Academy Sports and Outdoors: Staying Neutral Until There Is More Near-Term Outlook Clarity

  • I rate ASO as Hold, due to near-term uncertainties, despite strong execution on store expansion and premium brand partnerships. Positive trends include successful new store openings, traction with higher-income customers, and a promising Nike Jordan launch boosting brand profile. Key concerns are declining traffic from core lower-income shoppers, volatile sales trends, and elevated inventory risking future markdowns.