Northern Trust Corp Buys 49,106 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Northern Trust Corp raised its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 6.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 774,911 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 49,106 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp’s holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors were worth $44,581,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. AlphaQuest LLC lifted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 496 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its position 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 worth $57,000 after purchasing an additional 915 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 242.9% during 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. Sterling Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 724.9% in the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 1,625 shares of the company’s stock valued at $93,000 after buying an additional 1,428 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 14.8% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,591 shares of the company’s stock worth $151,000 after buying an additional 334 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on ASO. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Monday, March 17th. Wedbush decreased 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. Robert W. Baird cut their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Truist Financial set a $45.00 target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, March 21st. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Academy Sports and Outdoors has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $57.44.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 3.5 %

ASO opened at $40.26 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $2.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.61, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 1.57. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $41.94 and its 200-day simple moving average is $49.03. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a twelve month low of $33.34 and a twelve month high of $64.62.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 23.32%. The firm had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.67 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.21 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th were given a $0.13 dividend. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.29%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is presently 9.01%.

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.