Barclays Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Stock Price

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) had its price objective decreased by research analysts at Barclays from $59.00 to $49.00 in a research note issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “equal weight” rating on the stock. Barclays‘s price objective suggests a potential downside of 7.67% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on ASO. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on 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. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Truist Financial dropped their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $59.00 to $52.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Tuesday. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $58.78.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 4.6%

Shares of ASO opened at $53.07 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $57.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $52.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 1.89. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.54, a PEG ratio of 0.59 and a beta of 1.23. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a one year low of $33.34 and a one year high of $62.44.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.05 by ($0.08). The business had revenue of $1.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.76 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 17.88% and a net margin of 6.22%.Academy Sports and Outdoors’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.96 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASO. Villanova Investment Management Co LLC grew its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 12.2% during the 4th quarter. Villanova Investment Management Co LLC now owns 44,020 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,199,000 after purchasing an additional 4,790 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 128.2% in the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 833,769 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,655,000 after buying an additional 468,457 shares during the period. XTX Topco Ltd raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1,676.0% in the 4th quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 77,912 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,892,000 after buying an additional 73,525 shares during the period. Verdad Advisers LP acquired a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter valued at about $749,000. Finally, Sona Asset Management US LLC acquired a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter valued at about $999,000.

Academy Sports and Outdoors News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an Outperform and keeps a $65 price target, signaling continued analyst conviction that ASO has upside from current levels. Telsey reiterates Outperform
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target to $60 (now Neutral), which can support buying interest after the post-earnings drop. JPMorgan raises PT
• Positive Sentiment: Company plans to open up to 25 new stores in 2026 (including several in Texas), a growth catalyst that can drive revenue expansion and justify upside over time. Store expansion plans
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest notices show anomalous “0 shares” readings in mid-March — likely a reporting/data error and not meaningful evidence of a large short squeeze. (internal data)
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation write-ups note the stock looks cheaper after the pullback, highlighting a P/E near the low end and a PEG under 1, which may attract value-oriented buyers if fundamentals stabilize. Valuation analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 2025 missed both revenue and EPS expectations; comparable-store sales declined and management gave cautious FY26 comps guidance. Management flagged rising credit delinquencies, elevated inventories (up ~15% YoY) and softer traffic — all headwinds that prompted the earlier selloff. Earnings call transcript Earnings coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Several firms cut or trimmed price targets (UBS, Wells Fargo, Barclays lowered targets) which increased near-term selling pressure despite some offsetting raises/reiterates. Analyst PT moves

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.