AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $2.40 EPS

Key Points

• AutoZone beat quarterly EPS expectations: Diluted EPS was $56.05, exceeding consensus by $2.40 and rising from $48.71 a year earlier. Operating profit increased 10.1% to approximately $1.3 billion.
• Sales growth was solid but below expectations: Quarterly revenue reached about $6.59 billion, missing consensus by $110 million, while total-company same-store sales rose 1.5%. Fiscal-year sales increased 7.4% to $20.3 billion.
• Expansion and shareholder returns continued: AutoZone opened 175 stores, ending the year with 8,031 locations, repurchased $697.5 million of shares during the quarter, and authorized an additional $1.5 billion buyback program. Analysts maintained a broadly positive outlook, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO - Get Free Report) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $56.05 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $53.65 by $2.40, Zacks reports. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 80.35% and a net margin of 12.40%.

AutoZone Trading Down 1.8%

AZO stock opened at $2,805.17 on Tuesday. AutoZone has a 1-year low of $2,796.85 and a 1-year high of $4,332.68. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $2,989.44 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3,210.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.81 billion, a PE ratio of 19.29, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.34.

AutoZone News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoZone this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AutoZone reported fourth-quarter diluted EPS of $56.05, exceeding analyst expectations by $2.16 and rising from $48.71 a year earlier. Operating profit increased 10.1% to approximately $1.3 billion. AutoZone GAAP EPS and revenue report
• Positive Sentiment: Fiscal-year sales rose 7.4% to $20.3 billion, while full-year diluted EPS increased 5.3% to $152.55. AutoZone also repurchased 223,000 shares for $697.5 million during the quarter, supporting per-share value. AutoZone fiscal 2026 results
• Positive Sentiment: The company continued expanding its store base, opening 175 locations in the quarter and ending fiscal 2026 with 8,031 stores. International same-store sales were particularly strong, increasing 10.7%. AutoZone fourth-quarter sales release
• Neutral Sentiment: Oppenheimer maintained a Buy view, and AutoZone was added to the Tuttle Capital Heavy Assets Low Obsolescence ETF during its latest rebalance. These developments may provide incremental institutional support but are secondary to the earnings results.
• Negative Sentiment: Fourth-quarter revenue of approximately $6.59 billion missed consensus by $110 million. Total-company same-store sales increased only 1.5% on a reported basis, while domestic same-store sales rose 1.6%, suggesting limited near-term sales momentum. AutoZone earnings snapshot

Insider Transactions at AutoZone

In other AutoZone news, VP Dennis LeRiche sold 1,455 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction on Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,100.00, for a total transaction of $4,510,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 441 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,367,100. The trade was a 76.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 2.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

AutoZone declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase program on Tuesday, June 16th that allows the company to buyback $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Piper Sandler set a $3,500.00 price objective on AutoZone in a research note on Monday, August 31st. Barclays cut their price objective on AutoZone from $3,900.00 to $3,637.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on shares of AutoZone from $3,900.00 to $3,600.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Guggenheim lowered their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,400.00 to $4,000.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Roth Capital dropped their price target on shares of AutoZone from $4,526.00 to $4,023.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $3,887.58.

AutoZone Company Profile

AutoZone, Inc is a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts, accessories, and maintenance products. The company serves do-it-yourself customers, professional service technicians, and commercial repair businesses through its stores, distribution network, and online platform.

Its product offerings include replacement parts such as batteries, brakes, engine components, and ignition products, along with tools, fluids, filters, and other automotive accessories. AutoZone also provides services such as parts lookup, diagnostic assistance, battery testing and charging, and loaner tools for eligible repairs.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, AutoZone operates primarily in the United States, with additional locations in Mexico and Brazil.

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