Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. Acquires 13,860 Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) by 1.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 764,903 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 13,860 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. owned approximately 1.10% of Academy Sports and Outdoors worth $44,005,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. TD Private Client Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors during the third quarter worth $40,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 98.4% during the third quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 738 shares of the company’s stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 366 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust grew its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 915 shares during the period. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 242.9% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,190 shares of the company’s stock worth $69,000 after acquiring an additional 843 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KBC Group NV lifted its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 24.3% in the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 2,084 shares of the company’s stock valued at $122,000 after purchasing an additional 408 shares during the period.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

ASO stock opened at $45.10 on Friday. 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 business has a 50-day simple moving average of $52.18 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $53.45. The company has a market capitalization of $3.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.02 and a beta of 1.25. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 52-week low of $43.16 and a 52-week high of $72.43.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its 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). The company had revenue of $1.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.39 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 23.32%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.38 EPS. Research analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 25th will be issued a dividend of $0.13 per share. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.15%. This is an increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.11. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 25th. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is currently 7.22%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. 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 target price for the company. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $50.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $54.00 to $61.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $68.00 to $65.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Wedbush reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $65.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $61.67.

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.