Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH Has $75.36 Million Stock Position in AutoZone, Inc. $AZO

Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH cut its stake in AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) by 2.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 17,565 shares of the company’s stock after selling 529 shares during the period. Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH owned approximately 0.11% of AutoZone worth $75,358,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Aspect Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of AutoZone by 700.0% during the second quarter. Aspect Partners LLC now owns 8 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 7 shares in the last quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of AutoZone by 600.0% in the third quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 7 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 6 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust acquired a new position in AutoZone during the second quarter worth $33,000. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its position in AutoZone by 50.0% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 9 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Loomis Sayles & Co. L P acquired a new stake in AutoZone in the 2nd quarter valued at $33,000. 92.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

AutoZone Trading Up 1.5%

NYSE:AZO opened at $3,573.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $3,593.83 and a 200 day simple moving average of $3,850.66. The stock has a market cap of $59.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.92, a PEG ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.42. AutoZone, Inc. has a 1-year low of $3,205.23 and a 1-year high of $4,388.11.

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

AutoZone announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase program on Wednesday, October 8th that authorizes the company to buyback $0.00 in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently commented on AZO. Zacks Research upgraded shares of AutoZone from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Gabelli reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Thursday, November 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on AutoZone from $4,850.00 to $4,100.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 18th. Wolfe Research cut shares of AutoZone from an “outperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, BNP Paribas Exane decreased their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,811.00 to $4,268.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $4,264.12.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Michael A. George bought 145 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 22nd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $3,398.13 per share, with a total value of $492,728.85. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 566 shares in the company, valued at $1,923,341.58. The trade was a 34.44% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Richard Craig Smith sold 3,190 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,500.00, for a total value of $11,165,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 2,627 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,194,500. This trade represents a 54.84% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders purchased 347 shares of company stock worth $1,179,256 and sold 3,837 shares worth $13,445,423. 2.60% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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.