Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) Short Interest Update

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 8,170,000 shares, a growth of 13.9% from the November 30th total of 7,170,000 shares. Currently, 11.9% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 1,490,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 5.5 days.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Down 3.5 %

Shares of ASO opened at $57.92 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $51.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $53.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The company has a market capitalization of $4.02 billion, a PE ratio of 9.51, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.31. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a 12 month low of $44.73 and a 12 month high of $75.73.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 10th. The company reported $0.98 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.28 by ($0.30). Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 7.49%. The firm had revenue of $1.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.39 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.38 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.92 EPS for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 18th will be paid a $0.11 dividend. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.76%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, December 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7.22%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CWM LLC grew its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 4.6% in the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 4,480 shares of the company’s stock valued at $261,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares during the period. Simmons Bank grew its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Simmons Bank now owns 10,860 shares of the company’s stock valued at $634,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the period. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 15,403 shares of the company’s stock valued at $899,000 after purchasing an additional 203 shares in the last quarter. Trust Investment Advisors raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 1.8% during the second quarter. Trust Investment Advisors now owns 15,030 shares of the company’s stock worth $800,000 after buying an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin Edwards Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 10.7% during the second quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 3,011 shares of the company’s stock valued at $160,000 after buying an additional 290 shares during the last quarter.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented on ASO shares. Citigroup initiated coverage on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. They set a “buy” rating and a $65.00 price objective on the stock. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Robert W. Baird lowered 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 research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Evercore ISI cut Academy Sports and Outdoors from an “outperform” rating to an “in-line” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $65.00 to $60.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 3rd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $68.00 to $64.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, September 11th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $61.33.

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.