1,328 Shares in AutoZone, Inc. $AZO Acquired by Oak Thistle LLC

Oak Thistle LLC acquired a new position in AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 1,328 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,504,000. AutoZone comprises 0.6% of Oak Thistle LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest position.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AZO. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. purchased a new position in AutoZone in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in AutoZone in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Global Trust Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in AutoZone by 600.0% in the 3rd quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 7 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 6 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in AutoZone in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. purchased a new position in AutoZone in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $43,000. 92.74% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AutoZone Price Performance

Shares of AZO stock opened at $3,387.01 on Wednesday. AutoZone, Inc. has a 1 year low of $3,210.72 and a 1 year high of $4,388.11. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $3,603.66 and a 200-day moving average price of $3,698.66. The company has a market cap of $55.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.73, a PEG ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.41.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 3rd. The company reported $27.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $27.59 by $0.04. AutoZone had a net margin of 12.47% and a negative return on equity of 72.31%. The firm had revenue of $4.27 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.31 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $28.29 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that AutoZone, Inc. will post 152.94 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, VP Richard Craig Smith sold 5,910 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,700.00, for a total transaction of $21,867,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 2,627 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,719,900. The trade was a 69.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on AZO. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,000.00 to $4,020.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,274.00 to $4,345.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. DA Davidson set a $4,300.00 target price on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Thursday, March 5th. Robert W. Baird downgraded shares of AutoZone from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $3,900.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Wolfe Research downgraded shares of AutoZone from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have assigned a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $4,312.13.

AutoZone Profile

AutoZone, Inc (NYSE: AZO) is a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, the company supplies a wide range of aftermarket components, maintenance items and accessories for passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles. Its product assortment includes engine parts, electrical components, batteries, brakes, filters, fluids and interior and exterior accessories, supported by inventory management and logistics systems to serve retail customers and professional service providers.

AutoZone serves both do‑it‑yourself (DIY) consumers and commercial customers such as independent repair shops and service centers.