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

Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the sixteen analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $57.3571.

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Truist Financial reduced their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $59.00 to $52.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. UBS Group cut their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $56.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $56.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $57.00 to $52.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 139.8% in the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 482 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 281 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted 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 purchasing an additional 252 shares during the period. Huntington National Bank grew its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 47.3% during the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,015 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 326 shares during the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 4th quarter worth $51,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. increased its stake in 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 valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 602 shares during the period.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 4.0%

ASO stock opened at $56.45 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $3.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.15, a PEG ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a twelve month low of $33.34 and a twelve month high of $62.44. The company’s 50 day moving average is $57.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $52.74.

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

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 20th will be issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 20th. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio is currently 10.79%.

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.