AutoZone Inc. stock nears 52-week low ahead of September earnings

Published on 09/17/2026 at 15:10 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

AutoZone Inc. stock closed at USD 2,852.97 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 16, 2026, near a fresh 52-week low around USD 2,855.56. The move comes as analysts eye Q4 2026 revenue of USD 6.71 billion and EPS growth above 11 percent for the September 22, 2026 earnings release.

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AutoZone Inc. stock (ISIN US0533321024) closed at USD 2,852.97 on the New York Stock Exchange on September 16, 2026, leaving the leading auto parts retailer trading close to a new 52-week low of USD 2,855.56 and setting the stage for its next earnings release on September 22, 2026.

Stock slides toward the bottom of its range

According to MarketBeat on September 17, 2026, AutoZone stock opened at USD 2,852.97 on the New York Stock Exchange, slightly below the previous close of USD 2,860.25 and extending a recent downtrend that has brought the shares near their 52-week low.

As Investing.com reported on September 16, 2026, AutoZone shares touched a 52-week low of USD 2,855.56, leaving the stock trading 34 percent below its 52-week high of USD 4,332.68 and implying a market capitalization of around USD 46.67 billion as of that date.

Recent earnings beat and upcoming Q4 expectations

AutoZone Inc. is scheduled to report its financial results for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 before the market opens on September 22, 2026, a date that investors have circled as the next major catalyst for the shares. According to Moomoo on September 17, 2026, analyst consensus estimates point to revenue of USD 6.71 billion for Q4 2026, representing year-on-year growth of 7.49 percent, and earnings per share of USD 54.141, up 11.15 percent versus the same quarter a year earlier.

The upcoming quarter builds on a strong set of results earlier in the fiscal year. As MarketBeat notes in its AutoZone stock overview updated on September 17, 2026, the company reported earnings per share of USD 38.07 for a prior recent quarter ended in fiscal 2026, beating the consensus estimate of USD 36.22 by USD 1.85 and posting revenue growth of 8.4 percent compared with the same period in the previous year.

Valuation compression and downside performance

The share price decline toward the bottom of the 52-week range has caused a noticeable compression in AutoZone's valuation compared with levels seen earlier in the year. Data summarized by Investing.com on September 16, 2026 indicates that the stock's 32.42 percent decline over the past 12 months and its position 34 percent below the 52-week high have left the company with a market capitalization of USD 46.67 billion, significantly below the levels implied at the peak price of USD 4,332.68.

For investors, the quantified expectations for revenue and earnings growth in Q4 2026 now stand in contrast to the pronounced share price weakness. Analysts estimating 7.49 percent top-line growth to USD 6.71 billion and 11.15 percent EPS growth to USD 54.141 are effectively modeling a business that continues to expand at a mid- to high-single-digit rate while the stock price has dropped by more than 30 percent from its high within the current 52-week window.

Position among S&P 500 laggards

The recent performance has also placed AutoZone among the weaker performers in the broader market. An overview by Trefis on September 17, 2026 lists AutoZone among S&P 500 constituents trading at 52-week lows, with the company shown at a market capitalization of approximately USD 46.9 billion and a one-year performance of about minus 32.7 percent.

This relative underperformance compared with the broader index underscores how the stock has struggled despite the company's continued revenue and earnings growth. For longer-term shareholders, the gap between the fundamental trajectory, including the 8.4 percent revenue increase reported in a recent quarter and the double-digit EPS growth expected for Q4 2026, and the 32 percent decline in the share price over the past year has become a central point of attention.

Bank of America increases exposure despite weakness

One notable institutional move has drawn attention in the context of the stock's slide. According to MarketBeat on September 17, 2026, a Bank of America Corp DE filing shows that the institution has acquired 73,085 shares of AutoZone Inc., increasing its position in the company at a time when the stock is trading near its 52-week low.

While individual institutional transactions do not define the overall market sentiment, the decision by a major financial institution to add shares as the stock trades roughly one third below its high suggests that some professional investors view the current valuation, including a market capitalization of about USD 46.7 billion versus the prior peak, as an opportunity relative to the company's expected revenue and earnings growth.

Stock price level and investor perspective

Per data from MarketBeat as of September 16, 2026, AutoZone Inc. stock closed at USD 2,852.97 on the New York Stock Exchange, down USD 7.28 or 0.25 percent from the prior close and leaving the shares just above the recently recorded 52-week low of USD 2,855.56. With a 52-week trading range between about USD 2,855.56 and USD 4,332.68 and a market capitalization in the mid-USD 40 billion range, the stock is currently positioned toward the lower end of its historical band for the past year.