Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. Makes New Investment in AutoZone, Inc. $AZO

Key Points

• Jupiter Asset Management initiated a new position in AutoZone during the fourth quarter, buying 533 shares valued at about $1.81 million.
• AutoZone reported better-than-expected quarterly EPS of $38.07, with revenue rising 8.4% year over year to $4.84 billion, though sales slightly missed estimates.
• Despite the recent stock pullback, analysts remain largely positive: several firms reiterated bullish ratings, and the consensus view is still Moderate Buy with a target price around $4,040.87.

Jupiter Asset Management Ltd. bought a new position in AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 533 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,808,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its stake in AutoZone by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,797,548 shares of the company's stock worth $7,711,912,000 after purchasing an additional 26,544 shares in the last quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in AutoZone by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. now owns 269,173 shares of the company's stock worth $912,900,000 after purchasing an additional 3,868 shares in the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp lifted its stake in AutoZone by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 189,789 shares of the company's stock worth $814,240,000 after purchasing an additional 2,333 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in AutoZone by 39.5% in the 4th quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 176,986 shares of the company's stock worth $584,730,000 after purchasing an additional 50,071 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshfield Associates lifted its stake in AutoZone by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter. Marshfield Associates now owns 172,332 shares of the company's stock worth $739,347,000 after purchasing an additional 5,293 shares in the last quarter. 92.74% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Brian Hannasch bought 165 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 29th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $2,987.00 per share, for a total transaction of $492,855.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 1,219 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,641,153. This trade represents a 15.65% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Earl G. Graves, Jr. sold 50 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,478.72, for a total transaction of $173,936.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 4,837 shares of the company's stock, valued at $16,826,568.64. This trade represents a 1.02% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 2.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

AutoZone Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AZO opened at $2,936.42 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $3,421.80 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3,565.71. The company has a market capitalization of $48.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 0.43. AutoZone, Inc. has a 1 year low of $2,931.65 and a 1 year high of $4,388.11.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 26th. The company reported $38.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $36.22 by $1.85. The business had revenue of $4.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.86 billion. AutoZone had a net margin of 12.47% and a negative return on equity of 72.31%. The business's revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $35.36 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that AutoZone, Inc. will post 150.54 EPS for the current year.

Key Stories Impacting AutoZone

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoZone this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Several brokerages, including Guggenheim and TD Cowen, reiterated bullish ratings on AutoZone, and other analysts still see meaningful upside despite the selloff.
• Positive Sentiment: AutoZone reported 8.4% year-over-year revenue growth and management said commercial momentum remains strong, with plans to open 355 to 365 new locations this fiscal year.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst updates lowered price targets, including moves from Jefferies and BNP Paribas Exane, but both firms kept positive ratings, signaling reduced optimism rather than a bearish call.
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary suggests investors are weighing whether the post-earnings decline has created a buying opportunity or whether the stock could fall further from current levels.
• Negative Sentiment: AutoZone’s latest results fell short of revenue expectations, which triggered the stock’s decline as investors focused on the miss rather than the EPS beat. Article: Why AutoZone Stock Slumped This Week
• Negative Sentiment: Some reports say the stock is sliding because investors are concerned that late-quarter softness may point to slowing momentum, despite management’s explanation that weather impacted results.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have weighed in on AZO. Barclays raised their target price on shares of AutoZone from $3,800.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. BNP Paribas Exane decreased their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,478.00 to $3,979.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group decreased 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 research note on Wednesday. Raymond James Financial restated a "strong-buy" rating on shares of AutoZone in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Evercore restated an "outperform" rating on shares of AutoZone in a report on Tuesday. One 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. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoZone has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $4,040.87.

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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