AutoZone, Inc. $AZO Shares Acquired by Westfield Capital Management Co. LP

Westfield Capital Management Co. LP increased its holdings in AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) by 11.7% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 51,122 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 5,352 shares during the period. AutoZone makes up approximately 0.7% of Westfield Capital Management Co. LP’s holdings, making the stock its 29th largest holding. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP’s holdings in AutoZone were worth $173,379,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Camden National Bank increased its holdings in shares of AutoZone by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. Camden National Bank now owns 86 shares of the company’s stock valued at $369,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares during the period. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC grew its position in AutoZone by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC now owns 184 shares of the company’s stock valued at $791,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. grew its position in AutoZone by 1.4% in the 3rd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 212 shares of the company’s stock valued at $908,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. grew its position in AutoZone by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. now owns 229 shares of the company’s stock valued at $982,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Compass Capital Corp MA ADV grew its position in AutoZone by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. Compass Capital Corp MA ADV now owns 85 shares of the company’s stock valued at $365,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. 92.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently weighed in on AZO. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,345.00 to $4,096.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,020.00 to $3,605.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Evercore reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,400.00 to $4,000.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of AutoZone from $3,800.00 to $3,900.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have issued a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $4,040.87.

Insider Transactions at AutoZone

In other AutoZone news, Director Brian Hannasch acquired 165 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 29th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $2,987.00 per share, with a total value of $492,855.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 1,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,641,153. The trade was a 15.65% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Earl G. Graves, Jr. sold 50 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,478.72, for a total transaction of $173,936.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 4,837 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,826,568.64. The trade was a 1.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

AutoZone Stock Up 0.7%

AutoZone stock opened at $3,082.70 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.79 billion, a PE ratio of 21.19, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.35. AutoZone, Inc. has a 52 week low of $2,928.11 and a 52 week high of $4,388.11. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $3,399.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3,543.31.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 26th. The company reported $38.07 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $36.22 by $1.85. The firm had revenue of $4.84 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.86 billion. AutoZone had a net margin of 12.40% and a negative return on equity of 77.83%. The firm’s revenue was up 8.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $35.36 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that AutoZone, Inc. will post 150.18 EPS 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.