AutoZone jumps after Q4 earnings top expectations on stronger profit and margin gains

AutoZone (AZO) is up 5.4% today. Here is some analysis on what might have caused this price movement.

Analysis: The rally appears tied to a solid fiscal fourth-quarter report that showed earnings per share above Wall Street expectations, alongside year-over-year sales growth and a sharp improvement in profitability. Investors also likely welcomed stronger gross margin, helped in part by tariff refunds, plus management’s comments that sales improved in the back half of the quarter and could accelerate in fiscal 2027.

Details:

AutoZone posted fourth-quarter net sales of $6.6 billion, up 5.6% from a year earlier, with diluted EPS of $56.05 versus $48.71 last year.

Total company same-store sales rose 1.5% on a constant-currency basis, while domestic same-store sales increased 1.6%.

Gross margin expanded to 53.3% from the prior year, with the company citing tariff refunds and a favorable non-cash LIFO comparison as important drivers.

Operating profit rose 10.1% to $1.3 billion, and the company repurchased about $697.5 million of stock during the quarter while opening 175 new stores.

Sources:

AutoZone, StreetInsider, MarketBeat

Disclaimer: This price movement analysis was generated with the help of AI. Please double-check the information provided for mistakes.

$AZO Insider Trading Activity

$AZO insiders have traded $AZO stock on the open market 3 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 1 have been purchases and 2 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $AZO stock by insiders over the last 6 months:

DENNIS W. LERICHE (Sr. Vice President) sold 1,455 shares for an estimated $4,510,500
BRIAN HANNASCH purchased 165 shares for an estimated $492,855
EARL G JR GRAVES sold 50 shares for an estimated $173,936

To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard. You can access data on insider stock transactions through the Quiver Quantitative API insider transaction endpoint.

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$AZO Hedge Fund Activity

We have seen 525 institutional investors add shares of $AZO stock to their portfolio, and 712 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.

Here are some of the largest recent moves:

JPMORGAN CHASE & CO added 1,253,632 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $4,006,532,654
CURATED WEALTH PARTNERS LLC added 603,598 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $1,929,062,992
UBS AM, A DISTINCT BUSINESS UNIT OF UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC added 139,858 shares (+11577.6%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $446,977,776
SIXTH STREET PARTNERS MANAGEMENT COMPANY, L.P. added 128,521 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $410,745,404
ARROWSTREET CAPITAL, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP added 82,577 shares (+68.9%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $263,911,137
UBS GROUP AG added 71,101 shares (+108.9%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $227,234,529
RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC added 50,070 shares (+146.4%) to their portfolio in Q2 2026, for an estimated $160,020,715

To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard. You can access data on hedge funds moves and 13F filings through the Quiver Quantitative API 13F endpoint.

$AZO Congressional Stock Trading

Members of Congress have traded $AZO stock 2 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 1 have been purchases and 1 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $AZO stock by members of Congress over the last 6 months:

REPRESENTATIVE GILBERT RAY CISNEROS, JR. sold up to $15,000 on 05/29.
SENATOR ALAN ARMSTRONG purchased up to $15,000 on 03/27.

To track congressional stock trading, check out Quiver Quantitative's congressional trading dashboard. You can access data on congressional stock trades through the Quiver Quantitative API Congress trades endpoint.

$AZO Analyst Ratings

Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $AZO in the last several months. We have seen 1 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.

Here are some recent analyst ratings:

Truist Securities issued a "Buy" rating on 05/27/2026

To track analyst ratings and price targets for $AZO, check out Quiver Quantitative's $AZO forecast page.

$AZO Price Targets

Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $AZO recently. We have seen 10 analysts offer price targets for $AZO in the last 6 months, with a median target of $3775.0.

Here are some recent targets:

Max Rakhlenko from TD Cowen set a target price of $3700.0 on 06/04/2026
Steven Zaccone from Citigroup set a target price of $3700.0 on 05/28/2026
Michael Baker from DA Davidson set a target price of $4300.0 on 05/27/2026
Tristan Thomas-Martin from BMO Capital set a target price of $4000.0 on 05/27/2026
Justin Kleber from Baird set a target price of $3600.0 on 05/27/2026
Christopher Horvers from JP Morgan set a target price of $3850.0 on 05/27/2026
David Bellinger from Mizuho set a target price of $3200.0 on 05/27/2026

This article is not financial advice. See Quiver Quantitative's disclaimers for more information. Note that there may be inaccuracies due to mistakes in ticker-mapping, and other anomalies.