WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORP — Major Shareholding Notification 2016

Feb 16, 2016

SC 13G 1 worldacceptance_sc13g.htm SCHEDULE FILED TO REPORT ACQUISITION OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.)*

| World Acceptance
Corp |
| --- |
| (Name of Issuer) |
| Common Stock |
| (Title of Class of Securities) |
| 981419104 |
| (CUSIP Number) |
| December 31,
2015 |
| (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this
Statement) |

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

X
Rule
13d-1(c)
Rule
13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

Page 1 of 9

CUSIP No. 981419104

| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Manulife Financial
Corporation | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 | CHECK THE
APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ (b) ☐ |
| | N/A | |
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | |
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION Canada | |
| Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With | 5 | SOLE VOTING
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| | 6 | SHARED VOTING
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| | 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| | 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | |
| | None, except through its indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Manulife Asset Management Limited and Manulife Asset Management (US)
LLC. | |
| 10 | CHECK IF THE
AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES * | |
| | N/A | |
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS
REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 | |
| | See line 9 above. | |
| 12 | TYPE OF
REPORTING PERSON * | |
| | HC | |
| SEE
INSTRUCTIONS | | |

Page 2 of 9

CUSIP No. 981419104

| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Manulife Asset Management (US)
LLC | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 | CHECK THE
APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ (b) ☐ |
| | N/A | |
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | |
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION Delaware | |
| Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With | 5 | SOLE VOTING
POWER |
| | | 26,140 |
| | 6 | SHARED VOTING
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| | 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | 26,140 |
| | 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | |
| | 26,140 | |
| 10 | CHECK IF THE
AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES * | |
| | N/A | |
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS
REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 | |
| | 0.29% | |
| 12 | TYPE OF
REPORTING PERSON * | |
| | IA | |
| SEE
INSTRUCTIONS | | |

Page 3 of 9

CUSIP No. 981419104

| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Manulife Asset Management
Limited | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 | CHECK THE
APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ (b) ☐ |
| | N/A | |
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | |
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION Ontario | |
| Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With | 5 | SOLE VOTING
POWER |
| | | 667,153 |
| | 6 | SHARED VOTING
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| | 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | 667,153 |
| | 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | |
| | 667,153 | |
| 10 | CHECK IF THE
AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES * | |
| | N/A | |
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS
REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 | |
| | 7.48% | |
| 12 | TYPE OF
REPORTING PERSON * | |
| | FI | |
| SEE
INSTRUCTIONS | | |

Page 4 of 9

CUSIP No. 981419104

| 1 | NAME OF REPORTING PERSON Manulife Canadian Focused
Fund | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2 | CHECK THE
APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP | (a) ☐ (b) ☐ |
| | N/A | |
| 3 | SEC USE ONLY | |
| 4 | CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF
ORGANIZATION Ontario | |
| Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With | 5 | SOLE VOTING
POWER |
| | | 0 |
| | 6 | SHARED VOTING
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| | 7 | SOLE DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | 0 |
| | 8 | SHARED DISPOSITIVE
POWER |
| | | -0- |
| 9 | AGGREGATE AMOUNT
BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON | |
| | 609,492 shares owned directly by the Fund. Manulife Asset
Management Limited has sole voting and dispositive power over these
shares. | |
| 10 | CHECK IF THE
AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES * | |
| | N/A | |
| 11 | PERCENT OF CLASS
REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 | |
| | 6.83% | |
| 12 | TYPE OF
REPORTING PERSON * | |
| | FI | |
| SEE
INSTRUCTIONS | | |

Page 5 of 9

| Item
1(a) | Name of Issuer : |
| --- | --- |
| | World Acceptance Corp |
| Item 1(b) | Address of Issuer's Principal Executive
Offices : 108 Frederick Street Greensville, South Carolina, 29607 |
| Item 2(a) | Name of Person Filing : This filing is made on behalf of Manulife Financial
Corporation ("MFC") and MFC’s indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Manulife Asset Management Limited (“MAML”)and Manulife Asset Management
(US) LLC ("MAM (US)"), and is also made on behalf of Manulife Canadian
Focused Fund. |
| Item 2(b) | Address of Principal Business
Office : The principal business offices of MFC,
MAML and Manulife Canadian Focused Fund are located at 200 Bloor Street
East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4W 1E5. The principal business office of MAM (US) is
located at 197 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116. |
| Item 2(c) | Citizenship : MFC is organized and exist under the laws of Canada. MAM (US) is organized
and exists under the laws of the State of Delaware. MAML and Manulife Canadian Focused Fund are
organized and exist under the laws of Ontario. |
| Item 2(d) | Title of Class of
Securities : Common
Stock |
| Item 2(e) | CUSIP Number : 981419104 |
| Item 3 | If this statement is filed pursuant to §§240.13d-1(b) or
240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is
a : |

| MFC: | (g) (X) | a parent holding company or
control person in |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | | accordance with
§240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G). |
| MAM (US): | (e) (X) | an investment adviser in
accordance with |
| | | §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E). |
| MAML: | (j) (X) | an investment adviser in
accordance with |
| | | §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). |
| Manulife Canadian Focused
Fund: | (j) (X) | a non-U.S. institution in
accordance with |
| | | §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). |

| Item 4 |
| --- |
| (a) Amount Beneficially Owned : MAML has beneficial ownership of 667,153
shares of Common Stock of which Manulife Canadian Focused Fund owns
directly 609,496 shares, and MAM (US) has beneficial ownership of 26,140
shares of Common Stock. Through its parent-subsidiary relationship to MAML
and MAM (US), MFC may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of these same
shares. |
| (b) Percent of Class : Of the 8,918,740 shares outstanding as of
November 3, 2015 according to the Form 10-Q filed by the issuer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2015, MAML held 7.48% of
which Manulife Canadian Focused Fund held directly 6.83%. and MAM (US)
held 0.29%. |

Page 6 of 9

| | (c) Number of shares as to which
the person has : — (i) | sole
power to vote or to direct the vote: |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | | MAML
and MAM (US) each has sole power to vote or to direct the voting of the
shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by each of them. |
| | (ii) | shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
-0- |
| | (iii) | sole
power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: |
| | | MAML
and MAM (US) each has sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by each of
them. |
| | (iv) | shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: -0- |
| Item
5 | Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a
Class : | |
| | Not
applicable. | |
| Item
6 | Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person : | |
| | Not
applicable. | |
| Item
7 | Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary
which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
Company or Control Person : | |
| | See
Items 3 and 4 above. | |
| Item
8 | Identification and Classification of Members of the
Group : | |
| | Not
applicable. | |
| Item
9 | Notice of Dissolution of Group : | |
| | Not
applicable. | |
| Item
10 | Certification : | |
| | By
signing below the undersigned certifies that, to the best of its knowledge
and belief, (i) the securities referred to above were
acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or
with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
that purpose or effect, and (ii) the foreign regulatory schemes applicable
to MAML, are substantially comparable to the
regulatory scheme applicable to the functionally equivalent U.S. institutions. The undersigned
also undertakes to furnish to the Commission staff, upon request, information that would otherwise be
disclosed in a Schedule 13D. | |

Page 7 of 9

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

	Manulife Financial Corporation — By:	/s/ Graham A. Miller
	Name:	Graham A. Miller
Dated: February 8, 2016	Title:	Agent*
	Manulife Asset Management (US) LLC
	By:	/s/ Paul Donahue
	Name:	Paul
Donahue
Dated: February 8, 2016	Title:	Chief Compliance Officer
	Manulife Asset Management Limited
	By:	/s/ Joshua Margolian
	Name:	Joshua Margolian
Dated: February 8, 2016	Title:	Assistant Secretary
	Manulife Canadian Focused Fund
	By:	/s/ Joshua Margolian
	Name:	Joshua Margolian
Dated: February 8, 2016	Title:	Assistant Secretary

• Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated June 10, 2014 included as Exhibit A to Schedule 13F- NT filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Manulife Financial Corporation on August 27, 2014.

Page 8 of 9

EXHIBIT A

JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

Manulife Financial Corporation, Manulife Asset Management (US) LLC, Manulife Asset Management Limited and Manulife Canadian Focused Fund agree that the Schedule 13G to which this Agreement is attached, relating to the Common Stock of World Acceptance Corp, is filed on behalf of each of them.

| | Manulife Financial
Corporation — By: | /s/ Graham A.
Miller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| | Name: | Graham A. Miller |
| Dated: February 8, 2016 | Title: | Agent* |
| | Manulife Asset
Management (US) LLC | |
| | By: | /s/ Paul
Donahue |
| | Name: | Paul Donahue |
| Dated:February 8, 2016 | Title: | Chief Compliance
Officer |
| | Manulife Asset
Management Limited | |
| | By: | /s/ Joshua
Margolian |
| | Name: | Joshua Margolian |
| Dated: February 8, 2016 | Title: | Assistant Secretary |
| | Manulife Canadian
Focused Fund | |
| | By: | /s/ Joshua
Margolian |
| | Name: | Joshua Margolian |
| Dated: February 8, 2016 | Title: | Assistant
Secretary |

• Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated June 10, 2014 included as Exhibit A to Schedule 13F- NT filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Manulife Financial Corporation on August 27, 2014.

Page 9 of 9