )

Insurance income exclusion

     (73,000 )   (117,000 )   (190,000 )

Other, net

     (172,000 )   (83,000 )   76,000  
    


 

 

     $ 19,868,000     16,650,000     12,987,000  
    


 

 

 

 

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The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at March 31, 2005 and 2004 are presented below:

 

     2005

    2004

 

Deferred tax assets:

              

Allowance for doubtful accounts

   $ 7,726,000     6,368,000  

Unearned insurance commissions

     3,863,000     3,309,000  

Accounts payable and accrued expenses primarily related to employee benefits

     1,759,000     1,534,000  

Tax over book accrued interest receivable

     1,361,000     1,200,000  

Other

     516,000     415,000  
    


 

Gross deferred tax assets

     15,225,000     12,826,000  

Less valuation allowance

     (516,000 )   (412,000 )
    


 

Net deferred tax assets

     14,709,000     12,414,000  

Deferred tax liabilities:

              

Tax over book basis of depreciable assets

     (1,571,000 )   (942,000 )

Intangible assets

     (1,160,000 )   (1,130,000 )

Discount of purchased loans

     (167,000 )   (90,000 )

Deferred net loan origination fees

     (775,000 )   (717,000 )

Prepaid expenses

     (346,000 )   —    
    


 

Gross deferred liabilities

     (4,019,000 )   (2,879,000 )
    


 

Net deferred tax assets

   $ 10,690,000     9,535,000  
    


 

 

The valuation allowance for deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2005 and 2004 was $516,000 and $412,000, respectively. The valuation allowance against the potential total deferred tax assets as of March 31, 2005 and 2004 relates to state net operating losses. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. In order to fully realize the deferred tax asset, the Company will need to generate future taxable income prior to the expiration of the deferred tax assets governed by the tax code. Based upon the level of historical taxable income and projections for future taxable income over the periods in which the deferred tax assets are deductible, management believes it is more likely than not the Company will realize the benefits of these deductible differences, net of the existing valuation allowances at March 31, 2005. The amount of the deferred tax asset considered realizable, however, could be reduced in the near term if estimates of future taxable income during the carryforward period are reduced.

 

The Internal Revenue Service has examined the Company’s federal income tax returns for the fiscal years 1994 through 1996. Tax returns for fiscal 2002 and subsequent years are subject to examination by taxing authorities.

 

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(9) Earnings Per Share

 

The following is a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPS calculations.

 

     For the year ended March 31, 2005

     Income
(Numerator)


   Shares
(Denominator)


   Per Share
Amount


Basic EPS

                  

Income available to common shareholders

   $ 33,989,706    18,761,066    $ 1.81
                

Effect of Dilutive Securities

                  

Options

     —      796,449       
    

  
      

Diluted EPS

                  

Income available to common shareholders plus assumed conversions

   $ 33,989,706    19,557,515    $ 1.74
    

  
  

     For the year ended March 31, 2004

     Income
(Numerator)


   Shares
(Denominator)


   Per Share
Amount


Basic EPS

                  

Income available to common shareholders

   $ 28,765,122    18,251,639    $ 1.58
                

Effect of Dilutive Securities

                  

Options

     —      1,095,441       
    

  
      

Diluted EPS

                  

Income available to common shareholders plus assumed conversions

   $ 28,765,122    19,347,080    $ 1.49
    

  
  

     For the year ended March 31, 2003

     Income
(Numerator)


   Shares
(Denominator)


   Per Share
Amount


Basic EPS

                  

Income available to common shareholders

   $ 22,863,523    17,860,101    $ 1.28
                

Effect of Dilutive Securities

                  

Options

     —      444,875       
    

  
      

Diluted EPS

                  

Income available to common shareholders plus assumed conversions

   $ 22,863,523    18,304,976    $ 1.25
    

  
  

 

Options to purchase 0, 50,000, and 591,115, shares of common stock at various prices were outstanding during the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively, but were not included in the computation of diluted EPS because the option exercise price was greater than the average market price of the common shares.

 

(10) Benefit Plans

 

Retirement Plan

 

The Company provides a defined contribution employee benefit plan (401(k) plan) covering full-time employees, whereby employees can invest up to 15% of their gross pay. The Company makes a matching contribution equal to 50% of the employees’ contributions for the first 6% of gross pay. The Company’s expense under this plan was $610,536, $594,430, and $430,530, for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively.

 

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Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan

 

The Company has instituted a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”), which is a non-qualified executive benefit plan in which the Company agrees to pay the executive additional benefits in the future, usually at retirement, in return for continued employment by the executive. The Company selects the key executives who participate in the SERP. The SERP is an unfunded plan, which means there are no specific assets set aside by the Company in connection with the establishment of the plan. The executive has no rights under the agreement beyond those of a general creditor of the Company. For the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004, and 2003, contributions of $317,882, $588,021, and $515,394, respectively were charged to operations related to the SERP.

 

Executive Deferred Compensation Plan

 

The Company has an Executive Deferral Plan. Eligible executives may elect to defer all or a portion of their incentive compensation to be paid under the Executive Incentive Plan. As of March 31, 2005, $285,000 had been deferred under this plan.

 

Stock Option Plans

 

The Company has a 1992 Stock Option Plan, a 1994 Stock Option Plan and a 2002 Stock Option Plan for the benefit of certain directors, officers, and key employees. Under these plans, 4,350,000 shares of authorized common stock have been reserved for issuance pursuant to grants approved by the Compensation and Stock Option Committee. The options have a maximum duration of 10 years, may be subject to certain vesting requirements, and are priced at the market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant of the option.

 

The Company applies APB Opinion 25 in accounting for the stock option plans described in the preceding paragraph. Accordingly, no compensation expense has been recognized for the stock-based option plans.

 

The fair value of each option granted is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions used for grants in 2005, 2004, and 2003, respectively: dividend yield of zero; expected volatility of 41.1%, 39.6%, and 47.5%; risk-free interest rate of 4.1%, 3.9%, and 3.9%; and expected lives of 10 years for all plans in all three years. The fair values of options granted were $9.02 in 2005, $9.63 in 2004, and $4.99 in 2003.

 

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Option activity for the years ended March 31 were as follows:

 

     2005

   2004

   2003

     Shares

    Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price


   Shares

    Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price


   Shares

    Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price


Options outstanding, beginning of year

   1,649,991     $ 7.58    2,608,645     $ 7.34    2,897,568     $ 7.00

Granted

   188,500     $ 22.50    340,250     $ 15.63    186,500     $ 8.54

Exercised

   (577,710 )   $ 8.15    (1,237,146 )   $ 7.27    (416,734 )   $ 5.80

Forfeited

   (23,150 )   $ 7.97    (61,758 )   $ 7.19    (58,689 )   $ 5.66
    

 

  

 

  

 

Options outstanding, end of year

   1,237,631     $ 11.60    1,649,991     $ 9.10    2,608,645     $ 7.34
    

 

  

 

  

 

Options exercisable, end of year

   628,831     $ 8.01    1,001,991     $ 7.58    2,026,713     $ 7.37
    

 

  

 

  

 

 

The following table summarized information regarding stock options outstanding at March 31, 2005:

 

Range of Exercise Price


   Options
Outstanding


   Weighted
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Life


   Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price


   Options
Exercisable


   Weighted
Average
Option
Price


$ 4.90 - $5.99

   323,352    4.05    $ 5.32    290,852    $ 5.35

$ 6.00 - $ 7.99

   83,482    3.35    $ 6.70    83,482    $ 6.70

$ 8.00 - $ 9.99

   270,500    6.98    $ 8.48    81,100    $ 8.51

$ 10.00 - $ 12.99

   156,547    5.17    $ 11.13    111,547    $ 11.00

$ 13.00 - $ 16.99

   189,250    8.10    $ 16.17    51,850    $ 15.15

$ 22.00 - $ 23.99

   214,500    9.39    $ 23.23    10,000    $ 22.25
    
  
  

  
  

$ 4.90 - $ 23.99

   1,237,631    6.33    $ 11.60    628,831    $ 8.01
    
  
  

  
  

 

(11) Acquisitions

 

The following table sets forth the acquisition activity of the Company for the last three fiscal years:

 

     2005

   2004

   2003

     ($ in thousands)

Number of offices purchased

     60    68    42

Merged into existing offices

     30    29    21

Purchase Price

   $ 26,107    21,843    19,679

Tangible assets:

                

Net loans

     21,491    18,293    16,663

Furniture, fixtures & equipment

     187    370    212
    

  
  

Excess of purchase prices over carrying value of net tangible assets

   $ 4,429    3,180    2,804
    

  
  

Customer lists

     2,720    1,718    1,640

Non-compete agreements

     230    197    150

Goodwill

     1,479    1,265    1,014
    

  
  

Total intangible assets

   $ 4,429    3,180    2,804
    

  
  

 

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The Company evaluates each acquisition to determine if the acquired enterprise meets the definition of a business. Those that meet the definition of a business are accounted for under SFAS No. 141 and those that do not meet the definition of a business combination are accounted for as asset purchases. The results of all acquisitions have been included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements since the respective acquisition dates. The pro forma impact of these purchases as though they had been acquired at the beginning of the periods presented would not have a material effect on the results of operations as reported.

 

(12) Quarterly Information (Unaudited)

 

The following sets forth selected quarterly operating data:

 

     2005

   2004

     First

   Second

   Third

   Fourth

   First

   Second

   Third

   Fourth

     (Dollars in thousands, except earnings per share data)

Total revenues

   $ 47,478    49,754    53,166    60,360    40,263    41,676    44,285    52,928

Provision for loan losses

     8,627    11,282    13,731    6,397    7,929    9,328    11,077    5,147

General and administrative expenses

     26,419    26,531    29,460    29,813    22,643    21,961    25,074    26,635

Interest expense

     989    1,067    1,314    1,270    991    928    997    1,027

Income tax expense

     4,177    3,968    3,160    8,563    3,089    3,358    2,533    7,670
    

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Net income

   $ 7,266    6,906    5,501    14,317    5,611    6,101    4,604    12,449
    

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Earnings per share:

                                         

Basic

   $ .39    .38    .29    .75    .32    .34    .25    .67
    

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Diluted

   $ .37    .36    .28    .73    .30    .32    .23    .63
    

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

(13) Litigation

 

At March 31, 2005, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various legal actions arising from their normal business activities in which damages in various amounts are claimed. Although the amount of any ultimate liability with respect to such matters cannot be determined, the Company believes that any such liability will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial condition taken as a whole.

 

(14) Commitments

 

The Company has entered into employment agreements with certain key executive employees. The employment agreements have terms of one or three years and call for aggregate minimum annual base salaries of $800,000, adjusted annually as determined by the Company’s Compensation and Stock Option Committee. The agreements also provide for annual incentive bonuses, which are based on the achievement of certain predetermined operational goals.

 

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The Board of Directors

World Acceptance Corporation:

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement (No. 33-52166, 33-98938, 333-107426, 333-14399) on Form S-8 of World Acceptance Corporation of our report dated June 9, 2005, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of World Acceptance Corporation and subsidiaries as of March 31, 2005 and 2004, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2005, which report appears in the March 31, 2005, annual report on Form 10-K of World Acceptance Corporation.

 

LOGO

 

Greenville, South Carolina

June 9, 2005

 

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Table of Contents
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure

 

The Company had no disagreements on accounting or financial disclosure matters with its independent registered public accountants to report under this Item 9.

 

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms.

 

Management’s annual report on internal control over financial reporting. We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. We have assessed the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2005. Our assessment was based on criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission, or COSO, Internal Control-Integrated Framework.

 

Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

 

  (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect our transactions and dispositions of the assets;

 

  (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and board of directors: and

 

  (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, any assumptions regarding internal control over financial reporting in future periods based on an evaluation of effectiveness in a prior period are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

Based on using the COSO criteria, we believe our internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2005 was effective.

 

Our independent registered public accounting firm has audited the consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and has issued a report on management’s assessment of our internal control over financial reporting as well as on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, as stated in their report, which is included elsewhere herein.

 

Changes in internal control over financial reporting. There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2005, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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Table of Contents

PART III.

 

Item 10. Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

Information contained under the caption “Election of Directors” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference in response to this Item 10. The information in response to this Item 10 regarding the executive officers of the Company is contained in Item 1, Part I hereof under the caption “Executive Officers.”

 

Audit Committee Financial Experts

 

The Board of Directors has determined that each member of the Audit Committee, Mr. Way, Mr. Bramlett and Mr. Hummers, is an audit committee financial expert. Each of these members is also “independent” as that term is defined in accordance with the new independence requirements of NASDAQ.

 

Code of Ethics and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

The Company has adopted a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that applies to all directors, employees and officers of the Company (including the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)). The Code of Ethics has been filed as an exhibit to this report and print copies are available to any shareholder that requests a copy by writing to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at P.O. Box 6429, Greenville, South Carolina 29606.

 

Item 11. Executive Compensation

 

Information contained under the caption “Executive Compensation” in the Proxy Statement, except for the information therein under the subcaption “Report of Compensation and Stock Option Committee,” is incorporated herein by reference in response to this Item 11.

 

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners, Management and Related Stockholder Matters

 

Information contained under the captions “Approval of 2005 Stock Option Plan – Equity Plan Compensation Information,” “Ownership of Shares by Certain Beneficial Owners as of June 17, 2005” and “Ownership of Common Stock of Management as of June 17, 2005” in the Proxy Statement is incorporated by reference herein in response to this Item 12.

 

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

 

The Company had no reportable disclosures in response to this Item 13.

 

Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services

 

Information contained under the caption “Appointment of Independent Public Accountants,” except for the information therein under the subcaption “Report of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors,” is incorporated by reference herein in response to this Item 14.

 

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Table of Contents

PART IV.

 

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K

 

(1) The following consolidated financial statements of the Company and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm are filed herewith.

 

Consolidated Financial Statements:

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets at March 31, 2005 and 2004

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003

 

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003

 

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

(2) Financial Statement Schedules

 

All schedules for which provision is made in the applicable accounting regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission are not required under the related instructions, are inapplicable, or the required information is included elsewhere in the consolidated financial statements.

 

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Table of Contents
(3) Exhibits

 

The following exhibits are filed as part of this report or, where so indicated, have been previously filed and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

Exhibit
Number


  

Description


  

Filed Herewith (*),

Non-Applicable (NA), or

or Incorporated by

Reference Previous

Exhibit Number


   Company
Registration No.
or Report


  3.1      Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended    3.1    333-107426
  3.2      Amended Bylaws of the Company    3.4    33-42879
  4.1      Specimen Share Certificate    4.1    33-42879
  4.2      Articles 3, 4 and 5 of the Form of Company’s Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (as amended)    3.1    333-107426
  4.3      Article II, Section 9 of the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Bylaws    3.2    33-42879
  4.4      Amended and restated Revolving Credit Agreements, dated as of June 30, 1997, as amended between Harris Trust and Savings Bank, the Banks signatory thereto from time to time and the Company    4.4    9-30-03 10-Q
  4.5      Twelfth Amendment to Amended and restated Revolving Credit Agreements, dated as of December 16, 2004    *    Filed Herewith
  4.6      Note Agreement, dated as of June 30, 1997, between Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company and the Company re: 10% Senior Subordinated Secured Notes    4.7    9-30-97 10-Q
  4.7      First Amendment to Note Agreement, dated as of August 21, 2003, between Principal Life Insurance Company (f/k/a Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company) and the Company    4.7    9-30-03 10-Q
  4.8      Amended and Restated Security Agreement, Pledge and Indenture of Trust, dated as of June 30, 1997, between the Company and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as Security Trustee    4.8    9-30-97 10-Q
  4.9      Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Security Agreement, Pledge and Indenture of Trust dated as of August 27, 2004 (Subsidiary Security Agreement)    4.9    9-30-04 10-Q
  4.10    Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Security Agreement, Pledge and Indenture of Trust, dated as of August 27, 2004 (Company Security Agreement)    4.10    9-30-04 10-Q
10.1+    Amended and Restated Employment Agreement of Charles D. Walters, effective as of June 1, 2003    10.1    6-30-03 10-Q
10.2+    Amended Agreement of Amended and Restated Employment Agreement of Charles D. Walters, effective as of January 28, 2004    10.2    6-30-04 10-Q

 

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Table of Contents
Exhibit
Number


  

Description


  

Filed Herewith (*),

Non-Applicable (NA),

or Incorporated by

Reference Previous

Exhibit Number


   Company
Registration
No. or Report


10.23      Employment Agreement of A. Alexander McLean, III, effective April 1, 1994    10.2    1994 10-K
10.4+      First Amendment to Employment Agreement of A. Alexander McLean, III, effective as of June 1, 2003    10.3    6-30-03 10-Q
10.5+      Amended and Restated Employment Agreement of Douglas R. Jones, effective as of June 1, 2003    10.4    6-30-03 10-Q
10.6+      Securityholders’ Agreement, dated as of September 19, 1991, between the Company and certain of its securityholders    10.5    33-42879
10.7+      World Acceptance Corporation Supplemental Income Plan    10.7    2000 10-K
10.8+      Board of Directors Deferred Compensation Plan    10.6    2000 10-K
10.9+      1992 Stock Option Plan of the Company    4    33-52166
10.10+    1994 Stock Option Plan of the Company, as amended    10.6    1995 10-K
10.11+    2002 Stock Option Plan of the Company    Appendix A    Definitive Proxy
Statement on
Schedule 14A
for the 2002
Annual Meeting
10.12+    The Company’s Executive Incentive Plan    10.6    1994 10-K
10.13+    World Acceptance Corporation Retirement Savings Plan    4.1    333-14399
10.14+    Executive Deferral Plan    10.12    2001 10-K
14           Code of Ethics    14    2004 10-K
21           Schedule of the Company’s Subsidiaries    *     
23           Consent of KPMG LLP    *     
31.1        Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Executive Officer    *     
31.2        Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification of Chief Financial Officer    *     
32.1        Section 1350 Certification of Chief Executive Officer    *     
32.2        Section 1350 Certification of Chief Financial Officer    *     

 

+ Management Contract or other compensatory plan required to be filed under Item 14(c) of this report and Item 601 of Regulation 5-K of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

By:

 

/s/ A. Alexander McLean III

   

A. Alexander McLean, III

Executive Vice President and CFO

Date: June 9, 2005

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature
/s/ Douglas R. Jones
Douglas R. Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer); Director
Date: June 9, 2005
/s/ A. Alexander McLean III
A. Alexander McLean, III, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer and principal accounting officer); Director
Date: June 9, 2005
/s/ Ken R. Bramlett
Ken R. Bramlett, Director
Date: June 9, 2005
/s/ Charles D. Way
Charles D. Way, Director
Date: June 9, 2005

 

46