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AutoZone (AZO) Advances While Market Declines: Some Information for Investors

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AutoZone (AZO - Free Report) closed at $3,175.72 in the latest trading session, marking a +0.07% move from the prior day. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.29%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.86%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq decreased by 0.09%.

The auto parts retailer's stock has climbed by 0.65% in the past month, falling short of the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 3.95% and the S&P 500's gain of 3.3%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of AutoZone in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $33.60, reflecting a 3.23% increase from the same quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $4.3 billion, reflecting a 2.61% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

Looking at the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $158.09 per share and revenue of $18.8 billion. These totals would mark changes of +8.18% and +1.69%, respectively, from last year.

Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for AutoZone. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Hence, positive alterations in estimates signify analyst optimism regarding the company's business and profitability.

Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which varies between #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), carries an impressive track record of exceeding expectations, confirmed by external audits, with stocks at #1 delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.06% higher. At present, AutoZone boasts a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

From a valuation perspective, AutoZone is currently exchanging hands at a Forward P/E ratio of 20.07. This indicates a discount in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 22.89.

Investors should also note that AZO has a PEG ratio of 1.61 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As the market closed yesterday, the Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry was having an average PEG ratio of 1.59.

The Automotive - Retail and Wholesale - Parts industry is part of the Retail-Wholesale sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 194, putting it in the bottom 24% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Ensure to harness Zacks.com to stay updated with all these stock-shifting metrics, among others, in the next trading sessions.


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