Boston Trust Walden Corp Has $74.33 Million Position in AutoZone, Inc. $AZO

Boston Trust Walden Corp lessened its holdings in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) by 18.9% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 17,326 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,039 shares during the period. Boston Trust Walden Corp owned approximately 0.10% of AutoZone worth $74,333,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Saudi Central Bank bought a new stake in AutoZone in the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Aspect Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of AutoZone by 700.0% during the second quarter. Aspect Partners LLC now owns 8 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 7 shares during the period. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new stake in AutoZone in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its stake in AutoZone by 50.0% in the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 9 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P acquired a new position in AutoZone during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $33,000. 92.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

AutoZone Stock Performance

Shares of AZO opened at $3,447.10 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $57.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.64 and a beta of 0.40. AutoZone, Inc. has a 52 week low of $3,162.00 and a 52 week high of $4,388.11. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $3,715.37 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3,876.47.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 9th. The company reported $31.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $32.69 by ($1.65). The firm had revenue of $4.63 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.64 billion. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 65.38% and a net margin of 12.78%.The company’s revenue was up 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $32.52 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that AutoZone, Inc. will post 152.94 earnings per share for the current year.

AutoZone announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, October 8th that allows the company to repurchase $0.00 in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually an indication that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at AutoZone

In other AutoZone news, Director Michael A. George purchased 145 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $3,398.13 per share, for a total transaction of $492,728.85. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 566 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,923,341.58. The trade was a 34.44% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Jamere Jackson acquired 55 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $3,413.50 per share, with a total value of $187,742.50. Following the purchase, the chief financial officer directly owned 488 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,665,788. This represents a 12.70% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders acquired 347 shares of company stock worth $1,179,256. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on AZO. DA Davidson lowered their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,850.00 to $4,500.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Raymond James Financial lowered their price target on shares of AutoZone from $4,800.00 to $4,600.00 and set a “strong-buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of AutoZone from $4,850.00 to $4,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on AutoZone from $4,600.00 to $4,400.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Roth Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $4,650.00 target price (down previously from $4,750.00) on shares of AutoZone in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-five have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $4,317.27.

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.