Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Reaches New 52-Week High – What’s Next?

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) shares hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $61.95 and last traded at $61.19, with a volume of 1532119 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $61.18.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on ASO shares. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Barclays upped their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $51.00 to $59.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed 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. Truist Financial set a $59.00 target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $59.89.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 0.0%

The stock has a market cap of $4.08 billion, a PE ratio of 11.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.26. 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 company’s 50-day moving average price is $56.04 and its 200 day moving average price is $51.99.

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

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were paid a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio is 9.51%.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Institutional Trading of Academy Sports and Outdoors

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of ASO. Salomon & Ludwin LLC lifted its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 139.8% during the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 482 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 281 shares in the last quarter. Huntington National Bank increased its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 214.6% in the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 689 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 470 shares in the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 32.6% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,025 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 252 shares during the period. Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted 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 worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 602 shares during the period.

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.