Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Given New $52.00 Price Target at Wells Fargo & Company

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) had its price objective reduced by Wells Fargo & Company from $57.00 to $52.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the stock.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Truist Financial lowered their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $59.00 to $52.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Monday, December 29th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Academy Sports and Outdoors currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $58.78.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 1.7%

Shares of NASDAQ ASO opened at $50.75 on Wednesday. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a 12-month low of $33.34 and a 12-month high of $62.44. 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 quick ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The company has a market cap of $3.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.23.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.05 by ($0.08). Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 6.22% and a return on equity of 17.88%. The company had revenue of $1.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.76 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.96 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed 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 represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. This is a boost from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 20th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is presently 9.51%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ASO. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 2nd quarter valued at about $34,228,000. Junto Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $36,567,000. Boston Partners increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 85.5% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,302,141 shares of the company’s stock worth $65,416,000 after purchasing an additional 600,335 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 128.2% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 833,769 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,655,000 after buying an additional 468,457 shares during the period. Finally, Hood River Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 125.0% during the 2nd quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 782,742 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,075,000 after buying an additional 434,894 shares during the period.

Key Academy Sports and Outdoors News

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.