AZO
AutoZone Inc. Consumer Discretionary - Auto Parts Retail Investor Relations →
AutoZone Inc. (AZO) closed at $3681.26 as of 2026-02-02, trading 25.3% above its 200-week moving average of $2937.00. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 26.4% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 50, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1770 weeks of data, AZO has crossed below its 200-week moving average 15 times. On average, these episodes lasted 13 weeks. Historically, investors who bought AZO at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +30.5%.
With a market cap of $61.2 billion, AZO is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 1.9%. The stock trades at -18.9x book value.
The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 12.9% over the past three years.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in AZO would have grown to $20961, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 17.5% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming AZO as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -11% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: AZO vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After AZO Crosses Below the Line?
Across 15 historical episodes, buying AZO when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +25.3% after 12 months (median +17.0%), compared to +17.2% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 67% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +62.7% vs +21.1% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment AZO crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
AZO has crossed below its 200-week MA 15 times with an average 1-year return of +30.5% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1996 | Jul 1997 | 37 | 22.5% | +21.2% | +14265.9% |
| Jan 1998 | Jan 1998 | 3 | 3.6% | +30.0% | +14058.7% |
| Aug 1998 | Nov 1998 | 12 | 18.4% | -11.1% | +13534.3% |
| Apr 1999 | Apr 1999 | 1 | 1.3% | -8.8% | +12816.7% |
| May 1999 | May 1999 | 1 | 0.3% | -6.0% | +12621.4% |
| Jun 1999 | Dec 1999 | 23 | 20.4% | -22.4% | +12873.6% |
| Jan 2000 | Dec 2000 | 49 | 23.9% | +1.1% | +12931.0% |
| Jan 2001 | Apr 2001 | 11 | 12.2% | +142.1% | +13661.7% |
| Oct 2005 | Oct 2005 | 2 | 4.1% | +43.1% | +4595.5% |
| Jul 2006 | Jul 2006 | 2 | 1.6% | +61.0% | +4260.6% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 3 | 7.6% | +46.4% | +3592.3% |
| Nov 2008 | Nov 2008 | 2 | 14.8% | +35.8% | +3380.8% |
| May 2017 | Nov 2017 | 27 | 23.1% | +2.9% | +498.0% |
| Feb 2018 | Jul 2018 | 20 | 12.5% | +40.2% | +455.4% |
| Mar 2020 | Apr 2020 | 3 | 11.0% | +81.9% | +405.6% |
| Average | 13 | — | +30.5% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02