Ceredex Value Advisors LLC Makes New Investment in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO

Ceredex Value Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 185,300 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,269,000. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC owned approximately 0.28% of Academy Sports and Outdoors as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 32.6% in the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,025 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 252 shares during the period. Huntington National Bank grew its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 47.3% in the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,015 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 326 shares during the period. Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 117.8% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,113 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after buying an additional 602 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 89.9% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,388 shares of the company’s stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 657 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 15.9% during the 3rd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,708 shares of the company’s stock worth $85,000 after buying an additional 234 shares during the period.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

NASDAQ:ASO opened at $59.96 on Wednesday. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a one year low of $33.34 and a one year high of $62.44. The stock has a market cap of $4.00 billion, a PE ratio of 10.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 1.71. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $57.62 and a 200 day moving average price of $52.45.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $1.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.98 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Barclays increased their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $51.00 to $59.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $60.22.

Insider Buying and Selling at Academy Sports and Outdoors

In related news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 17,071 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.31, for a total value of $944,197.01. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 42,607 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,356,593.17. This represents a 28.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 3.62% of the company’s stock.

About Academy Sports and Outdoors

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.