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Second Quarter Sales Growth of 3.0%; Comparable Sales of (0.4)%

eCommerce Sales Increase of 12.8%

New Stores Comp Positive Mid Single Digits

Second Quarter Diluted GAAP EPS of $2.17; up 17.3%; Adjusted EPS of $2.31; up 19.1%
(Net Tariff Refund Impact to EPS of $0.06, including reinvestments)

Opened Three New Stores Across Pennsylvania and Tennessee

Company Affirms Sales and Raises EPS Guidance

KATY, Texas, Sept. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASO) (“Academy”   or the “Company” ) today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended August 1, 2026.

“We delivered another quarter of profitable growth, with net sales increasing 3.0%. While consumer spending remains pressured, particularly among lower-income households, our team has continued to execute at a high level by focusing on the key events and categories that matter most to our customers," said Steve Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer. "We are reinvesting tariff-related benefits into value, expanding compelling new brands and categories, and accelerating initiatives across stores, omni-channel and loyalty. These actions are helping us gain market share, strengthen customer engagement and reinforce our confidence in achieving our fiscal 2026 sales and earnings objectives."

Second Quarter Operating Results
($ in millions, except per share data)Thirteen Weeks EndedChangeAugust 1, 2026 August 2, 2025%Net sales$1,647.3 $1,599.8 3.0%Comparable sales(0.4) % 0.2% Income before income tax$178.4 $164.8 8.3%Net income$137.9 $125.4 10.0%Adjusted net income (1)$146.5 $131.3 11.6%Earnings per common share, diluted$2.17 $1.85 17.3%Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted (1)$2.31 $1.94 19.1%         (1) Adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per common share (EPS), diluted are non-GAAP measures. See "Non-GAAP Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Year-to-Date Operating Results($ in millions, except per share data)Twenty-Six Weeks Ended ChangeAugust 1, 2026August 2, 2025 %Net sales$3,089.3 $2,951.2 4.7%Comparable sales 1.1%(1.7) % Income before income tax$247.3 $227.9 8.5%Net Income$190.6 $171.5 11.1%Adjusted net income (1)$207.7 $182.9 13.6%Earnings per common share, diluted$2.94 $2.52 16.7%Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted (1)$3.20 $2.69 19.0%      (1) Adjusted net income and Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted, are non-GAAP measures. See "Non-GAAP Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

 Twenty-Six Weeks EndedChangeBalance Sheet ($ in millions)August 1, 2026August 2, 2025%Cash and cash equivalents$298.2$300.9(0.9)%
Merchandise inventories, net (1)$1,657.4$1,587.64.4%
Long-term debt, net$494.2$481.72.6%
       (1) As of August 1, 2026 inventory per store was down 5.6% in units and down 2.3% in dollars.

 Twenty-Six Weeks EndedChangeCapital Allocation ($ in millions)August 1, 2026August 2, 2025%Share repurchases (1)$182.1$99.982.3%Dividends paid$19.0$17.49.2%       (1) Includes excise tax fees of $1.6 million for the twenty-six weeks ended August 1, 2026 and $0.9 million for the twenty-six weeks ended August 2, 2025.

Subsequent to the end of the second quarter, Academy announced that its Board of Directors on September 2, 2026 declared a quarterly cash dividend with respect to the quarter ended August 1, 2026, of $0.15 per share of common stock. The dividend is payable on October 14, 2026, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 16, 2026.

New Store Openings
Academy opened three new stores during the second quarter, bringing its total to 327 locations. The Company plans to open eleven stores during the third quarter, with the remaining locations to be opened in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.

Academy Store Footprint Update

Time FrameTotal stores open at
beginning of the
periodNumber of stores
opened during the
periodNumber of stores
closed during the
periodTotal stores open at
end of period2nd Quarter 20253033—306FY 202529824—3222nd Quarter 20263243—327      Time Frame                    Total gross square
feet open at
beginning of the
period(1)Gross square feet
for stores opened
during the period(1)Gross square feet
for stores closed
during the periodTotal gross square
feet at the end of
the period(1)2nd Quarter 202520,879191 21,070FY 202520,6041,321—21,9252nd Quarter 202622,037154—22,191      (1) Figures in thousands

2026 Outlook
“Our second quarter results demonstrate the strength of the business and the discipline of our operating model. We delivered double digit EPS growth, produced strong free cash flow and continued returning capital to shareholders through both share repurchases and dividends. Importantly, we accomplished this while investing in strategic growth initiatives designed to support sustainable long-term growth,” said Carl Ford, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “As we enter the second half of the year, our balance sheet remains strong, our growth drivers are performing well and we are well positioned to deliver within our fiscal 2026 outlook."

Academy is providing the following updated guidance for fiscal 2026 (i.e., year ending January 30, 2027), as compared to the guidance given on June 9, 2026. This guidance takes into account various factors, both internal and external, such as the expected benefits of the Company's growth initiatives, current consumer demand, the competitive environment, and potential impacts from inflation and other economic risks; actual results may differ materially.

 Fiscal 2026 Guidance
June 9Updated Fiscal 2026
Guidance  change
(at midpoint)(in millions, except per share amounts)Low endHigh endLow endHigh end2025
Actuals vs. 2025Net sales$6,230 $6,355 $6,230 $6,355 $6,053  4.0%        Sales Growth3.0%5.0%3.0%5.0%2.0% 100.0%        Comparable sales (1)—%2.0%—%2.0%(1.5)% 166.7%        Gross margin rate34.5%35.0%35.5%36.0%34.8% 3.0%        GAAP net income$390 $415 $390 $415 $377  6.8%        Adjusted net income (2)$420 $445 $420 $445 $393  10.1%        GAAP earnings per common share, diluted$5.95 $6.35 $6.05 $6.45 $5.54  12.8%        Adjusted earnings per common share, diluted (2)$6.40 $6.80 $6.50 $6.90 $5.78  15.9%        Diluted weighted average common shares66 66 64.5 64.5 ~68  (5.2)%        Capital Expenditures$200 $240 $200 $240 $213  3.3%        Adjusted free cash flow (2), (3)$250 $300 $300 $350 $263  23.6%                 The earnings per share estimates do not include any potential future share repurchases and assume a tax rate of approximately 22.0%.

(1) Comparable sales include stores open after thirteen full fiscal months, all e-commerce sales, and credit card revenue.

(2) Adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per common share (EPS), diluted, and adjusted free cash flow are non-GAAP measures. See "Non-GAAP Measures" and "Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

(3) We have not reconciled guidance for adjusted free cash flow to the most comparable GAAP measure because it is not possible to do so without unreasonable efforts given the uncertainty and potential variability of reconciling items, which are dependent on future events and often outside of management's control and could be significant; therefore, we are unable to provide an estimate of the most closely comparable GAAP measure at this time.

Conference Call Info
Academy will host a conference call today at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results and related matters. The call will be webcast at investors.academy.com. The following information is provided for those who would like to participate in the conference call:

U.S. callers 1-877-407-3982International callers1-201-493-6780Passcode13762096   A replay of the conference call will be available for approximately 30 days on the Company's website.

About Academy Sports + Outdoors
Academy is a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer in the United States. Originally founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, Academy has grown to more than 300 stores across 21 states and counting. Academy's mission is to provide "Fun for All" and Academy fulfills this mission with a localized merchandising strategy and value proposition that strongly connects with a broad range of consumers. Academy's product assortment focuses on key categories of outdoor, apparel, sports & recreation and footwear through both leading national brands and a portfolio of private label brands. For more information, visit www.academy.com.

Non-GAAP Measures
Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Earnings per Common Share, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow have been presented in this press release as supplemental measures of financial performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company believes that the presentation of these non-GAAP measures is useful to investors as they provide additional information on comparisons between periods by excluding certain items that affect overall comparability. The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures for business planning purposes, to consider underlying trends of its business, and in measuring its performance relative to others in the market, and believes presenting these measures also provides information to investors and others for understanding and evaluating trends in the Company’s operating results or measuring performance in the same manner as the Company’s management. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company’s reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP. The calculation of these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from similar measures reported by other companies and may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures. For additional information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see our Annual Report for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026 (the "Annual Report"), filed on March 17, 2026 and our Quarterly Report for the thirteen weeks ended August 1, 2026 to be filed on September 9, 2026 ("the Quarterly Report"), which may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

See “Reconciliations of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

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 may incorporate words such as “believe,” “expect,", "anticipate," “forward,” “ahead,” “opportunities,” “plans,” “priorities,” “goals,” “future,” “short/long term,” “will,” “should,” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. The forward-looking statements in this press release include, among other things, statements regarding the Company’s fiscal 2026 outlook under the caption "2026 Outlook," the Company's strategic plans and financial objectives, including the implementation of such plans, the growth of the Company's business and operations, including the opening of new stores and the expansion into new markets, the Company's payment of dividends, including the timing and the amount thereof, share repurchases by the Company, and the Company's expectations regarding its future performance and future financial condition are subject to various risks, uncertainties, assumptions, or changes in circumstances that are all difficult to predict or quantify. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global, regional, or local economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory, environmental, and other factors that could affect overall consumer spending or our industry, including the possible effects of ongoing macroeconomic challenges, inflation and higher interest rates, trade policy changes or additional tariffs, geopolitical tensions, or changes to the financial health of our customers, many of which are beyond Academy's control. These and other 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 SEC, including the Annual Report, under the caption "Part 1A. 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 of this release. Academy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.

Investor ContactMedia ContactDan AldridgeMeredith KleinVP, Investor RelationsVP, Communications832-739-4102346-823-6615dan.aldridge@[email protected]   ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME(Unaudited)(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)  Thirteen Weeks Ended August 1, 2026 Percentage of
Sales(1) August 2, 2025 Percentage of
Sales (1)Net sales$1,647,285 100.0% $1,599,838  100.0%Cost of goods sold 981,383 59.6%  1,023,105  64.0%Gross margin 665,902 40.4%  576,733  36.0%Selling, general and administrative expenses 419,539 25.5%  404,352  25.3%Operating income 246,363 15.0%  172,381  10.8%Interest expense, net 8,056 0.5%  9,028  0.6%Loss on early retirement of debt 1,902 0.1%  —  —%Other expense (income), net 58,006 3.5%  (1,480) (0.1)%Income before income taxes 178,399 10.8%  164,833  10.3%Income tax expense 40,502 2.5%  39,399  2.5%Net income$137,897 8.4% $125,434  7.8%        Earnings Per Common Share:       Basic$2.21   $1.89   Diluted$2.17   $1.85           Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:       Basic 62,292    66,539   Diluted 63,551    67,689               (1) Column may not add due to rounding

ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
  Twenty-Six Weeks Ended August 1, 2026 Percentage of
Sales(1) August 2, 2025 Percentage of
Sales (1)Net sales$3,089,288 100.0% $2,951,247  100.0%Cost of goods sold 1,944,038 62.9%  1,915,645  64.9%Gross margin 1,145,250 37.1%  1,035,602  35.1%Selling, general and administrative expenses 824,232 26.7%  793,956  26.9%Operating income 321,018 10.4%  241,646  8.2%Interest expense, net 17,043 0.6%  18,072  0.6%Loss on early retirement of debt 1,902 0.1%  —  —%Other expense (income), net 54,785 1.8%  (4,287) (0.1)%Income before income taxes 247,288 8.0%  227,861  7.7%Income tax expense 56,688 1.8%  56,343  1.9%Net income$190,600 6.2% $171,518  5.8%        Earnings Per Common Share:       Basic$3.01   $2.57   Diluted$2.94   $2.52           Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding:       Basic 63,362    66,831   Diluted 64,892    68,043            (1) Column may not add due to rounding

ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
  August 1, 2026 January 31, 2026 August 2, 2025ASSETS     CURRENT ASSETS:     Cash and cash equivalents$298,213 $330,320 $300,860Accounts receivable - less allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,592, $1,792 and $1,874, respectively 22,955  34,755  19,181Merchandise inventories, net 1,657,442  1,503,756  1,587,624Prepaid expenses and other current assets 89,897  82,457  78,257Assets held for sale 2,957  2,957  —Total current assets 2,071,464  1,954,245  1,985,922      PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET 631,834  584,103  584,045RIGHT-OF-USE ASSETS 1,292,724  1,234,246  1,206,207TRADE NAME 579,972  579,766  579,330GOODWILL 861,920  861,920  861,920OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS 70,234  62,756  58,559Total assets$5,508,148 $5,277,036 $5,275,983      LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY     CURRENT LIABILITIES:     Accounts payable$751,560 $637,854 $803,309Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 302,513  243,908  266,021Current lease liabilities 134,390  147,491  139,678Current maturities of long-term debt —  3,000  3,000Total current liabilities 1,188,463  1,032,253  1,212,008      LONG-TERM DEBT, NET 494,158  480,793  481,738LONG-TERM LEASE LIABILITIES 1,340,337  1,261,167  1,217,217DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES, NET 285,589  300,654  270,502OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES 21,168  30,792  19,368Total liabilities 3,329,715  3,105,659  3,200,833      COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES           STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY :     Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 50,000,000 shares; none issued and outstanding —  —  —Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 300,000,000 shares; 62,028,664; 64,945,953 and 66,625,266 issued and outstanding as of August 1, 2026, January 31, 2026 and August 2, 2025, respectively. 620  649  666Additional paid-in capital 258,973  256,351  255,517Retained earnings 1,918,840  1,914,377  1,818,967Stockholders' equity 2,178,433  2,171,377  2,075,150Total liabilities and stockholders' equity$5,508,148 $5,277,036 $5,275,983          ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands)
  Twenty-Six Weeks Ended August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:   Net income$190,600  $171,518 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:   Depreciation and amortization 61,205   61,171 Non-cash lease expense 7,591   22,487 Equity compensation 20,419   15,144 Amortization of deferred loan and other costs 1,305   1,292 Deferred income taxes (15,065)  13,686 Loss on early retirement of debt 1,902   — Loss on tariff refund monetization 61,759   — Changes in assets and liabilities:   Accounts receivable, net 11,799   (2,421)Merchandise inventories, net (153,686)  (278,784)Prepaid expenses and other current assets (18,995)  15,311 Other noncurrent assets (5,205)  (7,617)Accounts payable 116,027   178,381 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 21,534   29,395 Income taxes payable 46,991   7,526 Other long-term liabilities 841   8,958 Net cash provided by operating activities 349,022   236,047     CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:   Capital expenditures (111,258)  (107,576)Purchases of intangible assets (206)  (323)Net cash used in investing activities (111,464)  (107,899)    CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:   Repayment of Term Loan (85,750)  (1,500)Proceeds from Senior Notes 500,000   — Repayment of Senior Notes (400,000)  — Debt refinancing fees (9,364)  — Proceeds from exercise of stock options 805   2,646 Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee stock purchase 2,828   2,781 Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (6,499)  (3,748)Repurchase of common stock for retirement (180,505)  (99,031)Dividends paid (18,956)  (17,365)Remittance of tariff refund claims (72,224)  — Net cash used in financing activities (269,665)  (116,217)    NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (32,107)  11,931 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD 330,320   288,929 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD$298,213  $300,860          ACADEMY SPORTS AND OUTDOORS, INC.
RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in thousands)

Adjusted EBIT

We define “Adjusted EBIT” as net income (loss) before interest expense, net, income tax expense and other adjustments included in the table below. We describe these adjustments reconciling net income (loss) to Adjusted EBIT in the following table (amounts in thousands):

  Thirteen Weeks Ended Twenty-Six Weeks Ended  August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025 August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025 Net income
$137,897 $125,434 $190,600 $171,518 Interest expense, net
 8,056  9,028  17,043  18,072 Income tax expense
 40,502  39,399  56,688  56,343 Equity compensation (a)
 9,319  7,602  20,419  15,144 Loss on early retirement of debt
 1,902  —  1,902  — Adjusted EBIT
$197,676 $181,463 $286,652 $261,077         (a)Represents non-cash charges related to equity based compensation, which vary from period to period depending on certain factors such as the timing and valuation of awards, achievement of performance targets and equity award forfeitures.
   Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share

We define “Adjusted Net Income” as net income (loss) plus other adjustments included in the table below, less the tax effect of these adjustments. We define “Adjusted Earnings per Common Share, Basic” as Adjusted Net Income divided by the basic weighted average common shares outstanding during the period and “Adjusted Earnings per Common Share, Diluted” as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average common shares outstanding during the period. We describe these adjustments reconciling net income (loss) to Adjusted Net Income, and Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share in the following table (amounts in thousands, except per share data):  

  Thirteen Weeks Ended Twenty-Six Weeks Ended  August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025 August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025 Net income$137,897  $125,434  $190,600  $171,518  Equity compensation (a) 9,319   7,602   20,419   15,144  Loss on early retirement of debt 1,902   —   1,902   —  Tax effects of these adjustments (b) (2,612)  (1,717)  (5,196)  (3,745) Adjusted Net Income$146,506  $131,319  $207,725  $182,917           Earnings per common share:        Basic$2.21  $1.89  $3.01  $2.57  Diluted$2.17  $1.85  $2.94  $2.52  Adjusted earnings per common share:        Basic$2.35  $1.97  $3.28  $2.74  Diluted$2.31  $1.94  $3.20  $2.69  Weighted average common shares outstanding:        Basic 62,292   66,539   63,362   66,831  Diluted 63,551   67,689   64,892   68,043             (a)Represents non-cash charges related to equity based compensation, which vary from period to period depending on certain factors such as the timing and valuation of awards, achievement of performance targets and equity award forfeitures.
(b)Represents the estimated tax effect of the total adjustments made to arrive at Adjusted Net Income.
   Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted, Guidance Reconciliation (amounts in millions, except per share data)

  Low Range* High Range*  Fiscal Year Ending
January 31, 2027 Fiscal Year Ending
January 31, 2027 Net Income$390 $415 Equity compensation (a) 30  30 Adjusted Net Income$420 $445      Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted$6.05 $6.45 Equity compensation (a) 0.45  0.45 Adjusted Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted$6.50 $6.90          *Amounts presented have been rounded.   (a)Adjustments include non-cash charges related to equity-based compensation (as defined above), which may vary from period to period. These amounts are also tax affected.   Adjusted Free Cash Flow

We define “Adjusted Free Cash Flow” as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less net cash used in investing activities. We describe these adjustments reconciling net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted free cash flow in the following table (amounts in thousands): 

  Thirteen Weeks Ended Twenty-Six Weeks Ended  August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025 August 1, 2026 August 2, 2025 Net cash provided by operating activities (a)$188,416  $78,575  $349,022  $236,047  Net cash used in investing activities (72,467)  (56,911)  (111,464)  (107,899) Adjusted Free Cash Flow$115,949  $21,664  $237,558  $128,148          (a)Net cash provided by operating activities includes the impact of tariff refunds in the 2026 second quarter.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (the "Company" or "Academy") (Nasdaq: ASO) announced today that on September 2, 2026, its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share of the Company's common stock with respect to the fiscal quarter ended August 1, 2026. The quarterly cash dividend is payable on October 14, 2026, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 16, 2026.

About Academy Sports + Outdoors
Academy is a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer in the United States. Originally founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, Academy has grown to more than 300 stores across 21 states and counting. Academy's mission is to provide "Fun for All," fulfilled through a localized merchandising strategy and value proposition that connects with a broad range of consumers. Academy's product assortment focuses on outdoor, apparel, sports & recreation, and footwear through leading national brands and private label brands.

For more information, visit www.academy.com.

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. The forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the payment of the dividend, including the timing and amount thereof, the Company's expectations regarding its future performance, and the Company's future financial condition to support future dividend growth, and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, assumptions, or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to factors that are set forth in Academy's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date of this release. Academy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.

Media inquiries:
Meredith Klein, Vice President of Communications
346.826.6615
[email protected]

Investor inquiries:
Dan Aldridge, Vice President of Investor Relations
832.739.4102
[email protected] 

SOURCE Academy Sports + Outdoors

Company commits $65,000 in donations benefitting more than 200 children to make a positive impact locally

, /PRNewswire/ -- Academy Sports + Outdoors ("Academy" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: ASO), a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer, is excited to announce it has opened two new stores in St. Clairsville, Ohio and Kerrville, Texas; and will open nine additional locations this quarter in Celina, Texas; McAlester, Okla.; Lacy Lakeview, Texas; Fayetteville, Ga.; Roanoke, Va.; Statesboro, Ga.; Granbury, Texas; Millington, Tenn.; and Fairview, Texas. To date, Academy has opened seven new stores in 2026, with plans to open a total of 20 to 25 new locations this fiscal year.

Academy Sports + Outdoors Fuels Growth with Eleven New Stores Opening Across Six States in Q3 Combined, the eleven new stores are expected to bring more than 650 total new jobs to their local communities. Individuals interested in careers at Academy can visit careers.academy.com to apply for open positions.

"Our strategic growth reflects both the strength of the business and our commitment to the families and communities we serve," said Eric Friederich, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations at Academy Sports + Outdoors. "With every new store, we're proud to partner with a local nonprofit organization to support kids and families by bringing more opportunities to play, connect, and create meaningful moments where fun can't lose."

2026 Q3 New Store Opening Locations

St. Clairsville, Ohio

Kerrville, Texas

Celina, Texas

McAlester, Oklahoma

Lacy Lakeview, Texas

Fayetteville, Georgia

Roanoke, Virginia

Statesboro, Georgia

Granbury, Texas

Millington, Tennessee

Fairview, Texas

As part of Academy's ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in the communities it serves, the Company is donating $65,000 to support more than 200 children through local nonprofit organizations as part of each respective grand opening celebration. Each store will celebrate with exclusive deals, exciting giveaways, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and family-friendly fun for the whole family.

Hometown football star CJ Goodwin joined Academy at the grand opening of its St. Clairsville, Ohio store, where he surprised 20 kids from the St. Clairsville-Richland City Schools Athletics Department with a $5,000 shopping spree. Similarly, in Kerrville, TX, Academy hosted a $5,000 shopping spree for 20 kids with Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas – Texas Hill Country and provided additional $5,000 donations to both the Kerrville Public School Foundation and Kerr Together, to support ongoing community needs.

Academy's commitment to making a lasting and positive impact in the communities it serves extends beyond new store celebrations and community investments, underscoring its dedication to being a trusted community partner that provides support during times of need. Following the 2025 Central Texas floods, the Company supported local response and recovery efforts through on-the-ground aid to support frontline response efforts for TEXSAR: Texas Search and Rescue and the Texas A&M Forest Service, facilitated bottled water distribution, and made a $250,000 contribution to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund to aid long-term recovery in the Texas Hill Country.

In pursuit of becoming the best sports and outdoors retailer in the country, Academy continues to open new stores to expand its base across legacy, existing, and new markets. This has resulted in the opening of more than 60 new locations since 2022 including 24 new stores across 16 states in 2025, including its first locations in Maryland and Pennsylvania and 16 new stores across 10 different states in 2024.

Academy's store growth is supported by continued investments that enhance the customer experience, including the recent rollout of the new myAcademy Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card, and enhanced myAcademy Rewards program, providing cardmembers and loyal customers with exclusive benefits and ways to save. Together, these initiatives reinforce Academy's commitment to delivering unbeatable value both in-store and beyond.

Every Academy store is a fun destination where families can find apparel, footwear, sports, hiking and camping equipment, hunting and fishing gear, outdoor cooking, and more from top national brands at an everyday value. For added convenience, Academy offers multiple shopping options, including same-day delivery on eligible purchases, making it easy for customers to get the products they need when and where they need them. 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 tremendous 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 for the entire family, 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 as Nike, adidas, Carhartt, YETI, Stanley, Marucci, Titleist, Shimano, Brooks, Blackstone, Owala and more, in-store and online, and through the Academy mobile app.

About Academy Sports + Outdoors
Academy is a leading full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer in the United States. Originally founded in 1938 as a family business in Texas, Academy has grown to more than 300 stores across 21 states and counting. Academy's mission is to provide "Fun for All" and Academy fulfills this mission with a localized merchandising strategy and value proposition that strongly connects with a broad range of consumers. Academy's product assortment focuses on key categories of outdoor, apparel, sports & recreation and footwear through both leading national brands and a portfolio of private label brands. For more information, visit www.academy.com.

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 may incorporate words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "forward," "ahead," "opportunities," "plans," "priorities," "goals," "future," "short/long term," "will," "should," or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. 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. These and other 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 "Part 1A.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 of this release. Academy undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws.

Media Contact: Brooke Fendley, Sr. Specialist External Communications, [email protected] 

SOURCE Academy Sports + Outdoors

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Phase 1/2 FUNCTION ALS trial initiated in Europe with additional global regions anticipated in 2026

First patients dosed in LAUNCH ALS, an investigator-initiated trial in China conducted in partnership with Tenacia Biopharmaceutical, to support accelerated global clinical development strategy

TRCN-1023 is designed to restore function of the UNC13A protein, a genetically validated target in 97% of people living with ALS

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Trace Neuroscience, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company expanding the promise of genomic medicine for people living with neurodegenerative diseases, today announced the initiation of its global clinical development program for TRCN-1023, an investigational antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) designed to restore UNC13A protein function for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The global TRCN-1023 clinical program includes the Phase 1/2 FUNCTION ALS trial, which has received clinical trial authorization in the United Kingdom and Netherlands, as well as LAUNCH ALS, an investigator-initiated trial (IIT) underway in China. The LAUNCH ALS trial is being conducted in partnership with Tenacia Biopharmaceutical, which provides deep expertise in neuroscience drug development and operational execution in China, and in collaboration with principal investigator Yilong Wang, M.D., Ph.D. at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, a leading neurological hospital in China. The first patients were dosed in LAUNCH ALS earlier this month.

“Our team helped establish UNC13A as one of the most compelling genetically validated targets in ALS, and we built Trace Neuroscience to translate that biology into a medicine,” said Eric Green, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Trace Neuroscience. “We are thrilled to now be advancing TRCN-1023 into the clinic with a global early development strategy that is poised to generate a robust clinical data package with the urgency that ALS demands.”

TRCN-1023 is a highly potent and durable ASO designed to re-establish healthy communication between nerves and muscle cells. Administered by intrathecal injection, TRCN-1023 is a targeted intervention that binds directly to UNC13A messenger RNA to regulate its processing and guide formation of functional UNC13A protein, potentially improving synaptic transmission and thereby nerve and muscle function.

“UNC13A is among the most promising targets in ALS research today with a strong grounding in human genetics and mechanistic biology,” said Dame Pamela Shaw, M.D., Professor of Neurology at the University of Sheffield and FUNCTION ALS Chief Investigator. “There is compelling rationale for restoring this protein's function, which has relevance to the vast majority of ALS patients. I look forward to contributing to a stronger understanding of TRCN-1023’s biological and clinical impact through the FUNCTION ALS trial.”

“People with ALS need meaningful therapeutic innovation beyond today’s limited treatment options. The potency, durability and biological rationale behind TRCN-1023 make it a particularly exciting drug candidate to bring into the clinic,” said Dr. Wang, LAUNCH ALS principal investigator who also serves as Executive Vice President at Beijing Tiantan Hospital and Professor of Neurology at Capital Medical University. “I am proud to partner with the Trace Neuroscience and Tenacia Biopharmaceutical teams to advance this program and accelerate a potential new treatment for people with ALS worldwide.”

About the FUNCTION ALS Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial & LAUNCH ALS IIT

FUNCTION ALS is a global Phase 1/2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic activity of TRCN-1023 in people living with ALS. The study is expected to enroll approximately 30 participants across sites in North America and Europe. Key eligibility criteria include age 18-75, symptom onset within the past two years or less, and slow vital capacity (SVC) of at least 60%. Individuals with SOD1 or FUS mutations are not eligible. Participants will receive TRCN-1023 or placebo, with 24 weeks of follow-up. Designed with input from people living with ALS and their caregivers, FUNCTION ALS incorporates biomarker analyses, digital movement and speech assessments, and operational measures intended to reduce participant burden.

LAUNCH ALS is an IIT conducted in collaboration with principal investigator Dr. Yilong Wang at Beijing Tiantan Hospital to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic activity of TRCN-1023 in people with ALS. The study is expected to enroll approximately 25 participants. Eligibility criteria for enrollment are consistent with the criteria for the FUNCTION ALS trial.

About ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig’s disease), is a progressive and terminal neurodegenerative disease impacting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that reduces muscle function and control. As ALS advances, the ability to speak, swallow, move and breathe is increasingly impaired. In the U.S., approximately 30,000 people are living with ALS, and approximately 1 in 400 people will be diagnosed during their lifetime. Sporadic ALS that occurs without a clear family history or identified gene change is the most common form, accounting for 9 out of 10 cases, and has very limited treatment options.

About Trace Neuroscience

Trace Neuroscience is a biopharmaceutical company on a mission to expand the promise of genomic medicine for people living with neurodegenerative diseases. With an initial focus on ALS, the company is developing novel therapies to restore UNC13A protein function to re-establish healthy communication between nerves and muscle cells. Trace Neuroscience launched in 2024 with funding from leading life sciences investors and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California. For more information, please visit www.traceneuro.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and X.

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