Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO Shares Acquired by Heartland Advisors Inc.

Heartland Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 71.9% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 273,617 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 114,427 shares during the period. Heartland Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors were worth $13,686,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in ASO. LSV Asset Management grew its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 43.0% during the 2nd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 3,119,790 shares of the company’s stock worth $139,798,000 after acquiring an additional 937,449 shares in the last quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 5.9% during the second quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. now owns 2,110,172 shares of the company’s stock worth $94,557,000 after purchasing an additional 117,175 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 22.4% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,051,455 shares of the company’s stock worth $91,926,000 after purchasing an additional 376,027 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Investment Management Group LLC grew its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 4.9% in the third quarter. Stephens Investment Management Group LLC now owns 1,235,440 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,797,000 after purchasing an additional 57,922 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hood River Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 125.0% in the second quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 782,742 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,075,000 after buying an additional 434,894 shares during the last quarter.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 3,500 shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.01, for a total value of $192,535.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 39,107 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,151,276.07. This trade represents a 8.21% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 3.62% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 1.4%

ASO opened at $58.56 on Tuesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $55.33 and its 200-day moving average is $51.55. The company has a market capitalization of $3.90 billion, a PE ratio of 10.71, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.26. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a one year low of $33.34 and a one year high of $60.55. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 1.71.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.06 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.27% and a return on equity of 18.24%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.98 EPS. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.650-6.150 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict 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 given a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.9%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio is 9.51%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group raised their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Bank of America upped their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Morgan Stanley boosted 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 report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $51.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Academy Sports and Outdoors presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.89.

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.