Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Sells 11,146 Shares of AutoZone, Inc. $AZO

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group sharply cut its AutoZone stake by 92.9% in the fourth quarter, selling 11,146 shares and leaving it with 847 shares worth about $2.87 million.
• AutoZone’s latest earnings beat expectations, with EPS of $38.07 versus estimates of $36.22 and revenue up 8.4% year over year to $4.84 billion, though sales came in slightly below forecasts.
• Wall Street remains broadly bullish on the stock: analysts have an average Moderate Buy rating with a consensus price target of about $4,290.91, even as the shares trade well below their 52-week high.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO - Free Report) by 92.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 847 shares of the company's stock after selling 11,146 shares during the quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc.'s holdings in AutoZone were worth $2,873,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. bought a new position in AutoZone during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in AutoZone during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new position in AutoZone during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Elevated Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in AutoZone during the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new position in AutoZone during the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. 92.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AZO has been the topic of several recent research reports. Citigroup raised their price target on AutoZone from $4,200.00 to $4,300.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays raised their price target on AutoZone from $3,800.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on AutoZone from $4,000.00 to $4,020.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on AutoZone from $4,100.00 to $4,300.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, February 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $4,290.91.

AutoZone Stock Performance

NYSE AZO opened at $3,100.16 on Wednesday. AutoZone, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $3,001.00 and a fifty-two week high of $4,388.11. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $3,448.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $3,579.65. The stock has a market cap of $51.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.43.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 26th. The company reported $38.07 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $36.22 by $1.85. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 72.31% and a net margin of 12.47%.The business had revenue of $4.84 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.86 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $35.36 EPS. The business's revenue was up 8.4% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that AutoZone, Inc. will post 149.16 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Headlines Impacting AutoZone

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoZone this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AutoZone reported adjusted EPS of $38.07, topping analyst estimates, and total revenue rose 8.4% year over year to about $4.84 billion, showing the core business remains healthy. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Domestic momentum was a bright spot, with same-store sales up 4.1% and commercial/DIY demand still resilient, supporting confidence that repair demand is holding up despite a mixed consumer backdrop. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: On the earnings call, management sounded cautious, saying growth is being offset by accounting-related and margin headwinds, which may limit how much investors reward the beat. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue came in slightly below Wall Street expectations, and several reports say the selloff was driven by that miss rather than the EPS beat. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Investors also reacted to gross-margin compression, a non-cash LIFO accounting hit, and weaker international performance, which pressured sentiment despite strong sales growth. Article Title

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other AutoZone news, Director Earl G. Graves, Jr. sold 50 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,478.72, for a total value of $173,936.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,826,568.64. This trade represents a 1.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 2.60% of the company's stock.

AutoZone Company Profile

AutoZone, Inc NYSE: AZO is a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, the company supplies a wide range of aftermarket components, maintenance items and accessories for passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles. Its product assortment includes engine parts, electrical components, batteries, brakes, filters, fluids and interior and exterior accessories, supported by inventory management and logistics systems to serve retail customers and professional service providers.

AutoZone serves both do‑it‑yourself (DIY) consumers and commercial customers such as independent repair shops and service centers.

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