Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $59.8889.

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on ASO shares. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. Bank of America raised their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $59.00 price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Wednesday, January 14th.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Trading Down 0.2%

NASDAQ ASO traded down $0.14 on Friday, hitting $60.25. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,306,857 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,163,714. The firm has a market cap of $4.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.01, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.23. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a 52-week low of $33.34 and a 52-week high of $62.44. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $57.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $52.34. The company has a current ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 18.24% and a net margin of 6.27%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.98 earnings per share. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.650-6.150 EPS. Research analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, March 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 20th. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is presently 9.51%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 17,071 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.31, for a total value of $944,197.01. Following the sale, the director directly owned 42,607 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,356,593.17. The trade was a 28.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 3.62% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Verity Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 0.6% in the fourth quarter. Verity Asset Management Inc. now owns 32,788 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,638,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 12.1% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,742 shares of the company’s stock valued at $86,000 after acquiring an additional 188 shares during the period. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 5,599 shares of the company’s stock valued at $280,000 after acquiring an additional 202 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 2.8% in the fourth quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 7,464 shares of the company’s stock worth $373,000 after acquiring an additional 202 shares during the period. Finally, CIBC Asset Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc now owns 6,721 shares of the company’s stock valued at $336,000 after purchasing an additional 228 shares during the last quarter.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Company Profile

Academy Sports and Outdoors is a leading specialty retailer of sporting goods and outdoor gear, operating more than 260 stores across the United States. Headquartered in Katy, Texas, the company offers a broad assortment of merchandise spanning athletic footwear and apparel, team sports equipment, camping and outdoor recreation products, hunting and fishing supplies, and fitness accessories. In addition to its brick-and-mortar footprint, Academy serves customers through its e-commerce platform, offering online ordering, in-store pickup, and home delivery options.

The company’s product portfolio includes seasonal and year-round categories designed to meet the needs of both casual enthusiasts and serious athletes.