AutoZone Inc. ($AZO) Stock Forecast: Down 5.1% Today

What is AutoZone Inc.?

AutoZone Inc. (AZO) is a leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. The company operates both retail and wholesale divisions, serving professional mechanics and do-it-yourself customers.

Why is AutoZone Inc. going down?

AZO stock is down 5.1% on Mar 3, 2026 20:35

• AutoZone (AZO) stock experienced a significant bearish movement of 6.74% on March 3, 2026, despite beating earnings per share estimates.
• The stock's decline can be attributed to revenue missing expectations and weaker domestic same-store sales, raising concerns about operational efficiency and capital management.
• Additionally, a decline in the gross profit margin due to a LIFO charge and increased inventory added to investor worries about the company's performance amidst a potentially challenging economic environment.
• Despite the earnings beat, the revenue shortfall and operational challenges seem to have overshadowed the positive aspects of AutoZone's financial results, leading to the bearish market movement.

AZO Price Chart

AZO Technical Analysis

AZO News

Commit To Buy AutoZone At $3300, Earn 7.3% Using Options

Investors looking to buy AutoZone (AZO) stock but are wary of its current price of $3628.30/share can consider selling a March 2027 put option at the $3300 strike price. This strategy offers a 7.3% return, or a 7% annualized rate, against the $3300 commitment, by collecting a premium of $240.00 per contract. The put seller would only acquire shares if AZO's price falls below $3300, resulting in a cost basis of $3060.00 after subtracting the premium.

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/commit-buy-autozone-3300-earn-73-using-options

Autozone Inc Stock Moved Down by 6.74% on Mar 3: Drivers Behind the Movement

AutoZone (AZO) stock fell by 6.74% on March 3, 2026, despite exceeding earnings per share estimates, primarily due to revenue missing expectations and weaker domestic same-store sales. The company's gross profit margin also declined due to a LIFO charge and increased inventory, raising concerns about operational efficiency and capital management amidst a potentially challenging broader economic environment.

https://www.tradingkey.com/news/stocks/261640614-market-movers-azo-20260303

D.A. Davidson reiterates Buy on AutoZone stock after earnings beat

D.A. Davidson reiterated a Buy rating and a $4,100 price target on AutoZone Inc. following its latest earnings report. Despite lower-than-expected comparable sales and a slowdown in the commercial business, the company achieved an earnings-per-share beat and maintained a strong gross profit margin. The firm cited consistent comparable sales figures and a strong start to tax refunds as supporting factors for its optimistic outlook.

https://m.investing.com/news/analyst-ratings/da-davidson-reiterates-buy-on-autozone-stock-after-earnings-beat-93CH-4538341?ampMode=1

AutoZone Inc. (AZO) Stock: Surge 14% YTD Rally Faces Test After Revenue Miss but Solid Profits

AutoZone (AZO) reported stronger-than-expected Q2 profits, with EPS of $27.63 surpassing analyst forecasts, yet revenue of $4.27 billion missed estimates. This revenue shortfall caused a premarket dip despite steady earnings, solid operating performance, and an 8.1% increase in net sales year-over-year. The stock's 14% year-to-date rally now faces a test as investors react to the mixed financial results.

https://coincentral.com/autozone-inc-azo-stock-surge-14-ytd-rally-faces-test-after-revenue-miss-but-solid-profits/

Is O'Reilly Automotive Stock Underperforming the Dow?

O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) stock has underperformed the Dow Jones Industrials Average ($DOWI) in the last three months and over the past 52 weeks, primarily due to rising self-insurance and healthcare costs, cautious consumer behavior, and cost inflation impacting profitability. Despite this, ORLY has a "Strong Buy" consensus rating from analysts, with a mean price target suggesting a potential 13.7% upside. The company's Q4 EPS missed expectations, but revenue exceeded forecasts.

https://www.barchart.com/story/news/534899/is-o-reilly-automotive-stock-underperforming-the-dow

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AutoZone Inc. Price History

27.02.2025 - AZO Stock was up 3.2%

• AutoZone's stock price saw a significant increase despite the overall market dipping, showcasing its resilience and investor confidence in the company's performance.
• The bearish options activity towards AZO by deep-pocketed investors could be a strategic move or a hedging strategy, but it did not deter the overall positive momentum of the stock.
• Analyst upgrades, such as the one from Morgan Stanley, might have contributed to the bullish sentiment around AutoZone, indicating a positive outlook for the company's future performance.
• Overall, despite some bearish signals in options activity, AutoZone's stock managed to defy the odds and close the day with a notable bullish movement, possibly driven by strong fundamentals and positive analyst sentiment.

23.09.2025 - AZO Stock was down 5.3%

• AutoZone's stock closed at $3 with a -1.53% change from the previous day.
• Despite being viewed favorably by Wall Street analysts, AutoZone's stock experienced a decline, possibly due to profit-taking or market sentiment.
• The stock's drop occurred even amidst an overall market uptick, suggesting company-specific factors at play.
• Investors are reassessing their positions in AutoZone in light of market volatility and changing consumer trends impacting the automotive retail sector.

23.08.2025 - AZO Stock was down 3.3%

• AutoZone (AZO) witnessed a downward trend in its stock performance today.
• The prevailing bearish sentiment towards AutoZone was reflected in the options market, where a significant number of investors took a negative outlook.
• Following the announcement of fourth-quarter earnings and sales falling below the expectations of financial analysts, the stock initially saw a decline, contributing to the bearish movement.
• Despite the initial drop, AutoZone's stock was able to recover some of its losses, suggesting a degree of resilience in investor confidence towards the company.

09.11.2025 - AZO Stock was down 7.9%

• AutoZone's shares plummeted by 6.3% after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings and sales that missed expectations. This decline was primarily driven by lower-than-expected earnings per share and net sales, coupled with weakening gross and operating margins.
• The company faced challenges such as increased operational investments and potential headwinds from tariffs, which contributed to the disappointing financial results and subsequent market reaction.
• Despite the downturn, AutoZone has seen a 9% increase year-to-date, indicating that investors may have had high expectations leading up to this earnings report.
• CEO Phil Daniele's emphasis on aggressively expanding store count globally to gain market share could be a positive long-term strategy, but the immediate financial performance fell short of market expectations, leading to the bearish movement in the stock price.

09.11.2025 - AZO Stock was down 7.3%

• The bearish movement in AutoZone's stock today can be attributed to several factors:
• Despite reporting an 8.2% increase in revenue and a 5.5% growth in comparable sales, the company's profit fell due to higher costs stemming from tariffs, leading to a decrease in EPS.
• The missed Wall Street expectations for earnings and sales, along with a reduced gross margin, may have disappointed investors and contributed to the stock decline.
• The aggressive expansion strategy to open new stores globally, while aiming to gain market share, could be viewed as a long-term investment that might not have an immediate positive impact on the stock price.
• The market may have reacted negatively to the decrease in gross profit and diluted earnings per share, despite the positive growth in sales and store openings, reflecting concerns about the company's profitability in the short term.

09.11.2025 - AZO Stock was down 5.8%

• The bearish movement in AutoZone's stock could be linked to the first-quarter earnings falling short of analyst expectations. This shortfall impacted profitability as a result of investments in growth initiatives and a drop in gross profit margin.
• Although there was a 5.5% growth in comparable sales and a 4.7% increase in total company same-store sales, the decline in gross profit and diluted earnings per share played a role in the market's negative response.
• The market's unfavorable reaction may have been driven by the earnings miss and below-par financial performance, despite AutoZone's ongoing commitment to growth strategies like store expansion and share repurchase programs.
• Concerns among investors may stem from the company's ability to sustain profitability amid growth investments and their effects on financial indicators such as earnings per share and gross profit margin.

03.02.2026 - AZO Stock was down 5.2%

• AutoZone (AZO) experienced a bearish movement today due to a revenue miss in its fiscal second quarter, despite reporting solid profits and steady earnings.
• The stock's 14% year-to-date rally faced a test as investors reacted to the mixed financial results, causing a premarket dip.
• The disappointing domestic same-store sales growth of 5.2%, below the consensus estimate of 6.1%, contributed to the stock falling in early trading.
• Winter storms in January also dented sales, leading to weaker-than-expected sales for the fiscal second quarter, although earnings per share surpassed Wall Street estimates.

03.02.2026 - AZO Stock was down 5.1%

• AutoZone (AZO) stock experienced a significant bearish movement of 6.74% on March 3, 2026, despite beating earnings per share estimates.
• The stock's decline can be attributed to revenue missing expectations and weaker domestic same-store sales, raising concerns about operational efficiency and capital management.
• Additionally, a decline in the gross profit margin due to a LIFO charge and increased inventory added to investor worries about the company's performance amidst a potentially challenging economic environment.
• Despite the earnings beat, the revenue shortfall and operational challenges seem to have overshadowed the positive aspects of AutoZone's financial results, leading to the bearish market movement.

27.04.2025 - AZO Stock was down 3.3%

• AutoZone (AZO) reported mixed results in its Q3 earnings, with EPS coming in below estimates at $35.36 but sales exceeding expectations at $4.46 billion. This margin pressure on profit might have contributed to the bearish movement in the stock.
• Despite the positive sales growth, the market may have reacted negatively to the lower-than-expected earnings, indicating investor concerns about the company's profitability and future outlook.
• The overly optimistic recommendations from market analysts might have set high expectations for the stock, leading to disappointment when the earnings fell short.
• The overall market sentiment towards AutoZone (AZO) could have been influenced by the broader economic conditions and investor sentiment towards the retail and automotive sectors.

02.11.2025 - AZO Stock was down 3.9%

• AutoZone's stock experienced a bearish movement today, possibly influenced by recent insider selling by the CEO and VP, totaling over $23 million worth of shares. This significant selling activity could have raised concerns among investors about the company's future performance.
• Despite the recent bearish movement, Wall Street analysts still maintain a "Moderate Buy" consensus rating for AutoZone, with a mean price target of $4,547.56. This suggests that analysts see long-term potential in the company despite the short-term selling pressure.
• The recent investment of $267,000 in AutoZone by Trustmark Bank Trust Department during the second quarter could indicate confidence from institutional investors in the company's growth prospects, potentially providing some support to the stock in the future.
• Overall, while the insider selling may have contributed to the bearish movement in AutoZone's stock today, the long-term outlook for the company, as indicated by analysts and institutional investors, remains positive.

07.00.2026 - AZO Stock was up 3.0%

• A notable investment management firm reduced its stake in AutoZone, potentially in response to the company missing quarterly EPS and revenue estimates. This divestment, paired with insider selling, may have initially impacted the stock sentiment.
• Despite facing challenges such as tariff-driven margin pressure and LIFO charges affecting EPS, AutoZone is viewed as an attractive buy at its 52-week lows. Strong revenue growth and expansion plans suggest a robust business model, appealing to investors seeking long-term growth.
• The stock's consistent gains, combined with a lack of negative updates, have contributed to its positive trajectory. Analysts' cautious optimism is reflected in moderate price targets and buy recommendations, highlighting the company's share buyback initiatives and favorable market conditions driven by the high average vehicle age in North America.

10.11.2025 - AZO Stock was down 5.8%

• In the recent earnings call, AutoZone reported a 4.6% decline in EPS, falling short of analyst projections, which likely influenced the negative market sentiment.
• A marginal decline in DIY sales, partly ascribed to weather-related factors, may have sparked concerns among stakeholders regarding the company's growth prospects.
• The auto parts retail sector saw heightened competition as O'Reilly Automotive's stock experienced a 4.2% decrease subsequent to AutoZone's earnings release, indicating wider repercussions across the industry.
• Despite AutoZone's positive expectations concerning market share expansion and growth trajectory, investor apprehension regarding the company's future performance appears evident following the earnings miss.