Mizuho Issues Pessimistic Forecast for AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) Stock Price

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) had its target price decreased by analysts at Mizuho from $3,200.00 to $3,000.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage presently has a “neutral” rating on the stock. Mizuho’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 3.77% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on AutoZone from $3,600.00 to $3,400.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. UBS Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of AutoZone in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of AutoZone from $3,700.00 to $3,450.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Truist Financial set a $3,700.00 target price on AutoZone in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on AutoZone from $4,150.00 to $3,500.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 10th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $3,788.12.

AutoZone Price Performance

NYSE AZO opened at $2,891.00 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $47.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $2,986.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3,205.00. AutoZone has a 52-week low of $2,796.85 and a 52-week high of $4,332.68.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, September 22nd. The company reported $56.05 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by $55.51. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 80.35% and a net margin of 12.40%.The firm had revenue of $6.59 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.70 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $48.71 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that AutoZone will post 150.61 EPS for the current year.

AutoZone declared that its board has initiated a stock buyback program on Tuesday, June 16th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.50 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to purchase up to 3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity at AutoZone

In other AutoZone news, VP Dennis LeRiche sold 1,455 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,100.00, for a total value of $4,510,500.00. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 441 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,367,100. The trade was a 76.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. MCF Advisors LLC grew its holdings in AutoZone by 50.0% in the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 9 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Bard Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of AutoZone during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. acquired a new stake in shares of AutoZone during the second quarter worth $29,000. Asset Dedication LLC boosted its position in shares of AutoZone by 150.0% in the first quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 10 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 6 shares during the period. Finally, Tacita Capital Inc bought a new stake in shares of AutoZone in the second quarter valued at about $32,000. 92.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about AutoZone

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoZone this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Profit significantly exceeded expectations: AutoZone reported fiscal fourth-quarter diluted EPS of $56.05, up from $48.71 a year earlier and above analyst estimates of roughly $54.50. Net income rose to $931.6 million, while operating profit increased 10.1% to approximately $1.3 billion. AutoZone fourth-quarter results
• Positive Sentiment: Expansion and market-share gains support the outlook: Quarterly sales increased 5.6% to $6.59 billion, AutoZone opened 175 stores, and management said it is well positioned for fiscal 2027 sales growth. International same-store sales were particularly strong, and analysts highlighted the company’s expanding global store network as a source of future growth. Why AutoZone stock rallied
• Positive Sentiment: Margin gains and capital returns helped investor sentiment: Gross margin improved to 53.3%, aided by tariff refunds and a favorable LIFO comparison. AutoZone also repurchased about $697.5 million of stock during the quarter, supporting per-share earnings.
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue and comparable-store growth were mixed: Quarterly revenue fell short of forecasts, while domestic same-store sales rose only 1.6% on a constant-currency basis. The earnings beat therefore depended partly on margin benefits that may not recur.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrade remains an overhang: AutoZone reached a new 12-month low following an analyst downgrade before the earnings-driven rebound, reflecting concerns about slowing comparable sales and the sustainability of recent earnings growth. AutoZone reaches new 12-month low

About AutoZone

AutoZone, Inc is a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts, accessories, and maintenance products. The company serves do-it-yourself customers, professional service technicians, and commercial repair businesses through its stores, distribution network, and online platform.

Its product offerings include replacement parts such as batteries, brakes, engine components, and ignition products, along with tools, fluids, filters, and other automotive accessories. AutoZone also provides services such as parts lookup, diagnostic assistance, battery testing and charging, and loaner tools for eligible repairs.

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, AutoZone operates primarily in the United States, with additional locations in Mexico and Brazil.