AutoZone stock slips ahead of the open before results
📉 AutoZone stock closed at $2,805.17 on September 21, 2026, hitting a new 52-week low after falling 1.75% from the prior close.
📉 The shares reached an intraday low of $2,796.85 with 599,464 shares traded in the session.
📉 Oppenheimer & Co. cut its price target from $4,300 to $3,500 while maintaining an 'outperform' rating.
📉 AutoZone stock is down 14% year-to-date following the analyst downgrade reported by MarketBeat.
📅 The company will report fiscal fourth-quarter results before the market opens on September 22, 2026.
💰 Analysts expect earnings of $54.30 per share and revenue of $6.71 billion for the upcoming quarter.
🔍 Key focus areas include comparable-store sales, commercial growth, margins, and fiscal 2027 guidance.
Risk Factors
- AutoZone stock fell to a new 52-week low of $2,805.17 at the close on September 21, 2026.
- Oppenheimer & Co. reduced its price target from $4,300 to $3,500 while maintaining an outperform rating.
- The stock is down 14% year-to-date following the analyst downgrade reported on September 21, 2026.
Full Analysis
AutoZone Inc. (NYSE: AZO) shares fell to a new 52-week low of $2,805.17 at the close on September 21, 2026, marking a 1.75% decline from the prior session. The stock had already dropped 14% year-to-date following an analyst downgrade that significantly impacted investor sentiment ahead of the company's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings release scheduled for the morning of September 22, 2026.
Oppenheimer & Co. reduced its price target on AutoZone from $4,300 to $3,500 while maintaining an 'outperform' rating, a move that contributed to the stock's decline. MarketBeat reported this adjustment on September 21, 2026, noting that the shares traded as low as $2,796.85 during the session with approximately 599,464 shares changing hands.
Analysts are closely awaiting AutoZone's upcoming fiscal fourth-quarter results which are set to be released before the market opens on September 22, 2026. Consensus estimates from Investing.com project earnings of $54.30 per share and revenue of $6.71 billion, with key attention focused on comparable-store sales growth, commercial segment performance, margin expansion, and fiscal 2027 guidance.
The company's stock price action reflects broader market concerns regarding its valuation relative to the new lower analyst target. Investors are watching for any divergence between the lowered price target and the actual financial performance in the upcoming earnings report, which will likely dictate near-term trading direction.
