UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 4)*
WORLD ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, no par value
(Title of Class of Securities)
981419 10 4
(CUSIP Number)
November 1, 2002
(Date of Event which Requires filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:
|_| Rule 13d-1(b)
|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).
CUSIP No. 981419 10 4
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)
Thomas W. Smith
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) |_|
(b) |X|
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
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NUMBER OF 5 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 94,800
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BENEFICIALLY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY 1,933,600
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EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING 94,800
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PERSON 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 1,933,600
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
2,028,400
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10 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
Not Applicable
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11.5%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IN
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-2-
CUSIP No. 981419 10 4
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)
Thomas N. Tryforos
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) |_|
(b) |X|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 5 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY 1,933,600
-----------------------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PERSON 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
Not Applicable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11.0%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IN
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-3-
CUSIP No. 981419 10 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (entities only)
Scott J. Vassalluzo
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) |_|
(b) |X|
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3 SEC USE ONLY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 5 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 36,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED BY 1,933,600
-----------------------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
REPORTING 36,000
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PERSON 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH 1,933,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,969,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
Not Applicable
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11.2%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IN
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-4-
ITEM 1. (a) Name of Issuer:
World Acceptance Corporation
(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
108 Frederick Street
Greenville, SC 29607
ITEM 2. (a) Name of Person Filing:
(i) Thomas W. Smith
(ii) Thomas N. Tryforos
(iii) Scott J. Vassalluzo
The filing of this Statement shall not be deemed to be an
admission that the filing persons comprise a "group" within
the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended.
(b) Address of Principal Business Office:
The following is the address of the principal business office
of each of the filing persons:
323 Railroad Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
(c) Citizenship:
Each of Messrs. Thomas W. Smith, Thomas N. Tryforos and Scott
J. Vassalluzo is a United States citizen.
(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, no par value
(e) CUSIP Number:
981419 10 4
ITEM 3. If this Statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) or
(c), check whether the person filing is a:
Not applicable.
If this Statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box
|x|
-5-
ITEM 4. Ownership
(a) Thomas W. Smith - 2,028,400 shares; Thomas N. Tryforos -
1,933,600 shares; Scott J. Vassalluzo - 1,969,600 shares
(b) Thomas W. Smith - 11.5%; Thomas N. Tryforos - 11.0%; Scott J.
Vassalluzo - 11.2%
(c) Each of Thomas W. Smith, Thomas N. Tryforos and Scott J.
Vassalluzo has shared power to vote or to direct the vote and
shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
1,933,600 shares. Thomas W. Smith has sole power to vote and
dispose of 94,800 shares, Thomas N. Tryforos has sole power to
vote and dispose of no shares and Scott J. Vassalluzo has sole
power to vote and dispose of 36,000 shares.
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
Messrs. Smith, Tryforos and Vassalluzo in the aggregate beneficially
own 2,064,400 shares in their capacities as investment managers for
certain managed accounts. The managed accounts have the right to
receive dividends from, and the proceeds from the sale of, the
managed accounts' shares.
ITEM 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company
Not applicable.
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, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above 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.
-6-
Signature
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Date: November 12, 2002
/s/ Thomas W. Smith
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Thomas W. Smith
/s/ Thomas N. Tryforos
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Thomas N. Tryforos
/s/ Scott J. Vassalluzo
--------------------------------
Scott J. Vassalluzo
-7-
JOINT FILING AGREEMENT
The undersigned agree that the foregoing Statement on Schedule 13G, dated
November 12, 2002, is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
behalf of each of the undersigned pursuant to Rule 13d-1(k).
Dated: November 12, 2002
/s/ Thomas W. Smith
--------------------------------
Thomas W. Smith
/s/ Thomas N. Tryforos
--------------------------------
Thomas N. Tryforos
/s/ Scott J. Vassalluzo
--------------------------------
Scott J. Vassalluzo
-8-