MEMPHIS, 22 September 2026 — AutoZone reported diluted fourth-quarter earnings of $56.05 per share, compared with $48.71 a year earlier. CapKet calculates the increase at approximately 15.1%. The auto-parts retailer’s results cover 16 weeks ended August 29.
Read comparable sales on the same basis
The company’s earnings release distinguishes 2.7% reported same-store sales growth from 1.5% at constant currency. Domestic comparable sales grew 1.6%; international growth was 10.7% reported but 1.3% excluding currency effects.
Constant-currency analysis holds exchange-rate effects apart from the operating comparison. It does not mean actual dollar revenue was restated, nor does a higher reported growth rate necessarily indicate an equivalent rise in physical sales volumes.
Why EPS and sales can diverge
Earnings per share divides profit attributable to shareholders by a share-count measure. Revenue growth, cost changes and the number of shares can all influence the result. A faster EPS increase than sales growth is therefore a question to investigate, not automatic evidence of stronger customer demand.
The useful sequence is to examine comparable sales first, then margins and expenses, and finally the diluted share denominator. This separates operating progress from accounting and capital-structure effects without dismissing either.
Do not mix reporting calendars
A 16-week fiscal period is longer than the roughly 13 weeks normally associated with a quarter. Comparisons should use the company’s matching prior-year period rather than directly equating the reported total with another retailer’s calendar-quarter sales. The same caution applies to annualising a single period’s earnings.
What to examine next
The company’s investor-relations materials are the starting point for the full financial statements and management discussion. Readers should distinguish management expectations from achieved results and test future performance against comparable measurements.
Method and disclosure: EPS growth is calculated as 56.05 divided by 48.71, minus one. The observations above explain reported results; they do not supply a share-price target or investment recommendation.