Hodges Capital Management Inc. Purchases 38,814 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO

Hodges Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 16.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 274,746 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 38,814 shares during the period. Academy Sports and Outdoors accounts for 1.2% of Hodges Capital Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 24th biggest holding. Hodges Capital Management Inc. owned about 0.41% of Academy Sports and Outdoors worth $13,726,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Salomon & Ludwin LLC raised its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 139.8% during the fourth quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 482 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 281 shares during the last quarter. Huntington National Bank raised its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 47.3% during the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,015 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,000 after buying an additional 326 shares during the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the fourth quarter worth $51,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its stake 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 buying an additional 602 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the third quarter worth $61,000.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on ASO shares. Truist Financial decreased their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $52.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $49.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $67.00 to $60.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Academy Sports and Outdoors presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.25.

Academy Sports and Outdoors News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Academy Sports and Outdoors this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Academy Sports reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $0.93, topping estimates, while revenue of $1.44 billion matched expectations and rose 6.7% year over year. Comparable sales increased 2.9%, e-commerce sales climbed 17.4%, and the company said traffic and average ticket both improved. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised FY2026 guidance, signaling management expects momentum to continue after the strong quarter. The outlook helped support the bull case after the earnings release. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several recap articles and transcript/presentation links highlight investor focus on the Q1 call, including the company’s expansion plans, new-store openings, and continued e-commerce growth. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts were mixed-to-cautious, with JPMorgan cutting its price target to $59 from $60 and Truist lowering its target to $52 from $54, while keeping neutral/hold views. Those moves suggest the market is still debating how much upside remains after the rally on earnings. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Management also warned that consumers may remain squeezed through 2026, with lower-income demand and higher gas prices cited as risks. That caution is tempering enthusiasm for the stronger quarter and guidance raise. Article Title

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Jeffrey C. Tweedy sold 4,000 shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.00, for a total transaction of $240,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 7,835 shares in the company, valued at $470,100. This trade represents a 33.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 3.62% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Trading Down 1.0%

ASO opened at $49.88 on Thursday. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 1-year low of $41.29 and a 1-year high of $62.44. The company has a current ratio of 1.68, a quick ratio of 0.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23. The company has a market cap of $3.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.78 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $54.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $54.70.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, June 9th. The company reported $0.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $1.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.44 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.24% and a return on equity of 17.85%. The business’s revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.76 earnings per share. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.400-6.800 EPS. Analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.93 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 16th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 10.79%.

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.