Empirical Finance LLC Cuts Position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Empirical Finance LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 3.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 9,689 shares of the company’s stock after selling 375 shares during the quarter. Empirical Finance LLC’s holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors were worth $557,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in ASO. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the third quarter worth $40,000. TD Private Client Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in the third quarter valued at $40,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 98.4% during the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 738 shares of the company’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 53.7% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,205 shares of the company’s stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 421 shares during the period.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on ASO shares. Robert W. Baird decreased 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. Citigroup assumed 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 for the company. Wedbush reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $65.00 target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Telsey Advisory Group decreased their price target 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 Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Academy Sports and Outdoors has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $61.67.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ ASO opened at $52.86 on Tuesday. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $3.67 billion, a PE ratio of 8.68, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.23. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 1-year low of $44.73 and a 1-year high of $75.73. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $54.64 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $53.87.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 10th. The company reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.28 by ($0.30). Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 23.32%. The firm had revenue of $1.34 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.39 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.38 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 18th were issued a $0.11 dividend. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.83%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is currently 7.22%.

Academy Sports and Outdoors 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.