Academy Sports Struggles In Q3 With Lower Sales And Profit, Cuts Outlook For 2024
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 10 2024
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Earnings Report: Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 98 cents, missing estimates, with quarterly sales of $1.34 billion also falling short of expectations. The company experienced a comparable sales decline of 4.9% but opened eight new stores during the quarter.
Outlook and Stock Performance: The company revised its fiscal year 2024 net sales and adjusted EPS projections downward, anticipating a decrease in comparable sales. ASO stock has dropped over 25% year-to-date, trading down 3.79% to $48.50 in premarket activity.
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Analyst Views on ASO
Wall Street analysts forecast ASO stock price to rise
12 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
8 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 49.340
Low
50.00
Averages
57.00
High
65.00
Current: 49.340
Low
50.00
Averages
57.00
High
65.00
About ASO
Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. is a full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer in the United States. The Company operates more than 300 stores across 21 states. The Company's product assortment is focused on key categories of outdoor, apparel, sports and recreation, and footwear through both national brands and a portfolio of private label brands. The Company has preferred access to national brands, such as Nike (including Jordan Brand), Under Armour, adidas, Winchester, Columbia Sportswear, The North Face, Brooks, Skechers, Yeti, Stanley and Carhartt. Its private label brand portfolio consists of brands, such as Magellan Outdoors, Academy Sports + Outdoors, BCG, O'rageous, Game Winner, Outdoor Gourmet, Freely, Redfield, H2OX, and R.O.W. Its outdoor product categories include camping, fishing and hunting. Its sports and recreation product categories include fitness, recreation and front end. Its apparel product categories include athletic apparel and licensed apparel.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Father's Day Campaign Launch: Academy Sports + Outdoors has initiated its 'Dadmas' Father's Day campaign, aimed at helping families create cherished memories by offering a diverse range of outdoor, sports, and lifestyle gifts that enhance customer experience.
- Extensive Product Selection: The campaign features a wide array of outdoor essentials and gifts, catering to families' needs for summer gatherings, fishing trips, and cookouts, ensuring customers can celebrate every kind of dad at unbeatable prices.
- Community Engagement Events: Academy partnered with local organizations to host shopping experiences for fathers and children, including participation from former professional quarterback Colt McCoy, which strengthens father-child bonds and enhances brand image.
- Convenient Shopping Options: To facilitate customer shopping, Academy offers multiple purchasing and fulfillment options, including buy online, pick up in-store, same-day delivery, and free shipping, further enhancing customer convenience and satisfaction.
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- Campaign Launch: Academy Sports + Outdoors has initiated its 'Dadmas' campaign, aimed at enhancing Father's Day celebrations by offering a diverse range of outdoor and sports gifts, which is expected to attract more family customers.
- Diverse Product Range: The campaign features a variety of products including Magellan Outdoors fishing shirts, YETI coolers, and golf equipment, catering to different consumer needs and thereby enhancing customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
- Community Engagement Events: Academy partnered with local organizations to host Father's Day shopping experiences featuring guests like former professional quarterback Colt McCoy, aiming to strengthen brand image and community ties through family interactions.
- Convenient Shopping Options: To enhance shopping convenience, Academy offers multiple purchasing options including online buying, in-store pickup, and same-day delivery, which is expected to further drive sales growth and improve customer experience.
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- Sales Performance Boost: Academy Sports and Outdoors Inc reported $1.44 billion in sales for Q1 2026, reflecting a 6.7% year-over-year increase, with comparable sales rising by 2.9%, indicating robust market performance and sustained customer demand.
- Strong eCommerce Growth: The company experienced a 17% increase in eCommerce sales, demonstrating significant progress in its digital transformation and enhancing its position in a competitive retail landscape, particularly as consumer preferences shift towards online shopping.
- Gross Margin Decline: Despite sales growth, gross margin decreased by 71 basis points to 33.2% year-over-year, primarily due to tariff impacts, highlighting challenges in cost control that could affect future profitability.
- Expansion Plans: The company plans to open 15 to 20 new stores in the second half of 2026, focusing on underserved midsized markets, aiming to drive sales growth and enhance brand presence through increased market coverage.
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- Significant Performance Growth: Academy Sports reported Q1 sales of $1.44 billion, a 6.7% year-over-year increase, primarily driven by higher customer traffic and larger average ticket sizes, indicating strong performance in the retail market.
- Increased Adjusted EPS: The company's adjusted earnings per share (EPS) rose 22.4% to $0.93, reflecting enhanced profitability, while adjusted free cash flow improved by 14.2% to $121.6 million, indicating a healthy financial position.
- Upgraded Full-Year Outlook: Following a strong Q1 performance, Academy Sports raised its 2026 net sales guidance to $6.23 billion to $6.36 billion, with adjusted EPS expectations of $6.40 to $6.80, demonstrating management's confidence in future growth.
- Positive Market Reaction: Despite facing inflation and macroeconomic challenges, Academy Sports' stock surged over 10% post-earnings release, reflecting investor recognition of the company's growth strategy, with analysts generally maintaining a Buy rating, indicating optimism about its future performance.
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- Earnings Guidance Raised: Academy Sports has raised its fiscal 2026 earnings per share guidance to a range of $5.95 to $6.35, with adjusted earnings projected between $6.40 and $6.80, reflecting strong confidence in future performance based on first-quarter results.
- Sales Target Increased: The company now expects net sales for fiscal 2026 to be between $6.230 billion and $6.355 billion, up from the previous range of $6.175 billion to $6.355 billion, indicating a recovery in market demand and the effectiveness of its strategic initiatives.
- Store Expansion Plans: Academy Sports plans to open three new stores in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, with an additional 15 to 20 stores expected in the second half, aiming to enhance brand presence and sales capacity through increased market coverage.
- Dividend Declaration: The Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share, payable on July 16, 2026, demonstrating the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders while maintaining profitability and boosting investor confidence.
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