Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Price Target Lowered to $52.00 at Wells Fargo & Company

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) had its price target decreased by equities researchers at Wells Fargo & Company from $57.00 to $52.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target indicates a potential upside of 4.21% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on ASO. UBS Group upped their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Truist Financial set a $52.00 target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays lowered their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $59.00 to $49.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 15th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $58.78.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Down 11.7%

Shares of NASDAQ ASO opened at $49.90 on Wednesday. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a 1 year low of $33.34 and a 1 year high of $62.44. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $57.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $52.48. The company has a market cap of $3.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.12, a PEG ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.71 and a quick ratio of 0.32.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.98 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.05 by ($0.07). Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.27% and a return on equity of 18.24%. The business had revenue of $1.72 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.76 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.96 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in ASO. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in the second quarter valued at about $34,228,000. Junto Capital Management LP bought a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 3rd quarter worth about $36,567,000. Boston Partners grew its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 85.5% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,302,141 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,416,000 after acquiring an additional 600,335 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 128.2% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 833,769 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,655,000 after purchasing an additional 468,457 shares during the period. Finally, Hood River Capital Management LLC increased its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 125.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 782,742 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,075,000 after purchasing an additional 434,894 shares during the period.

Trending Headlines about Academy Sports and Outdoors

Here are the key news stories impacting Academy Sports and Outdoors this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company returned capital and boosted dividend — management repurchased stock and announced a 15% quarterly dividend increase, and the firm generated meaningful adjusted free cash flow in FY2025, which supports shareholder-friendly actions. GlobeNewswire: Q4 and FY2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts remain bullish — Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an Outperform rating with a $65 price target, signaling a significant upside case versus current levels. Benzinga: Telsey Reaffirms Outperform
• Neutral Sentiment: Company filed full Q4 results and presented its earnings deck/call transcript — useful for digging into segment trends, store openings (24 in 2025; guidance for 20–25 in 2026), and management commentary on the consumer. Q4 Presentation / Press Release
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings miss and weaker guidance pressured the print — Q4 GAAP EPS $1.98 (below consensus) and revenue $1.72B (below estimates); management guided FY2026 comp-sales to -1% to +2% and flagged consumer softness (higher delinquencies, traffic declines among lower‑income shoppers). Investing.com: Academy Sports misses estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Inventory and traffic dynamics are a concern — merchandise inventories rose ~15% YoY while comp sales declined, implying potential margin pressure if markdowns or promotions are needed. MarketBeat: Stock Sinks After Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays cut its price target to $49 and moved to an “equal weight” rating, signaling caution from another institutional voice and adding selling pressure. Benzinga: Barclays Lowers PT

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.