NEW YORK, Feb 11, 2026, 1:51 PM EST — Regular session
- AutoZone shares rose about 2.3% in afternoon trading, outpacing the broader market.
- The company set March 3 for its fiscal second-quarter results and investor call.
- Traders are looking for signs on margins, pricing and demand heading into the report.
AutoZone shares were up about 2.3% at $3,749.52 in afternoon trading on Wednesday, after moving between $3,648.06 and $3,749.52 in the session.
The auto parts retailer on Tuesday set March 3 for its fiscal second-quarter results, due before the U.S. market opens, with a conference call at 10 a.m. ET. The quarter ends on Saturday, Feb. 14, the company said. (GlobeNewswire)
The timing matters because investors are looking for a clean read on repair-and-maintenance demand after a stretch where price hikes and cost inflation did a lot of the work across retail. Auto parts can act defensive — drivers still fix cars even when budgets tighten — but the market has been quick to punish any hint of margin erosion.
Peers were also firmer on the day, with O’Reilly Automotive up about 0.8% and Advance Auto Parts up nearly 4%, while the SPDR S&P 500 ETF was little changed.
Ahead of March 3, traders will focus on comparable-store sales — revenue from stores open at least a year — and how much comes from do-it-yourself customers versus repair shops buying through AutoZone’s commercial business. Price and cost commentary can move the stock faster than the headline numbers.
In its last results update in December, AutoZone said net sales rose 8.2% to $4.6 billion but earnings per share slipped to $31.04 from $32.52 a year earlier as gross margin fell, driven by a non-cash LIFO impact. LIFO is an inventory accounting method that can swing reported profit when costs change; CEO Phil Daniele said the chain planned to “aggressively open stores” through the rest of the fiscal year, and the company said it repurchased 108,000 shares for $431.1 million, ending the quarter with $1.7 billion left under its authorization. (GlobeNewswire)
AutoZone’s store base spans the U.S., Mexico and Brazil, and it has leaned on new locations and buybacks to support per-share results while keeping a tight grip on working capital.
But the setup cuts both ways. If pricing cools faster than costs, or if demand softens into the spring driving season, investors could see another quarter where sales growth does not translate cleanly into profit.
AutoZone reports before the bell on March 3, with the conference call set for 10 a.m. ET. For AZO, the next move likely turns on what management says about gross margin and the pace of buybacks as the fiscal second quarter closes this weekend.
