Advance Auto Parts Reports Preliminary Operating Results

    ROANOKE, Va., Oct. 12 -- Advance Auto Parts today announced sales and EBITDA for the eight weeks ended September 8, 2001.


    Sales for the eight weeks ended September 8, 2001 increased 9.5% to $406.7 million from $371.3 million reported last year.   Retail sales rose approximately 11.0% to $394.5 million from $355.4 million.  
 The increase in retail sales was partially offset by lower sales in the wholesale dealer business, as expected.   Comparable store sales increased   7.8% for the eight-week period.   Both the "do-it-yourself" and "do-it-for-me" businesses showed continued sales growth.

    Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the eight-week period rose 25.7% to $39.2 million from $31.2 million for the prior-year period.

    Sales for the thirty-six weeks ended September 8, 2001 were $1,743.5 million, an increase of 8.5% over   prior-year sales of $1,606.5 million.   
Retail sales for this period increased 10.2% to $1,670.1 million from $1,515.7 million. Comparable store sales increased 6.6%.

    EBITDA for the thirty-six weeks ended September 8, 2001 was $146.4 million, an increase of 23.6% over the $118.4 million for the same period last year.   The year-to-date results included two non-recurring items that increased EBITDA by $3.2 million.   Excluding these non-recurring items, EBITDA increased 20.9% to $143.2 million for the thirty-six week, year-to-date period.

    Net debt at September 8, 2001 was $535.0 million, a reduction of $27.3 million from the same time last year.


    The Company also commented that after seeing some slowing in sales during the week of September 11th, sales levels for the weeks following the week of September 11 have been in line with the Company`s comparable store sales trends for the thirty-six weeks ended September 8, 2001.

    The Company anticipates that it will release its third quarter financial results on November 8, 2001.