Clearbridge Investments LLC Sells 3,050 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Clearbridge Investments LLC reduced its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 1.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 214,919 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,050 shares during the period. Clearbridge Investments LLC owned about 0.31% of Academy Sports and Outdoors worth $12,364,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Heartland Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 40.0% during the 4th quarter. Heartland Advisors Inc. now owns 70,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,027,000 after acquiring an additional 20,000 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the fourth quarter valued at about $47,436,000. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 30.7% during the fourth quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 216,712 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,467,000 after purchasing an additional 50,842 shares during the period. WINTON GROUP Ltd increased its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 758.1% in the fourth quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd now owns 157,178 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,042,000 after purchasing an additional 138,860 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Pacifica Capital Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 7.9% in the fourth quarter. Pacifica Capital Investments LLC now owns 400,505 shares of the company’s stock valued at $23,041,000 after purchasing an additional 29,410 shares during the period.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ASO has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Evercore ISI reduced their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 17th. Wedbush reduced their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $55.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.69.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors stock opened at $47.63 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.19 billion, a PE ratio of 7.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 12 month low of $43.16 and a 12 month high of $64.62. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $50.19 and its 200-day moving average price is $52.76.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 20th. The company reported $1.96 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.82 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.67 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 23.32%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.21 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.09%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is currently 9.01%.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Company Profile

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a sporting goods and outdoor recreational retailer in the United States. The company outdoor division comprises camping products, such as coolers and drinkware, and camping accessories and equipment,; fishing products, including marine equipment and fishing rods, reels, and baits and equipment; and hunting products, which includes firearms, ammunition, archery and archery equipment, camouflage apparel, waders, shooting accessories, gun safes, optics, airguns, and hunting equipment.