MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE: AZO), the leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the Americas, will release results for its second quarter ended Saturday, February 14, 2026, before market open on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Additionally, the Company will host a one-hour conference call on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. (ET), to discuss the results of the quarter. This call is being webcast and can be accessed, ...

Group 1: AutoZone's Success - AutoZone has increased its earnings per share by 21 times since 2005, with its share price rising 42 times during the same period [6][8] - The company effectively utilized its steady cash flow for share buybacks, averaging 120% of its annual income allocated to this purpose [7][8] - AutoZone bought back 80% of its outstanding shares in 2005, leading to significant growth in earnings and share price [8] Group 2: UK Market Dynamics - The UK market is characterized by persistently low valuations due to slow adoption of global best practices in capital allocation by publicly listed companies [2][3] - Many UK companies prioritize dividends over share buybacks, which can be more effective in enhancing shareholder value, especially in a high-yield environment [3][4] - UK active fund managers have experienced nine consecutive years of outflows, making dividends a crucial lifeline for managing these outflows [4] Group 3: Potential for Change in the UK - The UK equity market is seen as being in a slow liquidation state, but such environments can present exceptional long-term investment opportunities [5] - There is a parallel with Japan, where outdated governance practices led to low valuations, but recent activist engagements have spurred share buybacks and market revival [11][12] - The UK is undergoing changes in governance and capital allocation practices, with recent activist cases leading to board resignations and shifts in management focus [13][14] Group 4: Future Investment Opportunities - A new UK-listed company has been identified as a potential investment opportunity, with plans to return substantial capital to shareholders and a transition to a capital-light model [18][21] - This company has lost 50% of its value from its peak but could trade at 3 times earnings if recovery unfolds as expected [21] - The timing of the investment opportunity is critical, with meaningful catalysts expected in March/April 2026 that could lead to a significant stock recovery [19]

Company Performance - AutoZone (AZO) closed at $3,671.61, reflecting a -1.36% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.84% [1] - Over the past month, AutoZone's shares have appreciated by 13.89%, outperforming the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 6.19% and the S&P 500's gain of 1.8% [1] Upcoming Earnings - Analysts expect AutoZone to report earnings of $27.59 per share, indicating a year-over-year decline of 2.47% [2] - The consensus estimate for revenue is projected at $4.3 billion, representing an 8.82% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year [2] Fiscal Year Projections - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are projected at $149.02 per share and revenue at $20.47 billion, reflecting changes of +2.86% and +8.07% respectively from the prior year [3] Analyst Estimates - Changes in analyst estimates for AutoZone are crucial as they reflect short-term business trends, with positive revisions indicating analyst optimism regarding business and profitability [4] Zacks Rank and Valuation - AutoZone currently holds a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell), with the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate moving 0.55% lower over the last 30 days [6] - The company is trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 24.98, which is a premium compared to the industry average Forward P/E of 17.59 [6] PEG Ratio - AutoZone has a PEG ratio of 1.77, compared to the average PEG ratio of 1.44 for Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts stocks [7] Industry Overview - The Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector and currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 176, placing it in the bottom 29% of over 250 industries [8]

AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer shed light on recently. Answering a caller’s query about the stock during the episode, Cramer said: That has been, you know, a bugaboo. Look, I think this is an incredibly well-run company. It generates a gigantic amount of cash. I think that this is, I’m going to say it again, I think this whole downturn in AutoZone is going to prove out to be a terrific buying opportunity. I am not backing away. AZO, I like very much. Photo by Anna Nekrashevic ...

AutoZone Inc (NYSE:AZO) is one of the best Auto Parts stocks according to Hedge Funds. On December 18, Christopher Horvers from JPMorgan maintained his Overweight rating on AutoZone Inc (NYSE:AZO), cutting down his price target estimate from $4,850 to $4,100 in the process. His revised target now leads to an upside potential of almost 11% at the current level. Copyright: wihtgod / 123RF Stock Photo Horvers kept his bullish outlook on AutoZone Inc (NYSE:AZO), even after the company’s weaker-than-expecte ...

AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer discussed, along with market shortages. A club member inquired whether the stock is a buy, sell, or hold, and here’s what Cramer had to say in response: Alright, this one mystifies me. I have been a believer in this stock for some time. They have the best buyback. Take a look. They’ve shrunk the float by 50% just in the last few years. There’s nothing, I thought, at first, I thought it was tariffed parts that could be a problem, tariffed parts. But ...

Company Overview - AutoZone, Inc. (AZO) has a market capitalization of $60.8 billion and is a leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, offering a wide range of products and services for various vehicles [1] Earnings Expectations - Analysts anticipate that AutoZone will report a profit of $27.19 per share for fiscal Q2 2026, representing a decline of 3.9% from $28.29 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For fiscal 2026, the expected EPS is $148.55, which is an increase of 2.5% from $144.87 in fiscal 2025, with further growth projected to 18.7% year-over-year to $176.25 in fiscal 2027 [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, AutoZone's shares have increased by 11.3%, which is below the S&P 500 Index's gain of 13.7%, but has outperformed the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF's return of 5.2% [4] Recent Financial Results - AutoZone's shares fell by 7.2% on December 9 after reporting Q1 2026 EPS of $31.04 and revenue of $4.63 billion, both of which were below forecasts. Despite an 8.2% increase in net sales and a 4.7% gain in same-store sales, operating profit declined by 6.8% to $784.2 million, and net income decreased to $530.8 million. A significant concern was a 203-basis-point drop in gross margin to 51%, primarily due to a 212-basis-point non-cash LIFO impact and increased operating expenses related to growth investments [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus among analysts for AutoZone's stock is bullish, with a "Strong Buy" rating overall. Out of 29 analysts, 21 recommend "Strong Buy," 2 suggest "Moderate Buy," and 6 indicate "Hold." The average price target for AutoZone is $4,265.35, indicating a potential upside of 16.2% from current levels [6]

Group 1 - AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) has experienced a decline in its price-to-earnings ratio to around 23, despite maintaining good earnings and growth [1] - The stock's recent performance was impacted by an inconsistent earnings report, leading to a significant sell-off, but the company is expected to recover in the next quarter [1] - AutoZone has reduced its share count by 44.9% since the end of 2015 and approximately 89% since summer 1998, contributing to its status as a long-term outperformer [2] Group 2 - The current high interest rates make financing for new cars expensive, prompting consumers to seek replacement parts for their existing vehicles [2] - AutoZone's stock has pulled back 22% from its recent highs, presenting a potential buying opportunity [2]

Group 1 - The analyst has over a decade of experience researching various industries, including commodities like oil, natural gas, gold, and copper, as well as technology companies such as Google and Nokia [1] - The analyst has transitioned from writing a blog to creating a value investing-focused YouTube channel, where extensive research on hundreds of companies has been conducted [1] - The analyst expresses a particular interest in covering metals and mining stocks, while also being comfortable with sectors like consumer discretionary/staples, REITs, and utilities [1]

Core Insights - Fenimore Asset Management's Q4 2025 investor letter indicates a solid yet volatile stock market, influenced by AI enthusiasm, economic uncertainty, and monetary policy concerns [1] - The firm anticipates mixed market conditions in 2026, with many AI-related stocks appearing expensive while high-quality companies are trading at multi-year lows, presenting potential investment opportunities [1] Performance Summary - The S&P 500 Index rose by 2.66% in Q4 2025, with large-cap technology and communication services sectors leading the market [1] - Fenimore Small Cap Strategy returned -4.12%, underperforming the Russell 2000 Index, which returned 2.19% [1] - Fenimore Dividend Focus Strategy declined -4.41% compared to the Russell Midcap Index's 0.16% return [1] - Fenimore Value Strategy saw a decline of -1.17% in Q4, also underperforming the Russell Midcap Index [1] Company Focus: AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) - AutoZone, Inc. was identified as a key performance detractor in Fenimore Value Strategy during Q4 2025 [2][3] - The stock had a one-month return of 2.16% and a 52-week gain of 7.34%, closing at $3,465.45 per share with a market capitalization of $57.64 billion on January 15, 2026 [2] - Despite revenue growth, AutoZone faced higher operating expenses and a significant non-cash LIFO inventory charge, impacting earnings negatively [3] - The company opened over 140 new stores and invested in supply chain hubs, which contributed to increased costs but are viewed as strategic long-term investments for market share gains, particularly in the commercial segment [3]