ASO vs WMT

For growth investors, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the stronger pick with 4. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 0% for Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO). Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) offers the better valuation at 9. 8x trailing P/E (9. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) a "Buy" — based on 22 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc.

(ASO) is the cheapest at 9. 8x versus Walmart Inc. at 47. 6x. On forward P/E, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. wins at 0. 90x versus Walmart Inc. 's 4. 06x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) delivered a total return of +185. 3%, compared to +65. 4% for Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMT returned +505. 0% versus ASO's +333. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 12β versus Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. 's 1. 72β — meaning ASO is approximately 1369% more volatile than WMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 65% versus 67% for Walmart Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is pulling ahead at 4. 7% versus 2. 0% for Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Walmart Inc. grew EPS 13. 3% year-over-year, compared to -3. 3% for Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, WMT leads at 5. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc.

(ASO) is the more profitable company, earning 6. 2% net margin versus 3. 1% for Walmart Inc. — meaning it keeps 6. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ASO leads at 8. 5% versus 4. 2% for WMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ASO leads at 34. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 90x versus Walmart Inc. 's 4. 06x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) trades at 9. 3x forward P/E versus 44. 7x for Walmart Inc. — 35. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ASO: 6. 5% to $58. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) offers the highest yield at 0. 9%, versus 0. 7% for Walmart Inc. (WMT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Walmart Inc.

(WMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 12), 0. 7% yield, +505. 0% 10Y return). Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO) carries a higher beta of 1. 72 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMT: +505. 0%, ASO: +333. 0%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

These companies operate in different sectors (ASO (Consumer Cyclical) and WMT (Consumer Defensive)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: ASO is a small-cap deep-value stock; WMT is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.