An NBA season might be uncertain, but Big 5 Sporting Goods’ stock grabbed a rebound last week with a leap of almost 15 percent.

Mark Smith, an analyst at Feltl & Co. in Minneapolis, said the stock had been trading so low that it caught the attention of investors. On Oct. 4, shares hit a 52-week low of $5.34, down from about $15 at the beginning of the year.

“People picked it up at the bottom and said, ‘This is way too cheap for a good retailer,’” said Smith, who has a $10 price target and a “buy” rating on the stock.

Big 5 was one of the biggest gainers on the LABJ Index last week, closing at $7.83 on Oct. 12. (See page 26.) The stock outperformed the S&P 500 Index, which was up 5.5 percent for the week ended Oct. 12.

Stockholders in the El Segundo company are getting an assist from activist shareholder Stadium Capital Management LLC, a New Canaan, Conn. hedge fund. The fund, which holds a 15 percent stake in the company, announced in late August plans to take a board seat at Big 5; then announced Oct. 13 that it plans be on the board for the next meeting.

“When an activist gets involved, you do see people who want to ride that wave,” Smith said. “Typically we see a bump in share price from activists.”

Big 5, which declined to comment for this article, noted in August that the state’s economy was an issue when it lowered its third quarter earnings forecast due to competitive pressures and high California unemployment rates. About half its 400 stores are in California. The company reported $3.1 million in net income for the second quarter this year.

Competition comes from big-box sporting goods retailers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods in Coraopolis, Pa., and up-market retailers such as La Canada-Flintridge’s Sport Chalet.

Shares of sporting goods retailers have been buoyed lately by positive earnings announced last month by Nike as well as the upcoming holiday season and Winter Olympics. Shares in Dicks Sporting Goods increased 6.6 percent and Sport Chalet’s share price was up 0.9 percent last week.

But if a National Basketball Association labor dispute forces the league to cancel the season, Smith said Big 5’s value-based approach might fare better than some up-market competitors, which market flashy shoes tied to NBA players.

“It’s a different customer than someone who’s watching their calendar waiting for the new LeBron or Jordan shoe,” he said. “It’s more, ‘I need a new pair of shoes for practice tonight.’”