First Nebraska Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 591 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,889,000.
Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. acquired a new position in AutoZone during the third quarter worth $25,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of AutoZone in the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoZone by 100.0% in the fourth quarter. Transamerica Financial Advisors LLC now owns 8 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 4 shares during the last quarter. Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. acquired a new stake in AutoZone during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, MCF Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of AutoZone by 50.0% during the 4th quarter. MCF Advisors LLC now owns 9 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 3 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.74% of the company’s stock.
AutoZone Stock Performance
NYSE:AZO opened at $2,960.64 on Friday. AutoZone, Inc. has a 52 week low of $2,902.20 and a 52 week high of $4,388.11. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $3,054.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3,332.00. The firm has a market cap of $48.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.36, a P/E/G ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.33.
AutoZone announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, June 16th that authorizes the company to buyback $1.50 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, VP Dennis W. Leriche sold 1,455 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3,100.00, for a total transaction of $4,510,500.00. Following the sale, the vice president owned 441 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,367,100. This represents a 76.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Brian Hannasch acquired 165 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 29th. The shares were bought at an average price of $2,987.00 per share, for a total transaction of $492,855.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 1,219 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,641,153. This trade represents a 15.65% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of brokerages recently commented on AZO. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of AutoZone from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating and set a $3,700.00 price objective on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Raymond James Financial restated a “strong-buy” rating on shares of AutoZone in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Evercore reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on AutoZone from $4,020.00 to $3,605.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $4,029.43.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on AutoZone
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.
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