Group 1 - Macquarie Asset Management's "Macquarie Core Equity Fund" reported a return of 11.94% in Q2 2025, outperforming the S&P 500 Index which rose by 10.94% [1] - The strong performance of the equity market was attributed to reduced concerns over potential tariffs from President Trump, leading to a pause in tariff implementation [1] - The fund's relative performance was primarily driven by sector selection (80%) and individual security selection (20%) [1] Group 2 - AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) had a one-month return of 0.54% and a 52-week gain of 36.82%, with a market capitalization of $69.137 billion as of September 18, 2025 [2] - Despite its defensive nature, AutoZone's shares lagged behind the benchmark returns during the quarter as investors shifted towards more offensive securities [3] - AutoZone was held by 65 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2025, a decrease from 67 in the previous quarter, indicating a slight decline in popularity among hedge funds [3]

Core Viewpoint - AutoZone is a leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., with a significant market presence and competition from other major players in the industry [1] Financial Performance Expectations - AutoZone is expected to release its quarterly earnings on September 23, 2025, with Wall Street estimating earnings per share (EPS) of $51.10 and projected revenue of approximately $6.25 billion, indicating a potential year-over-year increase in earnings driven by higher revenues for the quarter ending August 2025 [2] - The stock's movement will depend on the actual results compared to these estimates, with potential stock price increases if earnings surpass expectations, and declines if results fall short [3] Market Valuation Metrics - AutoZone has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 27.65, indicating how the market values its earnings [4] - The price-to-sales ratio stands at about 3.75, reflecting the market's valuation of its revenue [4] - The enterprise value to sales ratio is around 4.38, suggesting how the market values the company in relation to its sales, including debt [4] - The enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is approximately 25.57, indicating how the market values its cash flow from operations [5] - AutoZone's earnings yield is about 3.62%, providing insight into the earnings generated per dollar invested [5] - The debt-to-equity ratio of approximately -3.07 highlights its capital structure and leverage [5] - The current ratio of around 0.84 indicates its ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets [5]

Group 1 - AutoZone is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings on September 23, with expected earnings of $50.95 per share, a decrease from $51.58 per share in the same period last year [1] - The company projects quarterly revenue of $6.25 billion, slightly up from $6.21 billion a year earlier [1] - In the third quarter, AutoZone reported earnings per share of $35.36, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $37.17, while quarterly sales reached $4.46 billion, reflecting a 5.4% year-over-year increase [2] Group 2 - AutoZone's same-store sales grew by 3.2%, driven by strength in the domestic segment [2] - Analysts have provided positive ratings for AutoZone, with several raising their price targets significantly [5] - Raymond James analyst raised the price target from $4,200 to $4,900, while JP Morgan increased it from $4,200 to $4,850, indicating strong confidence in the stock [5]

Group 1 - AutoZone is set to release its fourth-quarter earnings on September 23, with expected earnings of $50.95 per share, a decrease from $51.58 per share in the same period last year [1] - The company projects quarterly revenue of $6.25 billion, slightly up from $6.21 billion a year earlier [1] - In the third quarter, AutoZone reported earnings per share of $35.36, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $37.17, while quarterly sales reached $4.46 billion, reflecting a 5.4% year-over-year increase [2] Group 2 - AutoZone's same-store sales grew by 3.2%, driven by strength in the domestic segment [2] - Analysts have provided various ratings and price target adjustments for AutoZone, with Raymond James raising the price target to $4,900 and maintaining a Strong Buy rating [5] - Other analysts, including those from JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Barclays, and UBS, have also raised their price targets, indicating a generally positive outlook for the stock [5]

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street anticipates a year-over-year increase in AutoZone's earnings driven by higher revenues, with a focus on how actual results will compare to estimates to influence stock price [1][2]. Earnings Expectations - AutoZone is expected to report quarterly earnings of $51.10 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 6.2% [3]. - Revenue projections stand at $6.23 billion, indicating a 0.4% increase from the previous year [3]. Estimate Revisions - The consensus EPS estimate has remained unchanged over the last 30 days, suggesting stability in analyst expectations [4]. - The Most Accurate Estimate for AutoZone is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of -1.89%, indicating a bearish outlook from analysts [12]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Zacks Earnings ESP model suggests that a positive or negative reading indicates the likelihood of actual earnings deviating from consensus estimates, with positive readings being more predictive of earnings beats [9][10]. - AutoZone's current Zacks Rank is 4, which complicates the prediction of an earnings beat [12]. Historical Performance - In the last reported quarter, AutoZone was expected to post earnings of $36.78 per share but delivered only $35.36, resulting in a surprise of -3.86% [13]. - The company has not beaten consensus EPS estimates in any of the last four quarters [14]. Conclusion - While AutoZone does not appear to be a strong candidate for an earnings beat, investors should consider other factors before making investment decisions [17].

Core Insights - AutoZone Inc. is highlighted as a stock to consider investing in prior to its anticipated stock split, with Barclays raising its price target to $4,510 from $3,916, maintaining an Overweight rating [1] - The company reported total sales of $4.5 billion in FQ3 2025, reflecting a 5.4% year-over-year increase, with domestic same-store sales growing by 5% and international same-store sales increasing by 8.1% [2][3] - Domestic commercial sales for AutoZone saw a significant growth of 10.7% year-over-year, marking the first double-digit growth since FQ2 2023 [3] - AutoZone continued its expansion strategy by opening 54 net new domestic stores and 30 new international stores, bringing the total number of international locations to 979 [3]

Group 1 - AutoZone, Inc. is recognized for its significant stock buyback program, which has reduced its share count from approximately 31 million to less than 17 million over the past decade, reflecting a repurchase rate of about 6% annually [1] - The company is well-positioned during economic slowdowns as consumers tend to repair older vehicles instead of purchasing new ones, which drives demand for AutoZone's products [1] - AutoZone's stock is currently trading at 24 times earnings, and it has repurchased half of its float, indicating strong financial performance and shareholder value creation [2] Group 2 - Since the positive commentary from Jim Cramer, AutoZone's stock has appreciated by around 16% [2]

Group 1: Market Sentiment and Trading Activity - Financial giants have shown a bearish sentiment towards AutoZone, with 62% of traders exhibiting bearish tendencies and only 25% being bullish [1] - The analysis of options trading revealed 16 unusual trades, with a total value of $178,690 for puts and $579,001 for calls [1] - Significant investors are targeting a price range for AutoZone between $2600.0 and $5000.0 over the past three months [2] Group 2: Options Volume and Open Interest - Insights into volume and open interest are crucial for understanding liquidity and interest levels in AutoZone's options [3] - A snapshot of trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts indicates varying levels of activity across significant trades [4] Group 3: Company Overview - AutoZone is a leading retailer of aftermarket automotive parts in the U.S., operating over 6,500 stores and serving both DIY and commercial markets [9] - The company also has a presence in international markets, with more than 800 stores in Mexico and over 100 in Brazil [9] Group 4: Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - A consensus target price for AutoZone is set at $4646.25, with various analysts maintaining positive ratings and target prices ranging from $4250 to $4925 [11][12] Group 5: Current Stock Performance - The current price of AutoZone (AZO) is $4354.54, with a trading volume of 44,404 and an indication that the stock may be overbought according to RSI indicators [14]

Company Overview - AutoZone, Inc. (AZO) has a market capitalization of $71.2 billion and is the leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Brazil, with sourcing offices in Shanghai [1] - The company operates in both the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and Do-It-for-Me (DIFM) markets, offering a wide range of automotive hard parts, maintenance products, accessories, and non-automotive items through various sales channels [2] Stock Performance - AutoZone's shares have experienced a marginal decline from its 52-week high of $4,259.21, but have increased by 14.2% over the past three months, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's gain of 8.2% during the same period [3] - Year-to-date, AZO stock is up 31.8%, significantly outpacing the S&P 500's 10.5% rise, and has surged 35.3% over the past 52 weeks compared to the S&P 500's 18.8% return [4] Financial Performance - In Q3 2025, AutoZone reported revenue of $4.46 billion, which was better than expected; however, shares fell by 3.4% due to net income declining by 6.6% to $608.4 million, or $35.36 per share, missing Wall Street expectations [5] - The decline in net income was attributed to weaker margins from softening demand, currency fluctuations, and higher supply chain costs, despite a positive 5% growth in domestic same-store sales [5] Competitive Position - Rival Genuine Parts Company (GPC) has underperformed compared to AutoZone, with GPC stock gaining only 18.6% year-to-date and 1.4% over the past 52 weeks [6] - Analysts remain bullish on AutoZone, with a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" from 27 analysts, and the stock is trading above the mean price target of $4,180.46 [6]

Company Overview - AutoZone, Inc. is the leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the Americas [3] - As of May 10, 2025, the company operates a total of 7,516 stores, with 6,537 in the U.S., 838 in Mexico, and 141 in Brazil [2] Financial Information - AutoZone will release its fourth quarter results for the period ending August 30, 2025, before market open on September 23, 2025 [1] - A conference call to discuss the quarterly results will take place on September 23, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET) [1] Product and Service Offerings - Each AutoZone store carries a wide range of products for cars, SUVs, vans, and light-duty trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, and accessories [3] - The company has a commercial sales program that provides credit and delivery services to various automotive businesses [3] - AutoZone also sells products online through its websites, including automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand [3]