Natixis Makes New Investment in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO)

Natixis purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 38,400 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,594,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 7.3% in the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 218,977 shares of the company’s stock worth $14,790,000 after acquiring an additional 14,862 shares during the last quarter. HAP Trading LLC acquired a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 1st quarter valued at about $743,000. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd acquired a new stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the first quarter worth about $1,021,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 2.1% in the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 184,902 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,488,000 after acquiring an additional 3,720 shares in the last quarter. Finally, O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors during the 1st quarter valued at $348,000.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Jeffrey C. Tweedy sold 625 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.25, for a total value of $33,906.25. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 10,106 shares in the company, valued at approximately $548,250.50. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 2.19% of the company’s stock.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Stock Up 0.8 %

Shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors stock traded up $0.42 on Friday, hitting $53.85. The company had a trading volume of 45,054 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,465,015. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 1.62 and a quick ratio of 0.41. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $53.90 and a 200-day moving average of $60.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.17, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.34. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a twelve month low of $42.83 and a twelve month high of $75.73.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, June 11th. The company reported $1.08 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.19 by ($0.11). The company had revenue of $1.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.38 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a net margin of 8.17% and a return on equity of 27.18%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s revenue was down 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.19 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 6.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 18th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 20th were paid a $0.11 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 20th. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.82%. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s payout ratio is 6.73%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on ASO shares. Wedbush cut their price target on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $80.00 to $65.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. Morgan Stanley cut their target price on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from $65.00 to $60.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. Bank of America lowered shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $75.00 to $63.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 11th. UBS Group downgraded Academy Sports and Outdoors from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $81.00 to $58.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. Finally, Evercore ISI lifted their target price on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, June 20th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Academy Sports and Outdoors has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $67.87.

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.