Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) Plans Dividend Increase – $0.15 Per Share

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, March 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 20th will be given a dividend of 0.15 per share on Friday, April 10th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 20th. This is a 15.4% increase from Academy Sports and Outdoors’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13.

Academy Sports and Outdoors has a payout ratio of 7.9% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Academy Sports and Outdoors to earn $6.25 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.52 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 8.3%.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Price Performance

Academy Sports and Outdoors stock traded down $0.14 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $60.25. The company had a trading volume of 1,306,857 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,402,692. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.71 and a quick ratio of 0.32. Academy Sports and Outdoors has a 12-month low of $33.34 and a 12-month high of $62.44. The company has a market capitalization of $4.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.23. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $57.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $52.30.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.06 by $0.08. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 18.24% and a net margin of 6.27%.The company had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.41 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.98 EPS. Academy Sports and Outdoors’s quarterly revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2025 guidance at 5.650-6.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Academy Sports and Outdoors will post 5.59 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Academy Sports and Outdoors

In related news, Director Brian T. Marley sold 17,071 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $55.31, for a total transaction of $944,197.01. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 42,607 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,356,593.17. This trade represents a 28.61% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 3.62% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Academy Sports and Outdoors

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of ASO. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its stake in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 2.0% during the fourth quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,957,374 shares of the company’s stock worth $197,708,000 after buying an additional 77,470 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 43.0% in the 2nd quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 3,119,790 shares of the company’s stock valued at $139,798,000 after purchasing an additional 937,449 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,715,677 shares of the company’s stock valued at $136,028,000 after purchasing an additional 59,446 shares during the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 6.1% in the 3rd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 2,176,853 shares of the company’s stock valued at $108,886,000 after purchasing an additional 125,398 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Westwood Holdings Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 5.9% during the 2nd quarter. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. now owns 2,110,172 shares of the company’s stock worth $94,557,000 after purchasing an additional 117,175 shares during the last quarter.

About Academy Sports and Outdoors

Academy Sports and Outdoors is a leading specialty retailer of sporting goods and outdoor gear, operating more than 260 stores across the United States. Headquartered in Katy, Texas, the company offers a broad assortment of merchandise spanning athletic footwear and apparel, team sports equipment, camping and outdoor recreation products, hunting and fishing supplies, and fitness accessories. In addition to its brick-and-mortar footprint, Academy serves customers through its e-commerce platform, offering online ordering, in-store pickup, and home delivery options.

The company’s product portfolio includes seasonal and year-round categories designed to meet the needs of both casual enthusiasts and serious athletes.