Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) Director Sells $240,000.00 in Stock

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) Director Jeffrey Tweedy sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the director owned 7,835 shares in the company, valued at $470,100. This represents a 33.80% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

ASO stock opened at $58.63 on Monday. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 12 month low of $35.95 and a 12 month high of $62.44. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $57.35 and its 200-day simple moving average is $53.59. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.77 billion, a PE ratio of 10.54, a P/E/G ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.89 and a quick ratio of 0.44.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, March 17th. The company reported $1.97 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.05 by ($0.08). Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 17.88% and a net margin of 6.22%.The firm had revenue of $1.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.76 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.96 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect 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 was paid on Friday, April 10th. Investors of record on Friday, March 20th were given a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 20th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.79%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ASO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $56.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $61.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 15th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group restated an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eleven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $58.43.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of ASO. Junto Capital Management LP purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the third quarter worth approximately $36,567,000. Boston Partners raised its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 85.5% during the third 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 during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,301,000. Invesco Ltd. raised its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 128.2% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 833,769 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,655,000 after purchasing an additional 468,457 shares during the period. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 219.8% during the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 501,028 shares of the company’s stock worth $22,452,000 after purchasing an additional 344,376 shares during the period.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Company 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.