Atlanticus (ATLC) vs World Acceptance (WRLD)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Atlanticus (ATLC) has outperformed World Acceptance (WRLD) over the past year, gaining 74.8% versus a loss of 0.2%. Over five years, ATLC leads with a +51.9% price change compared with -9.3% for WRLD. Atlanticus is the larger company by market cap ($1.39 billion vs $839.8 million), about 1.7 times the size.
On valuation, Atlanticus trades at a lower forward P/E (6.7x vs 11.9x for World Acceptance).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ATLC | WRLD |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $91.75 | $180.20 |
| Market cap | $1.39B | $839.81M |
| 1-day change | -3.05% | +2.13% |
| YTD return | +41.36% | +25.68% |
| 1-year return | +74.81% | -0.16% |
| 5-year return | +51.91% | -9.29% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 11.92 | 22.70 |
| Forward P/E | 6.75 | 11.90 |
| EPS (TTM) | $7.70 | $7.94 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 52-week high | $114.34 | $227.68 |
| 52-week low | $47.50 | $110.00 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -19.76% | -20.85% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | none |
| Avg. price target upside | +42.34% | +16.54% |
| Average volume | 143.22K | 90.09K |
| Shares outstanding | 15.17M | 4.66M |
| Employees | 576 | 2,907 |
| Sector | Finance | Finance |
| Industry | Finance: Consumer Services | Finance: Consumer Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- ATLC has outperformed WRLD by 75.0 percentage points over the past year.
- World Acceptance trades at a higher earnings multiple (22.7x vs 11.9x trailing P/E).
About Atlanticus
ATLC stock →Atlanticus Holdings Corporation, a financial technology company, provides products and services to lenders in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Credit as a Service (CaaS) and Auto Finance.
Finance · Finance: Consumer Services · 576 employees
About World Acceptance
WRLD stock →World Acceptance Corporation engages in consumer finance business in the United States. The company offers short-term small installment loans, medium-term larger installment loans, related credit insurance, and ancillary products and services to individuals.
Finance · Finance: Consumer Services · 2,907 employees
ATLC vs WRLD FAQ
Which is bigger, Atlanticus or World Acceptance?
Atlanticus (ATLC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.39B compared with $839.81M for World Acceptance (WRLD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ATLC or WRLD?
ATLC returned +74.81% over the past 12 months, compared with -0.16% for WRLD (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ATLC or WRLD?
ATLC has the lower trailing P/E at 11.9, versus 22.7 for WRLD. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Atlanticus and World Acceptance in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Finance: Consumer Services industry within the Finance sector.