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AutoZone Reports Preliminary First Quarter Sales

22 November 2000

AutoZone Reports Preliminary First Quarter Sales; Announces Earnings Release Date

    MEMPHIS, Tenn., Nov. 21 AutoZone, Inc. , today
reported preliminary sales of $1.064 billion for the 12 weeks ended
November 18, 2000, compared with $1.006 billion in fiscal 2000.  Same store
sales, or sales for domestic auto parts stores open at least one year,
increased 2% during the quarter, including 1% for retail sales and 11% for
commercial sales.  Stores in Mexico reported a same store sales increase of
greater than 40%, with same store sales at TruckPro down 1%.  In fiscal 2000,
first quarter same store sales for domestic auto parts stores increased 7%,
including 7% for retail sales and 9% for commercial sales.
    AutoZone is comfortable with the First Call consensus estimate of $0.46
per share for the first quarter and expects to report earnings per share for
the second quarter ending February 12, 2001, of $0.31 - $0.32, with the higher
end of the range dependent upon typical winter weather trends.  The Company is
comfortable with the range of First Call estimates of $2.30 - $2.33 per share
for the current year.  Beyond this year, AutoZone expects to achieve 15%
earnings per share growth for the foreseeable future.
    During the quarter, AutoZone opened 41 new and replaced 5 auto parts
stores in the U.S.  Aggregate share repurchases under the currently authorized
$1.35 billion share repurchase program were $1.23 billion or 47.5 million
shares at the end of the first quarter, including $205 million or 9.0 million
shares under forward purchase contracts.
    Final results for the quarter ended November 18, 2000, will be released
after market close on Tuesday, December 5, 2000.  John C. Adams, Jr., chairman
and chief executive officer, will host a one hour conference call beginning at
4:00 P.M. (CST) to discuss the results of the quarter.  Investors may listen
to the conference call live and review supporting slides on the AutoZone
website, http://www.autozone.com, by clicking "About Us," "Investor Relations"
"Conference Calls," or by going directly to http://www.autozone.com/Investors.
The call will also be available by dialing  (630) 395-0173.  A replay of the
call and slides will be available on the website.  In addition, a replay of
the call will be available by dialing (402) 220-3014 through Tuesday, December
12, 2000, at 5:00 PM (CST).