AutoZone Accelerates Growth with Record Sales and Store Openings
AutoZone Inc., the leading retailer of automotive parts and accessories, has reported an impressive set of results for its third quarter 2026. In a conference call on May 26th, 2026, Philip B. Daniele III, President and CEO, highlighted the company's commitment to customer service and its efforts to deliver sales growth.
AutoZone's total sales grew by an impressive +8.4% in the third quarter, with earnings per share increasing by +7.7%. The company's gross margin, operating profit, and EPS were negatively impacted by a non-cash $20 million LIFO charge. Excluding this charge, AutoZone's EPS would have been up +12.5% versus last year's Q3.
Key highlights from the quarter include total company same-store sales growth of +3.9% on a constant currency basis, with domestic same-store sales growth of 4.1%. The company's domestic DIY sales grew by +2.2%, while commercial sales surged by +10.4% compared to last year's Q3. International same-store sales were up +1.6% on a constant currency basis, and unadjusted international comp was +16.6%, with exchange rates positively impacting comps by 1,490 basis points.
AutoZone continued its aggressive store expansion strategy, opening 82 stores globally in the quarter to take its total count to 6,766 U.S. stores, 933 Mexico stores, and 157 Brazil stores. The company is on track to open approximately 365 stores for the full year, exceeding last year's global store openings of 305.
"We're growing," Daniele III emphasized during the conference call. "We're opening more stores than we have in many, many years, and we continue to gain market share." He attributed this success to the company's AutoZoners across its stores and supply chain who deliver on the commitment of always putting customers first.
The company also highlighted its sales productivity generated from new stores, which exceeded pro forma expectations. With a strong performance in commercial sales expected to continue as it moves forward, even with tougher comparisons to Q4 2025, AutoZone's growth trajectory appears set for further acceleration.
