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AutoZone (AZO)
NYSE:AZO

AutoZone (AZO) AI Stock Analysis

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AZ

AutoZone

(NYSE:AZO)

70Outperform
AutoZone's overall score of 70 reflects strong profitability and strategic growth initiatives, balanced by financial risks and operational challenges. While technical trends and valuation are favorable, leveraging needs to be managed carefully.
Positive Factors
Commercial Market Share
AutoZone is experiencing commercial market share gains, particularly as its parts availability initiatives gain traction in the fragmented auto parts aftermarket.
Industry Fundamentals
AutoZone is still benefiting from industry fundamentals such as increasing miles driven and aging car parc as consumers are holding on to their existing vehicles for longer.
Market Positioning
AutoZone is viewed as a well-positioned retailer amidst tariff and macro uncertainty.
Negative Factors
Competition
Competition from Walmart to Amazon isn’t letting up, making it a tough competitor that won’t go away.
SG&A Spending
Potential for higher than planned SG&A spending could impact market share gains.
Tariffs and Costs
Tariffs remain a wildcard for AutoZone and peers, with potential impact on costs and profits.

AutoZone (AZO) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

AutoZone Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionAutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps, as well as tire repairs. In addition, the company offers maintenance products, such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluids; brake drums, rotors, shoes, and pads; brake and power steering fluids, and oil and fuel additives; oil and transmission fluids; oil, cabin, air, fuel, and transmission filters; oxygen sensors; paints and accessories; refrigerants and accessories; shock absorbers and struts; spark plugs and wires; and windshield wipers. Further, it provides air fresheners, cell phone accessories, drinks and snacks, floor mats and seat covers, interior and exterior accessories, mirrors, performance products, protectants and cleaners, sealants and adhesives, steering wheel covers, stereos and radios, tools, and wash and wax products, as well as towing services. Additionally, the company provides a sales program that offers commercial credit and delivery of parts and other products; sells automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand through alldata.com and alldatadiy.com; and automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through autozone.com. As of November 20, 2021, it operated 6,066 stores in the United States; 666 stores in Mexico; and 53 stores in Brazil. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.
How the Company Makes MoneyAutoZone makes money primarily through the sale of automotive parts and accessories. The company's revenue model is centered around its vast network of retail stores where it sells products directly to consumers and professional installers. Key revenue streams include the sale of replacement parts, maintenance items, and automotive accessories. Additionally, AutoZone generates income through its commercial sales programs, which provide professional repair shops with parts and products. The company benefits from strategic partnerships with manufacturers and suppliers, ensuring a consistent supply of high-demand items. Factors such as brand recognition, extensive product offerings, and a reliable distribution network further contribute to AutoZone's financial performance.

AutoZone Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Any
Any
Sales Per Average Store
Sales Per Average Store
Measures the average revenue generated per store, indicating operational efficiency, customer demand, and the effectiveness of sales strategies.
Chart InsightsAutoZone's sales per average store show a pattern of seasonal peaks, with notable increases in the September quarters. Despite recent fluctuations, the latest earnings call highlights strong domestic commercial sales growth and international expansion as key drivers. However, challenges such as foreign exchange headwinds and increased operating expenses are impacting overall performance. The company's strategic focus on expanding Mega-Hub locations and maintaining stable gross margins suggests a proactive approach to sustaining growth amid these challenges.
Data provided by:Main Street Data

AutoZone Financial Statement Overview

Summary
AutoZone demonstrates strong profitability and cash flow generation, crucial for operations and growth. However, significant leverage and negative equity pose financial risks affecting future financial flexibility.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
AutoZone's income statement reflects strong profitability with a gross profit margin of 53.1% and a net profit margin of 14.0% for TTM, indicating efficient cost management and robust bottom-line performance. However, the revenue growth rate is modest at 1.0%, suggesting stable but limited top-line expansion.
Balance Sheet
60
Neutral
The balance sheet shows substantial leverage with a negative equity of -$4.46 billion, resulting in a negative equity ratio. The debt-to-equity ratio is not meaningful due to negative equity, which poses a risk. Despite high leverage, the company maintains significant total assets of $18.12 billion, supporting operational needs.
Cash Flow
78
Positive
The cash flow statement highlights strong cash generation capabilities, with a free cash flow of $1.72 billion and an operating cash flow to net income ratio of 0.98. However, free cash flow declined by 10.8% compared to the previous period, indicating a potential area for improvement in cash management.
Breakdown
TTMSep 2024Sep 2023Sep 2022Sep 2021Sep 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
18.67B18.49B17.46B16.25B14.63B12.63B
Gross Profit
9.92B9.82B9.07B8.47B7.72B6.77B
EBIT
3.74B3.79B3.47B3.27B2.94B2.42B
EBITDA
4.18B4.35B3.97B3.71B3.40B2.90B
Net Income Common Stockholders
2.61B2.66B2.53B2.43B2.17B1.73B
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
300.90M298.17M277.05M264.38M1.17B1.75B
Total Assets
18.12B17.18B15.99B15.28B14.52B14.42B
Total Debt
12.37B12.37B10.93B9.30B8.23B8.31B
Net Debt
12.06B12.07B10.65B9.03B7.06B6.56B
Total Liabilities
22.57B21.93B20.34B18.81B16.31B15.30B
Stockholders Equity
-4.46B-4.75B-4.35B-3.54B-1.80B-877.98M
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
2.01B1.93B2.14B2.54B2.90B2.26B
Operating Cash Flow
3.14B3.00B2.94B3.21B3.52B2.72B
Investing Cash Flow
-1.31B-1.29B-876.18M-648.10M-601.78M-497.88M
Financing Cash Flow
-1.82B-1.68B-2.06B-3.47B-3.50B-643.64M

AutoZone Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price3879.97
Price Trends
50DMA
3668.43
Positive
100DMA
3515.16
Positive
200DMA
3332.68
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
34.42
Negative
RSI
66.91
Neutral
STOCH
95.21
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For AZO, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 3879.97 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 3705.51, above the 50-day MA of 3668.43, and above the 200-day MA of 3332.68, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 34.42 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 66.91 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 95.21 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for AZO.

AutoZone Risk Analysis

AutoZone disclosed 21 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. AutoZone reported the most risks in the “Legal & Regulatory” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

AutoZone Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
72
Outperform
$79.44B34.16-174.09%4.90%3.28%
GPGPC
71
Outperform
$17.86B21.1319.19%3.13%1.99%-32.18%
71
Outperform
$28.10B26.3549.62%1.68%2.07%-2.13%
AZAZO
70
Outperform
$64.91B26.02-14.95%4.72%4.69%
70
Outperform
$64.22B104.9944.39%32.23%-46.86%
61
Neutral
$6.97B11.382.88%3.90%2.64%-22.07%
AAAAP
46
Neutral
$2.10B59.62-23.45%2.85%-9.34%-852.37%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
AZO
AutoZone
3,879.97
955.93
32.69%
AAP
Advance Auto Parts
34.38
-36.54
-51.52%
GPC
Genuine Parts Company
129.09
-18.27
-12.40%
ORLY
O'Reilly Auto
1,393.90
398.57
40.04%
TSCO
Tractor Supply
52.91
-3.00
-5.37%
CVNA
Carvana Co
305.21
187.71
159.75%

AutoZone Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Mar 04, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: 11.57%|
Next Earnings Date:May 27, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflected a mixed performance. While there were significant achievements in commercial sales growth and international expansion, challenges such as foreign exchange headwinds, decreased earnings per share, and increased operating expenses weighed on the results.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Domestic Commercial Sales Growth
Domestic Commercial sales grew 7.3% and were up 10% on a 2-year stack basis, indicating a strong performance in this segment.
Improved International Same-Store Sales
International same-store sales increased 9.5% on a constant currency basis, showing robust growth in international markets.
Mega-Hub Expansion
The company plans to open at least 19 more Mega-Hub locations over the next 2 quarters, enhancing parts availability and delivery speed.
Stable Gross Margins
Despite challenges, gross margin was maintained at 53.9%, indicating effective cost management.
Negative Updates
Earnings Per Share Decrease
Earnings per share decreased 2.1%, impacted by currency headwinds and a competitive environment.
Foreign Exchange Headwinds
A 19% weakening of FX rates from Mexico versus the U.S. dollar resulted in a $91 million headwind to sales and $30 million to EBIT.
DIY Sales Challenges
Domestic DIY sales showed minimal growth with a 0.1% comp increase, impacted by discretionary sales declines and consumer spending caution.
Increased Operating Expenses
Operating expenses were up 6.4% versus last year, resulting in a 134 basis points deleverage as a percentage of sales.
Company Guidance
In the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, AutoZone reported a 2.4% increase in total sales and a 1.9% growth in domestic same-store sales. International same-store sales, on a constant currency basis, rose by 9.5%, although were negatively impacted by a 1,900 basis points currency headwind, leading to an unadjusted negative 8.2% International comp. Domestic commercial sales increased by 7.3%, with a two-year stack basis growth of 10%. The company opened 28 net domestic stores and 17 new international stores in Mexico and Brazil, bringing the total to 949 international locations. AutoZone faced a decrease in earnings per share by 2.1%, influenced by a $91 million sales headwind due to foreign exchange rates. Despite these challenges, the company remains optimistic, citing improved execution in the domestic commercial business and success in international markets as key drivers for anticipated growth in the latter half of the fiscal year.

AutoZone Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
AutoZone Appoints New Board Member Claire McDonough
Positive
Apr 23, 2025

On April 21, 2025, AutoZone appointed Claire Rauh McDonough, the CFO of Rivian Automotive, to its Board of Directors, where she will serve on the Audit and Compensation Committees. This strategic appointment adds valuable expertise to AutoZone’s board, enhancing its decision-making capabilities and potentially strengthening its market position.

Spark’s Take on AZO Stock

According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, AZO is a Outperform.

AutoZone’s overall stock score of 73 reflects strong profitability and cash flow generation, balanced by financial risks from high leverage and a negative equity position. Technical analysis suggests a positive trend, while valuation metrics indicate reasonable pricing. The recent earnings call highlighted growth in commercial sales and international markets, but also noted challenges such as currency headwinds and increased expenses.

To see Spark’s full report on AZO stock, click here.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.