Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. $ASO Shares Bought by BNP Paribas Financial Markets

Key Points

• BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 54.5% in the fourth quarter, ending with 144,573 shares worth about $7.2 million.
• Academy Sports recently delivered a strong quarter, with EPS of $0.93 beating estimates and revenue rising 6.7% year over year to $1.44 billion. Management also lifted full-year FY 2026 guidance above Wall Street expectations.
• Despite the upbeat results, analysts remain cautious overall: the stock’s consensus rating is Hold, and management warned that consumers may stay “squeezed” through 2026, which could pressure discretionary spending.

BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its position in Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASO - Free Report) by 54.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 144,573 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 50,974 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned approximately 0.22% of Academy Sports and Outdoors worth $7,223,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its holdings in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 8.5% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 59,775 shares of the company's stock worth $2,726,000 after buying an additional 4,665 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its stake in Academy Sports and Outdoors by 3.2% in the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 40,472 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,846,000 after purchasing an additional 1,257 shares during the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the first quarter valued at approximately $223,000. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in Academy Sports and Outdoors in the first quarter valued at approximately $128,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors by 89.9% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,388 shares of the company's stock valued at $62,000 after acquiring an additional 657 shares during the period.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ASO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. B. Riley Financial reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Guggenheim increased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $61.00 price objective on shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $60.00 to $56.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Academy Sports and Outdoors from $56.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $59.87.

Key Stories Impacting Academy Sports and Outdoors

Here are the key news stories impacting Academy Sports and Outdoors this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 adjusted EPS came in at $0.93, topping estimates, while revenue rose 6.7% year over year to $1.44 billion and comparable sales increased 2.9%, signaling solid execution and resilient traffic. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Academy raised FY 2026 guidance to EPS of $6.40-$6.80 and revenue of $6.2 billion-$6.4 billion, both above Street expectations, which supports the bull case for continued earnings growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted 17.4% e-commerce growth and strong new-store performance, suggesting multiple growth engines are contributing to results. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed 0 shares reported, offering no meaningful signal for near-term trading direction.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary and transcript/presentation coverage this morning appear to be focused on parsing the details of the quarter rather than introducing new fundamental risks. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Management cautioned that consumers will remain “squeezed” through 2026, which could limit discretionary spending and temper the sustainability of sales momentum. Article Title

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Jeffrey C. Tweedy sold 4,000 shares of Academy Sports and Outdoors stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.00, for a total transaction of $240,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 7,835 shares in the company, valued at approximately $470,100. This trade represents a 33.80% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 3.62% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Trading Down 2.5%

NASDAQ:ASO opened at $50.37 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.25 billion, a PE ratio of 9.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. has a 52-week low of $41.29 and a 52-week high of $62.44. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $54.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $54.65.

Academy Sports and Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, June 9th. The company reported $0.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $1.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.44 billion. Academy Sports and Outdoors had a return on equity of 17.88% and a net margin of 6.22%.The business's revenue was up 6.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.76 EPS. Academy Sports and Outdoors has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.400-6.800 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. will post 5.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 16th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 18th will be paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 18th. Academy Sports and Outdoors's payout ratio is 10.79%.

Academy Sports and Outdoors Company Profile

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.

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