OREANDA-NEWS. AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO) today reported net sales of $2.6 billion for its third quarter (12 weeks) ended May 7, 2016, an increase of 4.0% from the third quarter of fiscal 2015 (12 weeks).  Domestic same store sales, or sales for stores open at least one year, increased 2.0% for the quarter.

Net income for the quarter increased 6.0% over the same period last year to $327.5 million, while diluted earnings per share increased 12.6% to $10.77 per share from $9.57 per share in the year-ago quarter. 

For the quarter, gross profit, as a percentage of sales, was 52.8% (versus 52.3% for last year’s quarter).  The improvement in gross margin was attributable to higher merchandise margins, partially offset by higher supply chain costs associated with current year inventory initiatives (-19 bps).  Operating expenses, as a percentage of sales, were 32.2% (versus 31.6% last year).  The increase in operating expenses, as a percentage of sales, was due to higher legal expense (-34 bps) and store payroll.  The legal expense was driven by a single, discrete item.

Under its share repurchase program, AutoZone repurchased 687 thousand shares of its common stock for $533 million during the third quarter, at an average price of $775 per share.  At the end of the third quarter, the Company had $765 million remaining under its current share repurchase authorization. 

The Company’s inventory increased 3.7% over the same period last year, driven primarily by new store openings over the last twelve months.  Inventory per location was $629 thousand, flat with last year, and $633 thousand last quarter.  Net inventory, defined as merchandise inventories less accounts payable, on a per location basis was a negative $69 thousand versus negative $68 thousand last year and negative $57 thousand last quarter.

“We would like to thank our entire organization for delivering another quarter of solid results: our thirty-ninth consecutive quarter of double digit earnings per share growth.  AutoZoners across the company remain committed to providing superior service to our customers and that dedication has resulted in consistent, solid performance.  During the quarter, we continued implementation of our inventory availability initiatives.  At the end of the quarter, we have expanded our increased frequency of distribution center deliveries initiative to 1,600 domestic AutoZone stores and expect by the end of the fiscal year to be servicing approximately 2,000 of our over 5,000 domestic AutoZone stores.  We also plan to open approximately four additional Mega Hubs by the end of the fiscal year to finish with a total of 11.  The results of our initiatives continue to meet or exceed our expectations, further confirming our new inventory deployment strategy.  Regarding the third quarter’s results, sales were below our expectations as weather negatively impacted sales primarily in Midwestern, Middle Atlantic, and Northeastern states.  Additionally, the quarter was impacted by a legal charge along with a discrete tax benefit, which netted to a reduction to earnings per share of $0.11 per share.  As we continue to strategically invest in our business in order to support our long term growth, remaining committed to our disciplined approach to growing operating earnings and utilizing our capital effectively, we are excited by our opportunities this summer,” said Bill Rhodes, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

During the quarter ended May 7, 2016, AutoZone opened 33 new stores in the U.S., opened seven new stores in Mexico, and opened one new IMC branch.  As of May 7, 2016, the Company had 5,226 stores in 50 states in the U.S., the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, 458 stores in Mexico, 25 IMC branches, and eight stores in Brazil for a total count of 5,717.

AutoZone's 3rd Quarter Highlights - Fiscal 2016     
                 
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations        
3rd Quarter, FY2016            
(in thousands, except per share data)            
        GAAP Results    
        12 Weeks Ended   12 Weeks Ended    
        May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015    
                 
Net sales   $ 2,593,672     $ 2,493,021      
Cost of sales     1,223,214       1,190,232      
Gross profit     1,370,458       1,302,789      
Operating, SG&A expenses     834,084       788,840      
Operating profit  (EBIT)     536,374       513,949      
Interest expense, net     34,051       31,779      
Income before taxes     502,323       482,170      
Income taxes     174,808       173,099      
Net income   $ 327,515     $ 309,071      
Net income per share:            
  Basic   $ 10.99     $ 9.77      
  Diluted   $ 10.77     $ 9.57      
Weighted average shares outstanding:            
  Basic     29,809       31,643      
  Diluted     30,405       32,301      
                 
                 
Year-To-Date 3rd Quarter, FY2016            
(in thousands, except per share data)   GAAP Results    
        36 Weeks Ended   36 Weeks Ended    
        May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015    
                 
Net sales   $ 7,236,907     $ 6,896,936      
Cost of sales     3,422,919       3,297,453      
Gross profit     3,813,988       3,599,483      
Operating, SG&A expenses     2,456,959       2,315,704      
Operating profit  (EBIT)     1,357,029       1,283,779      
Interest expense, net     101,893       103,374      
Income before taxes     1,255,136       1,180,405      
Income taxes     440,897       421,301      
Net income   $ 814,239     $ 759,104      
Net income per share:            
  Basic   $ 27.00     $ 23.80      
  Diluted   $ 26.46     $ 23.33      
Weighted average shares outstanding:            
  Basic     30,159       31,893      
  Diluted     30,773       32,534      
                 
Selected Balance Sheet Information            
(in thousands)            
        May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015   August 29, 2015
                 
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 213,380     $ 153,288     $ 175,309  
Merchandise inventories     3,597,251       3,468,249       3,421,635  
Current assets     4,225,486       3,950,490       3,970,294  
Property and equipment, net     3,619,305       3,426,388       3,505,632  
Total assets (1)     8,464,105       8,009,445       8,102,349  
Accounts payable     3,991,030       3,845,129       3,864,168  
Current liabilities     4,647,589       4,693,102       4,712,873  
Total debt (1)      4,953,697       4,510,334       4,624,876  
Stockholders' deficit     (1,863,282 )     (1,643,245 )     (1,701,390 )
Working capital     (422,103 )     (742,612 )     (742,579 )
                 
(1) Certain balance sheet reclassifications have been made to the prior periods' financial information in order to conform to the current period's presentation due to the adoption of a new accounting standard at the end of FY15.
                 
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations                     
                     
Adjusted Debt / EBITDAR (Trailing 4 Qtrs)                
(in thousands, except adjusted debt to EBITDAR ratio)                    
    May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015            
Net income   $ 1,215,376     $ 1,132,774              
Add:  Interest     148,958       152,800              
Taxes     661,967       628,406              
EBIT     2,026,301       1,913,980              
                     
Add:  Depreciation and amortization     290,173       262,192              
Rent expense     274,660       267,247              
Share-based expense     39,759       40,093              
EBITDAR   $ 2,630,893     $ 2,483,512              
                     
Debt (1)   $ 4,953,697     $ 4,510,334              
Capital lease obligations     128,870       132,016              
Add: rent x 6     1,647,960       1,603,482              
Adjusted debt   $ 6,730,527     $ 6,245,832              
                     
Adjusted debt to EBITDAR     2.6       2.5              
           
                     
Selected Cash Flow Information                    
(in thousands)                    
    12 Weeks Ended   12 Weeks Ended     36 Weeks Ended   36 Weeks Ended  
    May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015     May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015  
                     
Depreciation and amortization   $ 68,529     $ 62,299       $ 203,465     $ 183,211    
Capital spending   $ 113,331     $ 106,571       $ 299,922     $ 292,745    
                     
Cash flow before share repurchases:                    
Increase in cash and cash equivalents   $ 5,422     $ 1,749       $ 38,071     $ 28,803    
Subtract increase in debt, excluding deferred financing     112,400       86,200         330,900       190,700    
Add back share repurchases     532,668       515,251         1,082,725       840,918    
Cash flow before share repurchases and changes in debt   $ 425,690     $ 430,800       $ 789,896     $ 679,021    
                     
                     
Other Selected Financial Information                    
(in thousands, except ROIC)                    
    May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015            
                     
                     
Cumulative share repurchases ($ since fiscal 1998)   $ 16,384,912     $ 14,871,688              
Remaining share repurchase authorization ($)   $ 765,088     $ 778,312              
                     
Cumulative share repurchases (shares since fiscal 1998)     140,312       138,258              
                     
Shares outstanding, end of quarter     29,501       31,239              
                     
    Trailing 4 Quarters            
    May 7, 2016   May 9, 2015          
Net income   $ 1,215,376     $ 1,132,774              
Adjustments:                    
Interest expense     148,958       152,800              
Rent expense     274,660       267,247              
Tax effect*     (149,538 )     (149,957 )            
After-tax return     1,489,456       1,402,864              
                     
Average debt**(1)     4,737,645       4,404,446              
Average stockholders' deficit**     (1,745,470 )     (1,640,964 )            
Add: Rent x 6     1,647,960       1,603,482              
Average capital lease obligations**     127,954       121,705              
Pre-tax invested capital   $ 4,768,089     $ 4,488,669              
                     
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)     31.2 %     31.3 %            
                     
(1Certain balance sheet reclassifications have been made to the prior periods' financial information in order to conform to the current period's presentation due to the adoption of a new accounting standard at the end of FY15.
* Effective tax rate over trailing four quarters ended May 7, 2016 is 35.3% and May 9, 2015 is 35.7%.
** All averages are computed based on trailing 5 quarter balances.
                     
AutoZone's 3rd Quarter Fiscal 2016                       
Selected Operating Highlights                          
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations                      
                               
Location Count & Square Footage                          
                               
        12 Weeks Ended       12 Weeks Ended     36 Weeks Ended       36 Weeks Ended
        May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015     May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015
AutoZone Domestic stores (Domestic):                          
  Store count:                          
  Beginning domestic stores     5,193           5,042         5,141           4,984  
  Stores opened     33           27         85           86  
  Stores closed     -           -         -           1  
  Ending domestic stores     5,226           5,069         5,226           5,069  
                               
  Relocated stores     1           1         4           3  
                               
  Stores with commercial programs     4,274           4,007         4,274           4,007  
                               
  Square footage (in thousands)     34,094           33,025         34,094           33,025  
                               
AutoZone Mexico stores:                          
  Stores opened     7           7         17           16  
  Total stores in Mexico     458           418         458           418  
                               
AutoZone Brazil stores:                          
  Stores opened     -           2         1           2  
  Total stores in Brazil     8           7         8           7  
                               
Total AutoZone stores     5,692           5,494         5,692           5,494  
  Square footage (in thousands)     37,528           36,157         37,528           36,157  
  Square footage per store     6,593           6,581         6,593           6,581  
                               
IMC branches:                            
  Branches opened     1           -         5           1  
  Branches acquired     -           -         -           17  
  Total IMC branches     25           18         25           18  
                               
Total locations chainwide     5,717           5,512         5,717           5,512  
                               
Sales Statistics                            
($ in thousands, except sales per average square foot)                          
        12 Weeks Ended       12 Weeks Ended     Trailing 4 Quarters       Trailing 4 Quarters
Total AutoZone stores (Domestic, Mexico and Brazil) May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015     May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015
  Sales per average store   $ 434         $ 432       $ 1,785         $ 1,761  
  Sales per average square foot   $ 66         $ 66       $ 271         $ 268  
                               
Total Auto Parts (Domestic, Mexico, Brazil, and IMC)                         
  Total auto parts sales   $ 2,503,108         $ 2,404,469       $ 10,157,577         $ 9,586,307  
  % Increase vs. LY     4.1 %         6.5 %       6.0 %         4.5 %
                               
Domestic Commercial (Excludes IMC)                          
  Total domestic commercial sales   $ 481,444         $ 452,153       $ 1,920,418         $ 1,752,211  
  % Increase vs. LY     6.5 %         11.4 %       9.6 %         10.4 %
                               
All Other (ALLDATA, E-Commerce, and AutoAnything)                        
  All other sales   $ 90,564         $ 88,552       $ 369,734         $ 360,326  
  % Increase vs. LY     2.3 %         6.5 %       2.6 %         4.8 %
                               
        12 Weeks Ended       12 Weeks Ended     36 Weeks Ended       36 Weeks Ended
        May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015     May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015
Domestic same store sales      2.0 %         2.3 %       3.0 %         3.4 %
                               
Inventory Statistics (Total Locations)                          
        as of       as of              
        May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015              
  Accounts payable/inventory     110.9 %         110.9 %              
                               
  ($ in thousands)                            
  Inventory     $ 3,597,251         $ 3,468,249                
  Inventory per location   $ 629         $ 629                
  Net inventory (net of payables)   $ (393,779 )       $ (376,880 )              
  Net inventory  / per location   $ (69 )       $ (68 )              
                               
        Trailing 5 Quarters              
        May 7, 2016       May 9, 2015              
  Inventory turns     1.4   x       1.4   x