Academy Sports + Outdoors forecasts 6% to 7% sales Growth in preliminary Q1 update

Academy Sports + Outdoors (NASDAQ:ASO) issued a preliminary sales update for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 on April 7, 2026, signaling a robust start to the year ahead of its scheduled Analyst Day in Katy, Texas.

The regional sporting goods powerhouse expects total sales for the first quarter to increase between 6% and 7% compared to the prior-year period.

On a comparable basis—a key metric for retail health—the company projects growth of 2% to 3%.

The preliminary figures suggest that Academy is successfully capturing market share in the competitive outdoor and athletic categories despite a broader environment of cautious consumer spending.

The update was released at 9:00 a.m. ET, just as the company prepared to host institutional investors and analysts to discuss its long-term strategic roadmap.

Management attributed the positive momentum to healthy demand in core categories such as apparel and footwear, as well as the continued expansion of its private-label brands, which typically carry higher margins.