Commonwealth Equity Services LLC Buys 2,236 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 25.8% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 10,887 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 2,236 shares during the quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC’s holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors were worth $626,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. TD Private Client Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the third quarter worth approximately $40,000. AlphaQuest LLC raised its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 240.8% in the fourth quarter. AlphaQuest LLC now owns 702 shares of the company’s stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 496 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1,307.1% during the fourth quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 985 shares of the company’s stock valued at $57,000 after purchasing an additional 915 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 242.9% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,190 shares of the company’s stock worth $69,000 after acquiring an additional 843 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 14.8% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,591 shares of the company’s stock valued at $151,000 after purchasing an additional 334 shares during the period.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Down 17.7 %

Academy Sports and Outdoors stock opened at $39.20 on Friday. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a twelve month low of $38.88 and a twelve month high of $64.62. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $49.86 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The stock has a market cap of $2.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.44, a P/E/G ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.25.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, March 20th. The company reported $1.96 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.67 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.21 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, 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 announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be given a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.33%. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 25th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio is presently 9.01%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ASO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Citigroup lowered their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 17th. TD Cowen boosted their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $61.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $58.00 to $55.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 18th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Academy Sports and Outdoors presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $59.69.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Company Profile

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.