Nicholas Financial evaluates options

CLEARWATER — Nicholas Financial Inc. announced it has hired a financial adviser to help its board evaluate its next strategic move, including a possible sale.

In a statement, the consumer finance company (symbol: NICK, recent price: $14.92), says it recently received an “unsolicited, nonbinding indication of interest” from a third party regarding a possible acquisition. Its stock price was up more than $1.50 (12%) in early Thursday trading.

Nicholas has retained Janney Montgomery Scott LLC to help evaluate options for the board, including a possible sale of the company or its assets, a potential acquisition or expansion, or acquiring debt or equity financing. In the quarter ending Dec. 31, the company posted net income of $4.57 million on revenues of $17.89 million.