Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Upgraded to Strong-Buy at Stephens

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) was upgraded by research analysts at Stephens to a “strong-buy” rating in a report issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research firms have also recently weighed in on ASO. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target 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. UBS Group dropped their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $56.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Guggenheim boosted their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $54.00 target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, April 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $59.87.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Performance

ASO opened at $51.07 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $55.67 and its 200-day moving average is $53.90. The stock has a market cap of $3.29 billion, a PE ratio of 9.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.06. 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 $39.87 and a twelve month high of $62.44.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share 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 the consensus estimate of $1.76 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 17.88%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.96 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Jeffrey C. Tweedy sold 4,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.00, for a total transaction of $240,000.00. Following the sale, the director owned 7,835 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $470,100. The trade was a 33.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 3.62% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASO. Junto Capital Management LP acquired a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the third quarter worth approximately $36,567,000. Boston Partners grew its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 85.5% in the third quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,302,141 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,416,000 after buying an additional 600,335 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,301,000. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 128.2% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 833,769 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,655,000 after buying an additional 468,457 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 219.8% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 501,028 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,452,000 after buying an additional 344,376 shares during the last quarter.

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.