Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) has earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eighteen research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $59.8667.

ASO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Wednesday, May 13th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $78.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $61.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $56.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

NASDAQ ASO opened at $51.75 on Monday. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a 52 week low of $41.29 and a 52 week high of $62.44. The company has a market capitalization of $3.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.04. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $54.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $54.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.05 by ($0.08). Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 17.88%. The firm had revenue of $1.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.76 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.96 EPS. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 16th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 18th will be given a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 18th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is 10.79%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Academy Sports and Outdoors

In related news, Director Jeffrey C. Tweedy sold 4,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.00, for a total value of $240,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 7,835 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $470,100. This represents a 33.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 3.62% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Academy Sports and Outdoors

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Amundi lifted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 180.8% during the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 12,447 shares of the company’s stock worth $703,000 after purchasing an additional 8,015 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 38.9% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 921 shares of the company’s stock valued at $52,000 after purchasing an additional 258 shares in the last quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 22.5% during the first quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 78,064 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,407,000 after buying an additional 14,325 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 121.1% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 15,813 shares of the company’s stock valued at $893,000 after purchasing an additional 8,660 shares during the period. Finally, Quantinno Capital Management LP increased its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 23.5% in the 1st quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 14,143 shares of the company’s stock worth $798,000 after buying an additional 2,694 shares during the period.

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.