William Blair Investment Management LLC Sells 113,762 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO

William Blair Investment Management LLC cut its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 7.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,326,270 shares of the company’s stock after selling 113,762 shares during the quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC owned approximately 1.99% of Academy Sports and Outdoors worth $66,340,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Huntington National Bank grew its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 214.6% in the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 689 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 470 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 32.6% in the third 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 in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings 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 worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 602 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 89.9% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,388 shares of the company’s stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 657 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 15.9% during the third quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,708 shares of the company’s stock worth $85,000 after purchasing an additional 234 shares in the last quarter.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. 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. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $51.00 to $59.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Bank of America boosted their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $59.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Wednesday, January 14th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $59.89.

Insider Activity at Academy Sports and Outdoors

In other news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 3,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.01, for a total transaction of $192,535.00. Following the sale, the director owned 39,107 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,151,276.07. This trade represents a 8.21% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 3.62% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ASO opened at $60.13 on Monday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $56.30 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $52.10. The stock has a market cap of $4.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.99, a PEG ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.23. 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, Inc. has a 12 month low of $33.34 and a 12 month high of $62.44.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.27% and a return on equity of 18.24%. The firm’s revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.98 earnings per share. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.650-6.150 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Dividend Announcement

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

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.