Ceredex Value Advisors LLC Takes Position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO

Ceredex Value Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund purchased 185,300 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,269,000.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Huntington National Bank lifted its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 47.3% in the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,015 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,000 after acquiring an additional 326 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 32.6% during the third quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,025 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 252 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 117.8% in the third quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 1,113 shares of the company’s stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 602 shares during the period. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 89.9% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,388 shares of the company’s stock valued at $62,000 after purchasing an additional 657 shares during the period. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 15.9% in the 3rd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,708 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares during the last quarter.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on ASO. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $51.00 to $59.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Truist Financial set a $59.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Academy Sports and Outdoors presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $60.22.

Insider Activity at Academy Sports and Outdoors

In related news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 17,071 shares of the stock in a transaction on 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 owned 42,607 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,356,593.17. This represents a 28.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 3.62% of the company’s stock.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NASDAQ:ASO opened at $59.96 on Wednesday. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $33.34 and a fifty-two week high of $62.44. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $57.62 and its 200 day moving average price is $52.45. 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 stock has a market cap of $4.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.96, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.23.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.08. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.27% and a return on equity of 18.24%. The company had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.98 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, March 20th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 20th. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is presently 9.51%.

Academy Sports and Outdoors 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.