Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) Short Interest Up 6.7% in January

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 8,720,000 shares, a growth of 6.7% from the December 31st total of 8,170,000 shares. Currently, 12.7% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,550,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 5.6 days.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ASO has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Citigroup initiated coverage on Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $65.00 price objective on the stock. TD Cowen upped 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. Wedbush reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $68.00 to $65.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group reduced their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. 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 company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $61.67.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Trading Down 2.4 %

Shares of NASDAQ ASO traded down $1.26 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $51.05. 1,154,977 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,500,773. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $54.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $54.00. 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 company has a market capitalization of $3.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 1.23. 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 issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 10th. The company reported $0.98 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.28 by ($0.30). The company had revenue of $1.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.39 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 7.49%. The company’s revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.38 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, December 18th were paid a dividend of $0.11 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 18th. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.86%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio is currently 7.22%.

Institutional Trading of Academy Sports and Outdoors

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 10,181 shares of the company’s stock worth $543,000 after buying an additional 475 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 183.7% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 100,025 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,326,000 after purchasing an additional 64,770 shares during the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp grew its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 45.4% in the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 7,495 shares of the company’s stock valued at $399,000 after purchasing an additional 2,342 shares in the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $294,000. Finally, Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 51.0% in the 3rd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 22,200 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,296,000 after buying an additional 7,500 shares during the last quarter.

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.