Academy Sports + Outdoors Grows Retail Footprint with Two New Locations in Ohio and Oklahoma
Rhea-AI Summary
Academy Sports + Outdoors (Nasdaq: ASO) will open two new stores in North Canton, Ohio and Muskogee, Oklahoma as part of a plan to open 20–25 new stores in fiscal 2026. The openings raise Academy's Ohio count to four and Oklahoma to 14.
The company expects the two stores to create about 120 jobs and is donating over $10,000 to local Parks and Recreation programs supporting more than 40 children. The North Canton grand opening will include a youth shopping event hosted with Cleveland safety Grant Delpit.
Positive
- 20–25 new stores planned in fiscal 2026
- Expansion footprint: 4 stores in Ohio, 14 stores in Oklahoma after openings
- Job creation: approximately 120 new local jobs from the two store openings
- Community donation: more than $10,000 committed to local Parks and Recreation programs
- Track record: opened 24 new stores in 2025 and 16 in 2024
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – ASO
On the day this news was published, ASO gained 1.18%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
ASO fell about 1.6% while key specialty retail peers like RH (+3.18%), BBWI (+5.88%), and FIVE (+3.44%) traded higher, suggesting a stock-specific reaction rather than a sector-wide move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 06 | Dividend increase | Positive | -0.2% | Quarterly dividend raised to $0.15 per share, marking fourth year of growth. |
| Mar 05 | Promotional campaign | Positive | -0.7% | Launch of Academy Run Month with deals, clinics, and youth-focused donations. |
| Mar 04 | Sales promotion | Positive | +1.8% | Grand Slam youth baseball and softball promotion with discounts up to 50%. |
| Mar 03 | Earnings call notice | Neutral | -0.7% | Announcement of date and access details for Q4 and fiscal 2025 results call. |
| Dec 19 | Community giving | Positive | -2.2% | Holiday program gifting over $135,000 in cards and nearly $72,000 in gifts. |
Recent community, promotion, and dividend announcements were generally positive but often met with flat to negative next-day moves, with only one promotional event showing a clearer positive alignment.
Over the last few months, Academy has highlighted shareholder returns and community engagement, including a $0.15 quarterly dividend increase and sizeable holiday giving exceeding $135,000. Marketing-driven events such as Run Month and the Grand Slam youth baseball promotion showed mixed price reactions, with moves from -0.74% to +1.77%. An earnings call announcement on March 17, 2026 also saw a modest decline. Today’s store expansion update fits into this pattern of operational and community growth news with uneven short-term stock responses.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement details Academy’s continued brick-and-mortar expansion, adding two stores in North Canton, Ohio and Muskogee, Oklahoma, with plans for 20–25 new locations in fiscal 2026. It builds on 24 openings in 2025 and 16 in 2024, plus community investments exceeding $10,000 and about 120 new jobs tied to these stores. Investors may track future updates on profitability of new locations, overall store productivity, and the upcoming earnings release for signs of how expansion supports long-term performance.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Company plans to open a total of 20-25 new stores in fiscal 2026
As Academy expands its footprint, the company is reinforcing its commitment to making a positive impact in each community it serves. Academy is donating over
The community impact will be on full display at the grand opening of Academy's
"Expanding into
2026 Q1 New Store Opening Locations |
The two new stores are expected to bring about 120 total new jobs to their local communities. Individuals interested in careers at Academy can visit careers.academy.com to apply for open positions.
In 2025, Academy opened a total of 24 new stores across 16 states including its first locations in
Every Academy store is a fun destination where families can find apparel, footwear, sports and camping equipment, hunting and fishing gear, outdoor cooking, and more from top national brands at an everyday value. Academy also offers free services such as grill and bike assembly, scope mounting, bore sighting, line winding/spooling, and propane exchange. Hunting and fishing licenses are also available to purchase in stores.
Additionally, Academy offers value and quality through its exclusive, private label brands such as Magellan Outdoors, Freely, R.O.W., BCG, H2OX, Redfield, and Mosaic, which offer great choices for outdoor apparel and equipment, women's and men's apparel, workout attire, fishing equipment, hunting optics and accessories, and outdoor furniture, respectively.
Customers can find the best assortment of athletic and casual shoes, sports and outdoors equipment, and clothing from top national brands such Nike, adidas, Carhartt, YETI, Stanley, Marucci, Titleist, Shimano, Brooks, Blackstone, Owala and more, in-store and, online, and through the Academy mobile app.
Customers are invited to sign-up for Academy's rewards program, myAcademy Rewards, which includes a
About Academy Sports + Outdoors
Academy is a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer in the
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on Academy's current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are usually identified by or are associated with such words as "intends," "will," "plan," "believe," "expect," "may," and/or the negatives or variations of these terms or similar terminology. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, regional, or local economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and other factors, many of which are beyond Academy's control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are set forth in Academy's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including Academy's Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption "Risk Factors," as may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date released. Academy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.
Media Contact: Selena Mejia, Public Relations Sr. Manager, publicrelations@academy.com
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SOURCE Academy, Ltd. d/b/a Academy Sports + Outdoors
FAQ
When will Academy (ASO) open its North Canton and Muskogee stores?
How many total new stores does Academy (ASO) plan for fiscal 2026?
What employment impact will the two new Academy (ASO) stores have locally?
What community initiatives will Academy (ASO) support with the new store openings?
How does the recent expansion compare to Academy's 2024–2025 store growth?
