The Dates That Matter Most For AutoZone Stock
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AutoZone (AZO) stock lost 13.2% in the twelve months to November 11, 2026, while the S&P 500 gained 12.8%. On its September 22, 2026 call, management allowed that its same-store sales may not have grown as much as it would have liked, yet it still plans to open about 400 stores in fiscal 2027. The earnings calendar lists AutoZone’s next two reports for December 8, 2026 and March 1, 2027, though the company has not confirmed them. Below are the events most likely to move AutoZone stock over the next six months.
| What to watch | When | Which way it cuts |
|---|---|---|
| AutoZone keeps opening stores faster from fiscal Q1 2027 on, with around $1.65 billion of capital spending planned for fiscal 2027 | fiscal Q1 2027 | Against the stock |
| AutoZone is expected to report fiscal Q1 2027, with same-store sales guided to be relatively flat | December 2026 | Either way |
| O’Reilly Automotive reports its fiscal Q4 2026, a read on demand for auto parts that AutoZone shares | February 2027 | Either way |
| AutoZone is expected to report fiscal Q2 2027 | March 2027 | Either way |
| AutoZone plans higher free cash flow to fund more share buybacks | fiscal 2027 | In its favor |
AutoZone’s Fiscal First-Quarter Report
AutoZone is expected to report its fiscal first quarter of 2027 in December 2026, and management has already guided same-store sales to be relatively flat. AutoZone’s chief financial officer leaves before then, on November 25, 2026, to take the same job at FedEx. Management also expects the average ticket to stay around 5% higher, which means fewer customer visits.
The weak spot is the do-it-yourself shopper. Domestic DIY same-store sales fell 0.6% in fiscal Q4 2026, and management saw the most financially stretched DIY customers putting off repairs and trading down. The December report covers the fiscal first quarter. AutoZone booked $4.63 billion of sales in that quarter a year earlier. Domestic DIY same-store sales are the figure to watch in the December report.
The Pace Of New Store Openings
AutoZone’s spending on new stores is already under way. Management expected to open about 65 stores in fiscal Q1 2027, against 53 a year earlier. The company plans around $1.65 billion of capital spending in fiscal 2027, and most of AutoZone’s investment goes into new stores, including hubs and Mega Hubs.
That pace has a cost. Management concedes that returns on capital have come under pressure as store openings sped up, and says it will hold its return on invested capital in the mid-30s area. By management’s account, the new stores are running slightly ahead of plan on sales and profit. AutoZone’s return on invested capital is the measure to watch in its December 2026 report.
The Share Buyback Plan
AutoZone keeps buying back its own shares, and management plans higher free cash flow in fiscal 2027 to fund both growth and more buybacks. At the end of fiscal 2026, the company had $1.6 billion left under its buyback authorization.
Those purchases already reach shareholders through earnings per share. Management said a lower share count helped lift earnings per share in fiscal Q4 2026, when the diluted count was 3.3% lower than a year earlier. In fiscal 2026, AutoZone spent $2.01 billion on buybacks, more than its $1.82 billion of free cash flow. Free cash flow in the December 2026 report is the number to watch.
Can You Hold AutoZone Through These Dates?
Over the past year, AutoZone’s share price fell 29.6% from its high close on November 26, 2025, to its low on October 2, 2026. Earnings calls brought some of the sharpest drops: the stock fell 11.1% around its May 2026 call.
If a repeat of the fall from the high to the low would force you to sell, the position is larger than you could hold through the December 2026 and March 2027 reports. At a size you could hold through such a fall, those reports are where you will see whether do-it-yourself customers come back.
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