Tema Etfs LLC Acquires Shares of 281 AutoZone, Inc. $AZO

Tema Etfs LLC bought a new position in shares of AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm bought 281 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,206,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Aspect Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of AutoZone by 700.0% during the 2nd quarter. Aspect Partners LLC now owns 8 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 7 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC purchased a new position in AutoZone in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust bought a new stake in AutoZone during the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. NewSquare Capital LLC raised its holdings in AutoZone by 50.0% during 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 during the period. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P purchased a new stake in shares of AutoZone during the second quarter worth $33,000. Institutional investors own 92.74% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AZO has been the subject of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on 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. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $4,400.00 target price on shares of AutoZone in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Baird R W raised AutoZone to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of AutoZone from $4,600.00 to $4,400.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Thursday, September 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, AutoZone has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $4,310.12.

Insider Transactions at AutoZone

In other news, Director Brian Hannasch bought 147 shares of AutoZone stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 18th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $3,393.09 per share, with a total value of $498,784.23. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 962 shares in the company, valued at $3,264,152.58. The trade was a 18.04% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Earl G. Graves, Jr. sold 250 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,295.00, for a total value of $823,750.00. Following the sale, the director owned 4,887 shares in the company, valued at $16,102,665. The trade was a 4.87% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders have purchased 347 shares of company stock worth $1,179,256 and have sold 3,180 shares worth $12,465,312. 2.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

AutoZone Trading Down 0.4%

Shares of AZO opened at $3,508.49 on Wednesday. AutoZone, Inc. has a 12-month low of $3,162.00 and a 12-month high of $4,388.11. The company has a market cap of $58.14 billion, a PE ratio of 24.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.42. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $3,613.52 and a 200-day moving average price of $3,857.05.

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

AutoZone declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback plan on Wednesday, October 8th that permits the company to buyback $0.00 in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are often an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

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.