Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Given New $49.00 Price Target at Barclays

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) had its price target trimmed by Barclays from $59.00 to $49.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the stock.

ASO has been the topic of several other research reports. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group lifted their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Bank of America upped their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $59.00 to $52.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $58.78.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 1.7%

NASDAQ:ASO opened at $50.75 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $57.72 and its 200 day simple moving average is $52.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 0.32. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a one year low of $33.34 and a one year high of $62.44. The company has a market cap of $3.38 billion, a PE ratio of 9.13, a P/E/G ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.23.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.05 by ($0.08). The business had revenue of $1.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.76 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 17.88%. The company’s revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.96 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current 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. This is a boost from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 20th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is 9.51%.

Institutional Trading of Academy Sports and Outdoors

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Salomon & Ludwin LLC grew its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 139.8% during the 4th quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 482 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 281 shares during the period. Huntington National Bank lifted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 47.3% in the 3rd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 1,015 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 326 shares during the period. Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 4th quarter valued at about $51,000. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 32.6% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,025 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 252 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 117.8% during the 3rd 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 in the last quarter.

Academy Sports and Outdoors News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Company raised the quarterly dividend 15%, reported store expansion (24 new stores in 2025) and plans to open 20–25 stores in 2026 — signals of capital return and growth investment. GlobeNewswire: Q4 & Fiscal 2025 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Telsey Advisory reaffirmed an “Outperform” with a $65 price target, supporting upside thesis for longer‑term investors. Benzinga: Telsey reiterates Outperform
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target (to $60) while keeping a neutral rating — a modest analytical vote of confidence amid the pullback. Benzinga: JPMorgan raises PT
• Neutral Sentiment: Operational mix: e‑commerce grew (~13.6% for the year) and gross margin expanded, but comps declined and transactions fell — the positives (omnichannel traction) are balanced by weaker traffic. MarketBeat: Stock Sinks After Earnings (analysis)
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data published for March appears inconsistent (entries show 0 shares / NaN change), suggesting reported short‑interest moves are likely data errors and not a confirmed catalyst. (No reliable article link available.)
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 missed expectations: EPS of $1.97 vs. consensus ~ $2.05 and revenue $1.72B vs. ~$1.76B; management issued cautious FY26 guidance and flagged consumer pressure (higher delinquencies, traffic declines), driving a recent sharp share selloff. MarketBeat: Q4 earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Several brokers trimmed targets or turned more cautious (UBS, Wells Fargo, Barclays lowered PTs / assigned neutral/equal‑weight ratings), adding downward analyst pressure on the stock. Benzinga: Analyst price target moves

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.