Royce & Associates LP Grows Stock Position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Royce & Associates LP boosted its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO - Free Report) by 23.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,174,576 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 223,320 shares during the quarter. Academy Sports and Outdoors accounts for about 0.6% of Royce & Associates LP's portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Royce & Associates LP owned about 1.69% of Academy Sports and Outdoors worth $67,573,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. TD Private Client Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the third quarter worth about $40,000. AlphaQuest LLC grew its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 240.8% during the 4th quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 702 shares of the company's stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 496 shares during the period. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1,307.1% during the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 985 shares of the company's stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 915 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 242.9% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,190 shares of the company's stock valued at $69,000 after purchasing an additional 843 shares during the period. Finally, KBC Group NV boosted its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 24.3% during the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,084 shares of the company's stock worth $122,000 after buying an additional 408 shares in the last quarter.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $68.00 to $65.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. UBS Group reduced their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $58.00 to $55.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Truist Financial increased their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Citigroup reduced their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $60.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Monday. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $61.13.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

ASO traded down $0.15 on Thursday, reaching $47.42. 3,998,700 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,564,737. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a twelve month low of $43.16 and a twelve month high of $72.16. The stock has a market cap of $3.29 billion, a PE ratio of 7.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 0.32. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $51.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $53.26.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 20th. The company reported $1.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.82 by $0.14. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 7.49%. The business had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.67 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.21 EPS. The business's revenue for the quarter was down 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.10%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. This is a positive change from Academy Sports and Outdoors's previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. Academy Sports and Outdoors's payout ratio is currently 8.54%.

About Academy Sports and Outdoors

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as a sporting goods and outdoor recreational retailer in the United States. The company outdoor division comprises camping products, such as coolers and drinkware, and camping accessories and equipment,; fishing products, including marine equipment and fishing rods, reels, and baits and equipment; and hunting products, which includes firearms, ammunition, archery and archery equipment, camouflage apparel, waders, shooting accessories, gun safes, optics, airguns, and hunting equipment.