World Acceptance Corporation

WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
REPORTS IMPROVED FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS

              GREENVILLE, S.C. -- (April 24, 2001) -- World Acceptance Corporation (Nasdaq/NM: WRLD) reported higher revenues and net income for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2001. 

             Net income for the fourth quarter rose 32.9% to $7.2 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, compared with $5.4 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, for the same quarter of the prior year.  Total revenues for the quarter increased 23.2% to $35.1 million from $28.5 million for the prior-year quarter.

             "World Acceptance's fourth quarter earnings benefited from growth in our loan portfolio, lower net charge-offs, and increased fee income from our tax preparation business," stated Charles D. Walters, chairman and chief executive officer of the Company.  "Interest and fee income rose 20.7% to $29.4 million in the fourth fiscal quarter and was up 16.1% for the year.  Our earnings potential accelerated during the year as a result of the 21.5% increase in loans that was attributable to both strong internal growth and the contribution from new offices and acquisitions completed in fiscal 2001.

             "Growth of our tax preparation business was especially strong this year. During the fourth fiscal quarter, we completed approximately 33,000 returns, or about twice as many as last year, and generated fees in excess of $2.5 million," concluded Mr. Walters.

             Fourth quarter earnings were enhanced by a reduction in the annualized net charge-off percentages to 10.5% compared with 11.1% during the three months ended March 31, 2000.  For the fiscal year, this ratio remained level from the prior year at 12.0%.

             For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2001, net income amounted to $15.6 million, or $0.83 per diluted share, a 10.1% increase over prior-period earnings of $14.2 million, or $0.74 per diluted share.  Total revenues for the current fiscal year were $120.5 million, representing a 14.5% increase over the $105.3 million in the prior fiscal year.

             Gross loans outstanding increased to $210.9 million at March 31, 2001, a 21.5% increase over the $173.6 million in balances outstanding at March 31, 2000.

             Return on average assets and on average equity rose to 15.1% and 36.4%, respectively, during the fourth fiscal quarter and remained very high at 8.8% and 21.1%, respectively, for the entire fiscal year.

             During the current fiscal year, the Company opened or acquired 19 offices and closed or sold 9 non-performing offices, making a total of 420 offices at March 31, 2001.

 About World Acceptance Corporation

            World Acceptance Corporation is one of the nation's largest small-loan consumer finance companies, operating 420 offices in 10 states.  It is also the parent company of ParaData Financial Systems, a provider of computer software solutions for the consumer finance industry.

 Fourth Quarter Conference Call

            The senior management of World Acceptance Corporation will be discussing these results in its quarterly conference call to be held at 2:00 P.M. Eastern time today.  Interested parties may participate in this call by dialing 1-888-868-9083.  A simulcast of the conference call is also available on the Internet at www.streetevents.com and www.vcall.com.  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 Section 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that represent the Company's expectations or beliefs concerning future events.  Such forward-looking statements are about matters that are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties.  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 rate; risks inherent in making loans, including risks of repayment and impairment to the value of collateral; recently enacted or proposed 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) and changes in the Company's markets and general changes in the economy (particularly in the markets served by the Company).  Such factors are discussed in greater detail in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.