8-K

UNITED STATESSECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 3, 2016

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

South Carolina	0-19599	57-0425114
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

108 Frederick Street, Greenville, South Carolina	29607
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (864) 298-9800

n/a

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

⃞ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

⃞ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition; and

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On November 3, 2016, World Acceptance Corporation ("WRLD") issued a press release announcing financial information for its second quarter ended September 30, 2016.  The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K and is furnished to, but not filed with, the Commission.

On November 3, 2016, World Acceptance Corporation senior management held a conference call to discuss the results of its second quarter ended September 30, 2016.  Prepared remarks for the conference call by the Chief Executive Officer of WRLD is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 to this Form 8-K and is furnished to, but not filed with, the Commission.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)       Exhibits.

            Exhibit Number                         Description of Exhibit
            99.1                                             Press release issued November 3, 2016
            99.2                                             Prepared remarks by Chief Executive Officer for November 3, 2016 conference call

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

		WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
		(Registrant)
Date:	November 3, 2016	By:	/s/ John Calmes
			John Calmes
			Chief Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit	Description
99.1	Press Release dated November 3, 2016
99.2	Prepared remarks by Chief Executive Officer for November 3, 2016 conference call

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

World Acceptance Corporation Reports Second Quarter

GREENVILLE, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 3, 2016--World Acceptance Corporation (NASDAQ: WRLD) today reported financial results for its second fiscal quarter and six months ended September 30, 2016.

Net income for the second quarter decreased 19.3% to $15.5 million compared to $19.2 million for the same quarter of the prior year. Net income per diluted share decreased 20.7% to $1.76 in the second quarter of fiscal 2017 compared to $2.22 in the prior year quarter.

Total revenues decreased to $129.3 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2017, a 5.2% decrease from the $136.4 million reported for the second quarter last year. Revenues from the 1,279 offices open throughout both quarterly periods decreased by 3.8%. Interest and fee income decreased 5.6%, from $124.0 million to $117.0 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2017 due primarily to a decrease in average earning loans and an unfavorable move in exchange rates. Insurance and other income decreased by 1.3% to $12.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2017 compared with $12.4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2016. The decrease was related to a $1.2 million decrease in insurance revenue offset by a $1.0 million increase in other income compared with the second quarter of fiscal 2016. Other income was negatively impacted in the prior year quarter by a buyback of charged-off accounts sold in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015. The buyback resulted in a $1.5 million net loss during the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

Accounts in the US that were 61 days or more past due increased to 5.3% on a recency basis and to 7.0% on a contractual basis at September 30, 2016, compared to 4.8% and 6.5%, respectively, at September 30, 2015. On a consolidated basis, accounts that were 61 days or more past due increased to 5.5% on a recency basis and to 7.7% on a contractual basis at September 30, 2016, compared to 5.0% and 7.0%, respectively, at September 30, 2015. As a result of the higher delinquencies, our allowance to net loans increased from 9.5% at September 30, 2015, to 9.7% at September 30, 2016.

As previously disclosed, the Company ceased all in-person visits effective December 18, 2015. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company experienced higher than normal delinquencies in January and February as well as higher than normal charge-offs, especially in the month of March, as accounts became more than 90 days past due. We continue to see elevated net charge-offs and delinquencies, however, the provision for the quarter decreased $1.7 million quarter over quarter. This is primarily due to the Company recording an additional $5.0 million provision during the second quarter of fiscal 2016. This was off-set by an increase in net charge-offs and a larger increase in accounts 90 days past due quarter over quarter. Net charge-offs as a percentage of average net loans on an annualized basis increased from 13.6% to 15.6% when comparing the two quarters. The prior year net charge-off rate benefited from one monthly sale of accounts previously charged-off totaling approximately $0.3 million. Consolidated net charge-offs excluding the impact of the charge-off sale were up $2.1 million when comparing the two fiscal quarters. Accounts 90 days past due in the US, which are fully reserved, increased by $1.3 million in the current quarter versus the same quarter last year.

General and administrative expenses amounted to $63.5 million in the second fiscal quarter, compared to $63.4 million in the same quarter of the prior fiscal year. As a percentage of revenues, G&A expenses increased from 46.5% during the second quarter of fiscal 2016 to 49.1% during the current quarter. G&A expenses per average open office increased by 1.3% when comparing the two fiscal quarters.

Personnel expenses increased $1.0 million when comparing the two quarters. The prior year quarter benefited from the release of expense previously accrued under the Group B performance based restricted stock awards. The release in the prior quarter resulted in a decrease in personnel expense of approximately $2.6 million. Personnel expense in the prior year quarter also benefited from the release of accruals related to the retirement of the previous CEO. The impact of the reversal on the prior year was $1.5 million. Excluding the impact of the prior year reversals, personnel expense decreased $3.1 million, or 7.2% quarter over quarter. Occupancy expense decreased $1.4 million quarter over quarter. This is primarily related to a $1.3 million loss taken in the prior year quarter as a result of the sale of the corporate jet. The Company’s advertising expense increased $700,000 from prior year quarter as the Company shifted its marketing spend from the first quarter to the second quarter.

Interest expense for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, decreased by $1.8 million, or 24.1% from the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The decrease in interest expense is due to a 26.1% decrease in the average debt outstanding, from $493.9 million to $365.0 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2015, and 2016, respectively. The Company’s debt to equity ratio decreased from 1.4:1 at September 30, 2015, to 0.9:1 at September 30, 2016.

The Company’s second quarter effective income tax rate increased to 36.6% compared with 31.8% in the prior year’s second quarter. The increase was primarily due to the decrease in reserves related to an initial state ruling in favor of the Company and state refund claims in the prior year’s quarter.

Gross loans decreased to $1.10 billion as of September 30, 2016, a 5.8% decrease from the $1.16 billion of loans outstanding as of September 30, 2015. Gross loans in the US decreased 7.0%. Gross loans in Mexico increased 7.7% in US dollars. However, gross loans in Mexico increased 23.0% in Mexican pesos. The shift in the mix of our loan portfolio leveled off over the past 12 months and at September 30, 2016, consisted of 61.2% small loans, 38.7% larger loans and 0.1% sales finance. This compares to 60.8%, 38.8% and 0.4% at September 30, 2015. Additionally, the overall 5.8% decrease in loan balances resulted from a 3.9% decrease in the number of accounts outstanding and a 1.9% decrease in average balances outstanding. The number of loans to first time and former borrowers was approximately 157,000 during the current quarter, which is up 4.5% compared to the same quarter of the prior fiscal year.

We remain optimistic about our Mexican operations. We have approximately 155,000 accounts and approximately $103.5 million in gross loans outstanding in Mexico. Net charge-offs as a percent of average net loans decreased from 11.2% in fiscal 2016 to 10.5% during the current fiscal year. Additionally, our 61+ day delinquencies were 7.4% and 13.6% on a recency and contractual basis, respectively, as of September 30, 2016, a change from 7.1% and 13.5%, respectively, as of September 30, 2015.

Other key return ratios for the second quarter included a 9.0% return on average assets and a return on average equity of 19.6% (both on a trailing 12-month basis).

Six-Month Results

For the first six-months of the fiscal year, net income decreased 25.0% to $32.1 million compared with $42.8 million for the six-months ended September 30, 2015. Fully diluted net income per share decreased 25.9% to $3.65 in the first six months of fiscal 2017 compared with $4.93 for the first six-months of fiscal 2016.

Total revenues for the first six-months of fiscal 2017 declined 6.3% to $256.3 million compared with a revised $273.6 million during the corresponding period of the previous year. Annualized net charge-offs as a percent of average net loans increased from 12.8% during the first six-months of fiscal 2016 to 15.3% for the first six-months of fiscal 2017.

Other Matters

As previously disclosed, on August 7, 2015, the Company received a letter from the CFPB’s Enforcement Office notifying the Company that, in accordance with the CFPB’s discretionary Notice and Opportunity to Respond and Advise (“NORA”) process, the staff of CFPB’s Enforcement Office is considering recommending that the CFPB take legal action against the Company (the “NORA Letter”). The NORA Letter states that the staff of the CFPB’s Enforcement Office expects to allege that the Company violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, 12 U.S.C. §5536. The NORA Letter confirms that the Company has the opportunity to make a NORA submission, which is a written statement setting forth any reasons of law or policy why the Company believes the CFPB should not take legal action against it. Following the CFPB’s NORA Letter, the Company made NORA submissions to the CFPB’s Enforcement Office. The Company understands that a NORA Letter is intended to ensure that potential subjects of enforcement actions have the opportunity to present their positions to the CFPB before an enforcement action is recommended or commenced. The Company continues to believe its historical and current business practices are lawful.

About World Acceptance Corporation

World Acceptance Corporation is one of the largest small-loan consumer finance companies, operating 1,322 offices in 15 states and Mexico.

Second Quarter Conference Call

The senior management of World Acceptance Corporation will be discussing these results in its quarterly conference call to be held at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time today. A simulcast of the conference call will be available on the Internet at https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1118/17328. The call will be available for replay on the Internet for approximately 30 days.

This press release may contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that represent the Company’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events. Statements other than those of historical fact, as well as those identified by the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” ”intend,” “plan,” “expect,” ”project,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could” and any variation of the foregoing and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are about matters that are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results or performance to differ from the expectations expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include the following: recently enacted, proposed or future legislation and the manner in which it is implemented; the nature and scope of regulatory authority, particularly discretionary authority, that may be exercised by regulators, including, but not limited to, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), having jurisdiction over the Company’s business or consumer financial transactions generically; the unpredictable nature of regulatory proceedings and litigation; any determinations, findings, claims or actions made or taken by the CFPB, other regulators or third parties in connection with or resulting from the previously disclosed civil investigative demand (CID) or the notice and opportunity to respond and advise (NORA) letter from the CFPB that assert or establish that the Company’s lending practices or other aspects of its business violate applicable laws or regulations; the impact of changes in accounting rules and regulations, or their interpretation or application, which could materially and adversely affect the Company’s reported financial statements or necessitate material delays or changes in the issuance of the Company’s audited financial statements; the Company's assessment of its internal control over financial reporting, and the timing and effectiveness of the Company's efforts to remediate any reported material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting; changes in interest rates; risks related to expansion and foreign operations; risks inherent in making loans, including repayment risks and value of collateral; the timing and amount of revenues that may be recognized by the Company; changes in current revenue and expense trends (including trends affecting delinquencies and charge-offs); the potential impact of limitations in the Company’s amended revolving credit facility; and changes in the Company’s markets and general changes in the economy (particularly in the markets served by the Company). These and other factors are discussed in greater detail in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Company’s other reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC from time to time. World Acceptance Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements it makes. The Company is also not responsible for updating the information contained in this press release beyond the publication date, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet services.

World Acceptance Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts)
				Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
				September 30,				September 30,
				2016		2015		2016		2015
Interest & fees			$	116,980		123,964		231,024		246,803
Insurance & other				12,289		12,447		25,325		26,834
	Total revenues			129,269		136,411		256,349		273,637
Expenses:
	Provision for loan losses			35,871		37,557		67,885		63,785
	General and administrative expenses
		Personnel		40,401		39,445		82,396		82,664
		Occupancy & equipment		10,631		12,030		21,133		22,423
		Advertising		4,093		3,411		6,444		6,580
		Intangible amortization		164		136		274		276
		Other		8,167		8,414		16,157		19,061
				63,456		63,436		126,404		131,004
	Interest expense			5,519		7,269		11,105		12,741
		Total expenses		104,846		108,262		205,394		207,530
Income before taxes				24,423		28,149		50,955		66,107
Income taxes				8,932		8,963		18,845		23,288
Net income			$	15,491		19,186		32,110		42,819
Diluted earnings per share			$	1.76		2.22		3.65		4.93
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding				8,805		8,649		8,787		8,680
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited and in thousands)
						September 30,		March 31,		September 30,
						2016		2016		2015
		ASSETS
Cash					$	16,255		12,377		12,558
Gross loans receivable						1,095,577		1,066,964		1,162,836
	Less: Unearned interest & fees					(305,080	)	(290,659	)	(318,478	)
	Allowance for loan losses					(76,421	)	(69,566	)	(80,318	)
		Loans receivable, net				714,076		706,739		764,040
Property and equipment, net						23,898		25,297		23,349
Deferred income taxes, net						41,891		38,131		38,518
Goodwill						6,067		6,121		6,121
Intangibles, net						2,697		2,917		3,169
Other assets, net						12,514		14,637		15,825
					$	817,398		806,219		863,580
		LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities:
	Notes payable					360,586		374,685		489,585
	Income tax payable					10,114		8,259		1,336
	Accounts payable and accrued expenses					28,882		31,374		25,820
		Total liabilities				399,582		414,318		516,741
Shareholders' equity						417,816		391,901		346,839
					$	817,398		806,219		863,580

Selected Consolidated Statistics
(dollars in thousands)
		Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
		September 30,						September 30,
		2016			2015			2016			2015
Expenses as a percent of total revenues:
	Provision for loan losses		27.7	%		27.5	%		26.5	%		23.3	%
	General and administrative expenses		49.1	%		46.5	%		49.3	%		47.9	%
	Interest expense		4.3	%		5.3	%		4.3	%		4.7	%
Average gross loans receivable		$	1,098,722		$	1,160,364		$	1,086,278		$	1,142,983
Average net loans receivable		$	792,684		$	842,043		$	785,474		$	831,536
Loan volume		$	617,746		$	666,534		$	1,265,875		$	1,364,775
Net charge-offs as percent of average loans			15.6	%		13.6	%		15.3	%		12.8	%
Return on average assets (trailing 12 months)			9.0	%		12.4	%		9.0	%		12.4	%
Return on average equity (trailing 12 months)			19.6	%		34.2	%		19.6	%		34.2	%
Offices opened (closed) during the period, net			(2	)		15			(17	)		26
Offices open at end of period			1,322			1,346			1,322			1,346

CONTACT:
World Acceptance Corporation
John L. Calmes Jr., 864-298-9800
Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

Q2 FY2017

EARNINGS CALL PREPARED REMARKS

Please find following a summary of our operational results for this past quarter, Q2 FY2017. These notes are meant to add more detail to the standard press release that we issue each quarter. Previously, these notes have been used as a verbal script at the beginning of our Earnings Calls. We have decided that it is easier for our investors and other shareholders to receive these in written format, and therefore we can dedicate the Earnings Call time to answering any questions that participants on the call might have.

OVERALL

Our results this quarter show good growth in the number of new and former customers that we originated compared to the same quarter of a year ago. In Q2, we are at double the account growth rate of the same quarter last year. However, our ledger growth is still below last year’s level. This is because we are bringing in many more accounts at smaller loan levels, which we believe is consistent with our careful underwriting strategy. As these customers prove their credit-worthiness, we expect to be able to increase their loan amounts appropriately where desired by the customer, and so build our ledger going forward.

Since 1962, we have proven to be successful in increasing loan amounts for our customers over time when their credit worthiness made it sensible and when their financial needs have increased. We therefore believe the increase in new and former customers is a very positive sign towards the future growth of our ledger, especially as we have reduced our lending at the lower end of the credit spectrum (but gained more new and former customers overall in spite of that).

Our refinancings have been lower than historical levels, and we have put in place new strategies to help ensure that our customers have access to funding when they need it and can afford it. The strategies include a stronger focus on printed mailings, faster time-to-mail from the time data is analysed, and more specific individual details in the mailings. We have also improved our refinancing options to better meet the needs of our customers in terms of when refinancings are available and to what value.

Our delinquencies and charge-offs are not yet at the lower levels we experienced prior to stopping all field calls in December 2015. We believe several of our new initiatives, including pay-by-phone, will allow us to reduce these metrics going forward.  The Beacon Scores (the credit score used by Equifax) of our customers continues to rise, with new originations at Beacon Scores significantly higher than a year ago. Given that past experience shows a strong correlation between charge-off rates and Beacon Scores, it would be reasonable to expect this rise in average Beacon Scores to result in lower charge-offs in the future.

1

Customer Research: Last quarter, we commissioned a third party to carry out a study of our customers and potential customers so we could learn what they think of us and thus better meet their needs. We obtained the results of the study this quarter and were pleased to learn that everything our current and potential customers say they want (like online payments and modern branch locations) are initiatives we have implemented or currently have in progress. Our Net Promoter Score, which is a measure of how likely our customers are to recommend us to others, is 67.8, which is a very high score. This is higher than Apple with the iPad or Southwest Airlines. Net Promoter Scores are hard to change significantly in a short timeframe so we were particularly pleased to find that ours is so high. These results provide us with added confidence to build on our strong reputation to further strengthen our brand.

World Finance Brand: Building on the concept of One World, we have continued to convert more of our branches to operating under the name of World Finance. This allows all marketing and materials to be under one name and apply across the company, so that we create one, strong, aligned team and company. Right now, 89% of our branches operate as World Finance. We just purchased the World Finance trademark in Oklahoma. This was the only state where we operate in which we did not own the trademark and thus the only area that prevented us from being “World Finance” in every branch. Now, we will begin the conversion of our branches in Oklahoma to World Finance, whenever we open a new branch or move a branch (the same strategy as for our continued name conversion of branches in other states operating under non-World Finance brand names).

GROWTH STRATEGIES

Live Checks Program: We have now launched this program in SC and MO, had our second campaign in TN, and are about to launch in TX. We plan to continue to expand this customer acquisition channel state-by-state.

Web Applications: We are getting better at converting our website applications into loans – in July we had an all-time high conversion rate, which we are pleased about as the number of web applications we receive is also increasing significantly every single month. We believe the number of web applications will continue to be higher than FY2016 throughout growth season, especially with the revised website LoansbyWorld.com, that was launched yesterday.

New Branches: As we focus on improving efficiency in our current branches, we are opening fewer branches than in years past. We opened 4 new branches in Q2 FY2017 and closed 6 branches and merged those accounts into existing branches (this is more openings and fewer closures than in Q1 FY2017).

Marketing: We have improved our customer segmentation in order to provide the right mix of products to allow for maximizing response with appropriate associated acceptable risk (live checks, pre-approved, invitation to apply offers). We have worked with new printers to be able to provide a number of new creative materials and a shortened time from data analytics to mail drops.

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UNDERWRITING STRATEGIES

Pay-by-phone Program: Having pay-by-phone available in our branches was our highest operational priority for Q2 (July-Sept.) of our fiscal year. This was so important because we know we have customers who do not want to come into branches to pay us, nor do they want to have the inconvenience of mailing in a check. Our first priority is to have very high customer satisfaction, so we knew we needed to make paying by phone an option for all our customers as quickly as possible. I am pleased to say that, having tested pay-by-phone centrally and across one state last quarter, we launched this program companywide on September 23^rd. It is now available as a payment option in every one of our U.S. branches.

First-payment Extension Program: We have launched first payment extension in every state as of October 3^rd. Our customers in every state can now choose payment dates that align with the monthly date that they receive income. We believe this will improve our delinquencies as it helps our customers better manage their cash flow.

Collections Center Testing: We are testing collection phone calls (just in our South Eastern Division for the test) from a dedicated call-team in Home Office to see if this increases payments and rehabilitates accounts versus carrying them out in a branch. It is early days, but the results so far are very good. Continued good results are expected to lead to us expanding the activities of this Center to cover all three divisions.

COST REDUCTION STRATEGIES

Personnel Expense, excluding the impact of reversals in the prior year, decreased $3.1MM, or 7.2%, compared to the same quarter of the prior year. The decrease is primarily due to a 9.2% decrease in headcount in the US since September 30, 2015, as well as a decrease in overtime expense of $400,000 compared to the same quarter of the prior year. Annual increases in salary and wages mitigated in part the cost savings from the headcount reduction.

Mileage Expense in the branches decreased $600,000 during the quarter. While the reduction in mileage reimbursement and overtime costs can be in part attributed to our decisions to cease all field calls, we should make it clear that this decision was based on the current regulatory environment and not on gaining reduction in these expenses.

LEADERSHIP CHANGES

We continue to strengthen our field operations by hiring and promoting experienced leadership. We have appointed new VPOs for the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Indiana (all internal promotions), and a new VPO for New Mexico (an external candidate with significant experience in our industry segment).

With the promotion of Clint Dyer to EVP of Branch Operations last quarter, we have now backfilled for the SVP of our South Eastern Division by promoting the VPO of Kentucky, and we have promoted a supervisor in Kentucky to the vacated VPO role there.

3

MEXICO

Our Mexico business has had a very good quarter. Gross loans in Mexico increased 7.7% in US dollars. However, gross loans in Mexico increased 23.0% in Mexican pesos. VIVA, our payroll-deductible business, continues to grow strongly, and our penetration in this business is fairly low. Therefore, we believe there continues to be a long runway for growth of this business. Avance, our traditional installment loan business in Mexico, has grown in Mexican Pesos by 3.6%, while accounts are essentially flat.

REGULATIONS

Credit Reports: We are now checking all new and refinancing customers through the military database due to new laws that require special products for military personnel and their dependents, which we do not provide. We have ceased lending to this customer segment. Since this segment represented less than a half of one percent of our total customer base, we do not expect this to have a material impact on our ledger or accounts.

New Department of Labor Law on overtime pay: The new law requiring any employee earning over $47,476 base salary to receive overtime pay affects the majority of our branch managers. We have put in place new employment practices, including the use of part-time labor, which conforms to the new laws and we believe will not lead to an excessive increase in cost.

CFPB: Regarding proposed regulations from the CFPB on small dollar lending, as the proposal stands at present, we believe that the effect on our business practices will be fairly limited, though we will not be able to determine that conclusively until the final new regulations come out.

So to summarize:

We are pleased that this year-to-date, we have increased our new customers and former customers returning to us at a faster rate than in FY2016, but much remains to be done in order to continue improving on all key metrics. We are confident that the many specific action steps we are taking will result in continued operational improvement, and we look forward to continued improved results.

4

These prepared remarks may contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that represent the Company’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events. Statements other than those of historical fact, as well as those identified by the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” ”intend,” “plan,” “expect,” ”project,” “believe,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could” and any variation of the foregoing and similar expressions are forward-looking statements.  Such forward-looking statements are about matters that are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.  Factors that could cause actual results or performance to differ from the expectations expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include the following:  recently enacted, proposed or future legislation and the manner in which it is implemented; the nature and scope of regulatory authority, particularly discretionary authority, that may be exercised by regulators, including, but not limited to, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), having jurisdiction over the Company’s business or consumer financial transactions generically; the unpredictable nature of regulatory proceedings and litigation; any determinations, findings, claims or actions made or taken by the CFPB, other regulators or third parties in connection with or resulting from the previously disclosed civil investigative demand (CID) or the notice and opportunity to respond and advise (NORA) letter from the CFPB that assert or establish that the Company’s lending practices or other aspects of its business violate applicable laws or regulations; the impact of changes in accounting rules and regulations, or their interpretation or application, which could materially and adversely affect the Company’s reported financial statements or necessitate material delays or changes in the issuance of the Company’s audited financial statements; the Company's assessment of its internal control over financial reporting, and the timing and effectiveness of the Company's efforts to remediate any reported material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting; changes in interest rates; risks related to expansion and foreign operations; risks inherent in making loans, including repayment risks and value of collateral; the timing and amount of revenues that may be recognized by the Company; changes in current revenue and expense trends (including trends affecting delinquencies and charge-offs); the potential impact of limitations in the Company’s amended revolving credit facility; and changes in the Company’s markets and general changes in the economy (particularly in the markets served by the Company). These and other factors are discussed in greater detail in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the Company’s other reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC from time to time.  World Acceptance Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements it makes.  The Company is also not responsible for updating the information contained in this press release beyond the publication date, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet services.

5