Principal Financial Group Inc. Sells 8,879 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO

Principal Financial Group Inc. trimmed its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 2.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 320,976 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,879 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors were worth $16,055,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ASO. AlphaQuest LLC boosted its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1,715.5% in the third quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 12,745 shares of the company’s stock worth $638,000 after purchasing an additional 12,043 shares in the last quarter. AE Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 3rd quarter worth about $208,000. Great Lakes Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 17.2% during the 3rd quarter. Great Lakes Advisors LLC now owns 12,587 shares of the company’s stock valued at $630,000 after acquiring an additional 1,851 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. raised its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 59,631 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,983,000 after acquiring an additional 710 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SummerHaven Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 7.2% in the 3rd quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 16,355 shares of the company’s stock worth $818,000 after purchasing an additional 1,105 shares during the last quarter.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:ASO opened at $58.37 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.89 billion, a PE ratio of 10.67, a PEG ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 1.26. 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, Inc. has a 1-year low of $33.34 and a 1-year high of $60.32. The business’s 50 day moving average is $54.43 and its 200-day moving average is $51.38.

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

Academy Sports and Outdoors Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were paid a dividend of $0.13 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.9%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 9.51%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.01, for a total value of $192,535.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 39,107 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,151,276.07. This represents a 8.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 3.62% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on the company. UBS Group increased their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. Evercore upped their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.89.

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.