Quantbot Technologies LP Purchases 15,916 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Quantbot Technologies LP boosted its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 38.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 57,771 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 15,916 shares during the quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP’s holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors were worth $3,324,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in ASO. FMR LLC raised its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 15.3% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 10,739,463 shares of the company’s stock worth $626,755,000 after purchasing an additional 1,422,971 shares in the last quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter worth $52,402,000. Stephens Investment Management Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 331.4% in the fourth quarter. Stephens Investment Management Group LLC now owns 959,680 shares of the company’s stock worth $55,210,000 after acquiring an additional 737,212 shares during the last quarter. Boston Partners purchased a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in the fourth quarter worth $27,445,000. Finally, Verition Fund Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 203.2% in the third quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC now owns 514,017 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,998,000 after acquiring an additional 344,466 shares during the last quarter.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NASDAQ:ASO opened at $47.23 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.76, a PEG ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.25. 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 stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $51.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $53.15. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 52-week low of $43.16 and a 52-week high of $68.96.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 20th. The company reported $1.96 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.82 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $1.68 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.67 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 23.32% and a net margin of 7.49%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.21 earnings per share. 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 disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be paid a $0.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. This represents a $0.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.10%. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 8.54%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Oppenheimer cut their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $85.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Truist Financial increased their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Wedbush cut their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Telsey Advisory Group reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $60.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Monday, March 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $60.38.

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.