Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Decreases Stake in AutoZone, Inc. $AZO

Key Points

• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management sharply cut its AutoZone stake by 70.5% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 4,709 shares worth about $15.97 million.
• AutoZone’s latest quarterly results showed earnings per share of $38.07, beating estimates, while revenue rose 8.4% year over year to $4.84 billion, just below expectations.
• Analysts remain generally positive despite recent price-target cuts, with the stock carrying a Moderate Buy rating and an average target price of about $4,040.87.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. reduced its stake in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO - Free Report) by 70.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 4,709 shares of the company's stock after selling 11,262 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.'s holdings in AutoZone were worth $15,970,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in AZO. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in shares of AutoZone by 14.4% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 111 shares of the company's stock worth $356,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AutoZone during the 2nd quarter worth $356,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 248 shares of the company's stock worth $921,000 after buying an additional 9 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 8.9% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,376 shares of the company's stock worth $5,110,000 after buying an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 52.3% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 11,763 shares of the company's stock worth $43,667,000 after buying an additional 4,039 shares during the last quarter. 92.74% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AutoZone Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of AZO stock opened at $2,936.42 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $3,421.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $3,564.57. AutoZone, Inc. has a twelve month low of $2,931.65 and a twelve month high of $4,388.11. The company has a market capitalization of $48.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.19, a PEG ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 0.35.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 26th. The company reported $38.07 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $36.22 by $1.85. AutoZone had a net margin of 12.40% and a negative return on equity of 77.83%. The firm had revenue of $4.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.86 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $35.36 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 8.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that AutoZone, Inc. will post 150.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. DA Davidson cut their price target on AutoZone from $4,300.00 to $3,750.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday. Evercore reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of AutoZone in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. Mizuho cut their price target on AutoZone from $3,600.00 to $3,200.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on AutoZone from $4,300.00 to $3,850.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group cut their price target on AutoZone from $4,345.00 to $4,096.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $4,040.87.

More AutoZone News

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.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Brian Hannasch bought 165 shares of the business'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, with a total value of $492,855.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 1,219 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,641,153. This trade represents a 15.65% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Earl G. Graves, Jr. sold 50 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated 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 transaction, the director directly owned 4,837 shares of the company's stock, valued at $16,826,568.64. The trade was a 1.02% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders own 2.60% of the company's stock.

About AutoZone

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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