When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about AutoZone (AZO) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage.AutoZone currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) ...

Group 1 - AutoZone closed at $3,172.18, with a -1.27% change from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.97% [1] - Over the past month, AutoZone shares appreciated by 8.9%, outperforming the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 2.12% and the S&P 500's loss of 1.85% [1] - The upcoming earnings release is expected to show an EPS of $53.61, a 15.39% increase year-over-year, with quarterly revenue anticipated at $6.2 billion, up 9.03% from the previous year [1] Group 2 - For the fiscal year, earnings are projected at $151.37 per share and revenue at $18.5 billion, reflecting increases of +14.36% and +5.97% respectively from the prior year [1] - Recent revisions to analyst forecasts for AutoZone can indicate short-term business trends, with upward revisions suggesting positive sentiment towards the company's profitability [2] - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), currently ranks AutoZone at 3 (Hold) [2] Group 3 - AutoZone's Forward P/E ratio is 21.23, indicating a discount compared to the industry's Forward P/E of 23.99 [3] - The PEG ratio for AutoZone is 1.61, which is comparable to the industry average PEG ratio of 1.62 [3] - The Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry ranks in the bottom 34% of all industries, with a Zacks Industry Rank of 168 [3]

Economic Indicators - Several key indicators suggest a potential recession for the U.S. economy in 2025, including the inverted yield curve and the Sahm Rule recession indicator [1][2] - The Sahm Rule indicates a recession when the 3-month moving average of the unemployment rate rises 0.5 percentage points or more from its low in the previous 12 months, which has never triggered a false alarm since the 1970s [1] Company Analysis - **McDonald's (MCD)**: Historically resilient during downturns, McDonald's stock rose during the 2008 recession and the 2020 COVID shock. The company has launched a $5 value meal to attract cost-conscious customers, with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a price target of $302 [3][4] - **Church & Dwight (CHD)**: Reported strong Q2 2024 results with 4.7% organic sales growth. The company is considered stable and consistent, with a reasonable valuation around $100 per share and a 1.1% dividend yield [5][6] - **AutoZone (AZO)**: Positioned to benefit from the aging U.S. vehicle fleet, AutoZone reported earnings per share of $36.69, beating estimates. The stock has outperformed the retail sector, rising nearly 10% over the past month [7][8] - **Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A, BRK-B)**: Warren Buffett has sold over $75 billion in equities in Q2 2024, increasing Berkshire's cash pile to $276.9 billion. The company’s operating earnings rose 15% in Q2, indicating robust performance despite market downturns [9] - **Flowers Foods (FLO)**: Despite a recent stock decline of 8.4%, Flowers Foods reported a 2.8% year-over-year sales growth to $1.58 billion. The company is expected to earn $1.25 per share in fiscal 2024, with a 4.2% dividend yield [10][11][12] - **Coca-Cola (KO)**: Reported 15% organic revenue growth and 7% comparable EPS growth in Q2 2024, raising its full-year guidance. The stock has a 2.8% dividend yield and remains a resilient choice for a defensive portfolio [13][14] - **Procter & Gamble (PG)**: Achieved 4% organic sales growth and 12% core EPS growth in Q4 2024. The company’s products are considered essential, making it a reliable investment during economic downturns, with a 2.36% dividend yield [15][16]

In the latest trading session, AutoZone (AZO) closed at $3,119.59, marking a +0.23% move from the previous day. The stock lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.04%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.76%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 1.03%.The auto parts retailer's shares have seen an increase of 9.73% over the last month, surpassing the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 8.36% and the S&P 500's loss of 6.74%.The investment community will be closely monitoring the performance of AutoZone in its forthcom ...

M. Suhail Back in January, I published an article on AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) explaining my rationale for betting big on the stock. Today, AutoZone is one of my largest positions. In this article, I want to revisit the stock, discuss the way I see its investment case, and assess its valuation based on today's share price. Let's start by disclosing that since my initial article, I have regularly added to my position, especially during the dip in late May to early June, when the stock fell below $2,800s. AutoZone' ...

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO), today announced that Kenneth Jaycox joins the Company as Senior Vice President, Commercial, Customer Satisfaction. Kenneth comes to AutoZone from United States Steel Corporation where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for U.S. Steel's commercial functions, customer value creation, pricing and revenue growth. Prior to joining U.S. Steel, he served as Vice President of Transformation for Sys ...

MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE: AZO), today announced that Kenneth Jaycox joins the Company as Senior Vice President, Commercial, Customer Satisfaction. Kenneth comes to AutoZone from United States Steel Corporation where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for U.S. Steel’s commercial functions, customer value creation, pricing and revenue growth. Prior to joining U.S. Steel, he served as Vice President of Transformation for Sy ...

AutoZone (AZO) closed the most recent trading day at $2,941.73, moving +0.69% from the previous trading session. The stock exceeded the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 2.32% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 1.25%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 3.64%.Heading into today, shares of the auto parts retailer had lost 0.51% over the past month, outpacing the Retail-Wholesale sector's loss of 0.68% and lagging the S&P 500's gain of 1.79% in that time.Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance ...

AutoZone (AZO) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock. Over the past month, shares of this auto parts retailer have returned -2.7%, compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.1% change. During this period, the Zacks Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry, which AutoZone falls in, has lost 0.4%. The key question now is: What could be the stock's future dire ...

AutoZone (AZO) has recently been on Zacks.com's list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock's performance in the near future.Shares of this auto parts retailer have returned +0.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.1% change. The Zacks Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry, to which AutoZone belongs, has gained 2.8% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be heade ...