Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Reaches New 12-Month High – Time to Buy?

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently commented on ASO shares. Bank of America increased 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 report on Wednesday, December 10th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.89.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Trading Up 0.0%

The company has a quick ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The company has a market capitalization 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 stock’s fifty day moving average price is $56.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $51.99.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 18.24% and a net margin of 6.27%.Academy Sports and Outdoors’s quarterly revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.98 EPS. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.650-6.150 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate 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 announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 18th were given a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 9.51%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Academy Sports and Outdoors

In other Academy Sports and Outdoors news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 3,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.01, for a total transaction of $192,535.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 39,107 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,151,276.07. This represents a 8.21% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 3.62% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Villanova Investment Management Co LLC raised its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 12.2% in the 4th quarter. Villanova Investment Management Co LLC now owns 44,020 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,199,000 after purchasing an additional 4,790 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 128.2% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 833,769 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,655,000 after purchasing an additional 468,457 shares during the last quarter. XTX Topco Ltd increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1,676.0% during the 4th quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 77,912 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,892,000 after purchasing an additional 73,525 shares in the last quarter. Verdad Advisers LP purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter worth about $749,000. Finally, Sona Asset Management US LLC purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter worth about $999,000.

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.