AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-eight research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $4,312.1250.

Several brokerages recently weighed in on AZO. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target 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. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,700.00 to $4,500.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,100.00 to $4,300.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 26th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $4,400.00 target price on shares of AutoZone in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Guggenheim decreased their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,600.00 to $4,400.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Michael A. George bought 145 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 22nd. The stock was purchased at an average price of $3,398.13 per share, for a total transaction of $492,728.85. Following the acquisition, the director owned 566 shares in the company, valued at $1,923,341.58. This trade represents a 34.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director George R. Mrkonic, Jr. sold 97 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,341.99, for a total value of $324,173.03. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 3,564 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,910,852.36. This represents a 2.65% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 9,447 shares of company stock valued at $34,179,923. Insiders own 2.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of AutoZone

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Meadowbrook Advisors Group LLC purchased a new position in AutoZone during the fourth quarter worth $2,991,000. Pure Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in AutoZone by 2.4% during the fourth quarter. Pure Financial Advisors LLC now owns 127 shares of the company’s stock valued at $430,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. Stenger Family Office LLC raised its stake in shares of AutoZone by 15.9% in the fourth quarter. Stenger Family Office LLC now owns 779 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,642,000 after acquiring an additional 107 shares during the period. S Harris Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AutoZone in the fourth quarter valued at $298,000. Finally, Reflection Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of AutoZone in the 4th quarter worth about $68,000. 92.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

AutoZone Trading Down 1.6%

Shares of AutoZone stock opened at $3,287.09 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $54.47 billion, a PE ratio of 23.03, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.41. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $3,656.84 and a 200 day moving average of $3,776.69. AutoZone has a 12 month low of $3,210.72 and a 12 month high of $4,388.11.

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

AutoZone Company 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.