Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Reaches New 1-Year High – Here’s Why

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on ASO shares. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Friday, January 2nd. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Truist Financial set a $59.00 price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock 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 given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.89.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average price is $56.30 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.12. The company has a market cap of $4.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a current ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its earnings results 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 return on equity of 18.24% and a net margin of 6.27%.The company had revenue of $1.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.98 earnings per share. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s revenue for the quarter 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, equities analysts forecast that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 18th. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio is 9.51%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Academy Sports and Outdoors news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 17,071 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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 $2,356,593.17. This represents a 28.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 3.62% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Academy Sports and Outdoors

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Salomon & Ludwin LLC lifted its stake in shares of 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. Huntington National Bank boosted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 214.6% during 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 increased its holdings in shares of 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 valued at $51,000 after acquiring an additional 252 shares during the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd acquired a new stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the 4th quarter worth approximately $51,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 117.8% during 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.