UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
   
þ Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the quarterly period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, or
   
o Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the transition period from                    to                    .
Commission file number 1-10714
AUTOZONE, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
   
Nevada 62-1482048
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)
123 South Front Street, Memphis, Tennessee38103
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
123 South Front Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(901) 495-6500
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter periods that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yesþ Noo
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).Yesþ Noo
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
       
Large accelerated filerþ Accelerated filero Non-accelerated filero(Do not check if smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting companyo
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yeso Noþ
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value — 47,010,59543,792,440 shares outstanding as of June 11,December 13, 2010.
 
 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
     
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Exhibit 10.2
Exhibit 10.3
Exhibit 10.4
Exhibit 10.5
 Exhibit 12.1
 Exhibit 15.1
 Exhibit 31.1
 Exhibit 31.2
 Exhibit 32.1
 Exhibit 32.2
 EX-101 INSTANCE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 SCHEMA DOCUMENT
 EX-101 CALCULATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 LABELS LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101 DEFINITION LINKBASE DOCUMENT

 

2


PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements.
AUTOZONE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                
 May 8, August 29,  November 20, August 28, 
(in thousands) 2010 2010 
 2010 2009  
ASSETS
 
Assets
 
Current assets:  
Cash and cash equivalents $95,762 $92,706  $98,013 $98,280 
Accounts receivable 121,325 126,514  116,645 125,802 
Merchandise inventories 2,288,364 2,207,497  2,361,512 2,304,579 
Other current assets 73,497 135,013  84,394 83,160 
          
Total current assets 2,578,948 2,561,730  2,660,564 2,611,821 
  
Property and equipment:  
Property and equipment 3,950,799 3,809,414  4,118,898 4,067,261 
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization 1,525,756 1,455,057   (1,586,693)  (1,547,315)
          
 2,425,043 2,354,357  2,532,205 2,519,946 
Other assets: 
Goodwill, net of accumulated amortization 302,645 302,645 
 
Goodwill 302,645 302,645 
Deferred income taxes 46,642 59,067  50,040 46,223 
Other long-term assets 99,492 40,606  95,035 90,959 
          
 448,779 402,318  447,720 439,827 
          
 $5,452,770 $5,318,405  $5,640,489 $5,571,594 
          
  
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
 
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit
 
Current liabilities:  
Accounts payable $2,235,766 $2,118,746  $2,519,943 $2,433,050 
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 385,250 381,271 
Accrued expenses and other 429,027 432,368 
Income taxes payable 88,151 35,145  105,544 25,385 
Deferred income taxes 162,909 171,590  156,856 146,971 
Short-term borrowings 33,517 26,186 
          
Total current liabilities 2,872,076 2,706,752  3,244,887 3,063,960 
  
Debt 2,698,500 2,726,900 
Other liabilities 344,144 317,827 
Long-term debt 2,845,700 2,882,300 
Other long-term liabilities 367,070 364,099 
  
Commitments and contingencies      
  
Stockholders’ deficit:  
Preferred stock, authorized 1,000 shares; no shares issued      
Common stock, par value $.01 per share, authorized 200,000 shares; 49,760 shares issued and 47,648 shares outstanding as of May 8, 2010; 57,881 shares issued and 50,801 shares outstanding as of August 29, 2009 498 579 
Common stock, par value $.01 per share, authorized 200,000 shares; 50,277 shares issued and 44,027 shares outstanding as of November 20, 2010; 50,061 shares issued and 45,107 shares outstanding as of August 28, 2010 503 501 
Additional paid-in capital 515,865 549,326  593,970 557,955 
Retained (deficit) earnings  (514,278) 136,935 
Retained deficit  (73,269)  (245,344)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss  (84,012)  (92,035)  (93,309)  (106,468)
Treasury stock, at cost  (380,023)  (1,027,879)  (1,245,063)  (945,409)
          
Total stockholders’ deficit  (461,950)  (433,074)  (817,168)  (738,765)
          
 $5,452,770 $5,318,405  $5,640,489 $5,571,594 
          
See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial StatementsStatements.

 

3


AUTOZONE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
                        
 Twelve Weeks Ended Thirty-Six Weeks Ended  Twelve Weeks Ended 
 May 8, May 9, May 8, May 9,  November 20, November 21, 
 2010 2009 2010 2009 
(in thousands, except per share data) 2010 2009 
  
Net sales $1,821,990 $1,658,160 $4,917,459 $4,584,330  $1,791,662 $1,589,244 
Cost of sales, including warehouse and delivery expenses 898,869 825,253 2,440,678 2,290,934  883,914 789,320 
              
Gross profit 923,121 832,907 2,476,781 2,293,396  907,748 799,924 
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses 567,256 527,675 1,630,106 1,534,930  601,627 539,496 
              
Operating profit 355,865 305,232 846,675 758,466  306,121 260,428 
Interest expense, net 36,833 31,482 109,483 94,554  37,253 36,340 
              
Income before income taxes 319,032 273,750 737,192 663,912  268,868 224,088 
Income taxes 116,287 100,061 267,814 242,989 
Income tax expense 96,792 80,788 
              
Net income $202,745 $173,689 $469,378 $420,923  $172,076 $143,300 
              
  
Weighted average shares for basic earnings per share 48,377 54,652 49,309 56,498  44,669 50,114 
Effect of dilutive stock equivalents 835 804 778 681  965 710 
              
Adjusted weighted average shares for diluted earnings per share 49,212 55,456 50,087 57,179  45,634 50,824 
          
 
Basic earnings per share $4.19 $3.18 $9.52 $7.45  $3.85 $2.86 
              
Diluted earnings per share $4.12 $3.13 $9.37 $7.36  $3.77 $2.82 
              
See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial StatementsStatements.

 

4


AUTOZONE, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
(in thousands)
                
 Thirty-Six Weeks Ended  Twelve Weeks Ended 
 May 8, May 9,  November 20, November 21, 
(in thousands) 2010 2009 
 2010 2009  
Cash flows from operating activities:  
Net income $469,378 $420,923  $172,076 $143,300 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:  
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment 129,918 123,273  44,291 42,566 
Amortization of debt origination fees 4,505 1,861  1,725 1,489 
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options  (10,167)  (7,514)  (8,994)  (585)
Deferred income taxes  (4,516) 20,104  5,454 4,699 
Share-based compensation expense 13,215 13,492  5,071 4,251 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:  
Accounts receivable 5,307  (70,337) 9,622  (16,144)
Merchandise inventories  (79,177)  (108,047)  (49,303)  (54,418)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses 125,622 84,700  78,929 41,564 
Income taxes payable 61,908 54,449  88,961 52,048 
Other, net 25,014 2,116  9,521 12,111 
          
Net cash provided by operating activities 741,007 535,020  357,353 230,881 
          
  
Cash flows from investing activities:  
Capital expenditures  (180,066)  (160,087)  (45,811)  (53,439)
Purchase of marketable securities  (31,417)  (27,730)  (9,923)  (2,203)
Proceeds from sale of marketable securities 28,255 23,299  7,337 1,325 
Disposal of capital assets and other, net 6,452 8,556 
Disposal of capital assets 526 1,619 
          
Net cash used in investing activities  (176,776)  (155,962)  (47,871)  (52,698)
          
  
Cash flows from financing activities:  
Net (payments) proceeds of commercial paper  (28,400) 156,600 
Net (repayments of ) proceeds from commercial paper  (337,300) 12,600 
Net proceeds from short-term borrowings 5,738  
Proceeds from issuance of debt 500,000  
Repayment of debt   (700)  (199,300)  
Net proceeds from sale of common stock 28,818 36,795  21,952 3,821 
Purchase of treasury stock  (558,269)  (712,606)  (299,655)  (204,379)
Income tax benefit from exercise of stock options 10,167 7,514  8,994 585 
Payments of capital lease obligations  (13,864)  (12,621)  (5,131)  (4,492)
Other, net  (5,450)  
          
Net cash used in financing activities  (561,548)  (525,018)  (310,152)  (191,865)
      
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash 373  (2,214) 403 579 
          
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 3,056  (148,174)
 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents  (267)  (13,103)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 92,706 242,461  98,280 92,706 
          
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $95,762 $94,287  $98,013 $79,603 
          
See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial StatementsStatements.

 

5


AUTOZONE, INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
Note A — General
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) rules and regulations. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, including normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotesrelated notes included in the Annual Report to Stockholders for AutoZone, Inc. (“AutoZone” or the “Company”) Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 29, 2009 (the “2009 Annual Report to Stockholders”).28, 2010.
Operating results for the twelve and thirty-six weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending August 28, 2010.27, 2011. Each of the first three quarters of AutoZone’s fiscal year consists of 12 weeks, and the fourth quarter consists of 16 or 17 weeks. The fourth quarters for fiscal 20092010 and fiscal 20102011 each have 16 weeks. Additionally, the Company’s business is somewhat seasonal in nature, with the highest sales generally occurring during the months of February through September and the lowest sales generally occurring in the winter months of December and January.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements:In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2009-13,Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables, which amends Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 605 (formerly Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 00-21,Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables). This ASU addresses the accounting for multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements to enable vendors to account for deliverables separately rather than as a combined unit. This ASU will be effective prospectively for revenue arrangements entered into commencing with the Company’s first fiscal quarter beginning August 29, 2010. The Company does not expect the provisions of ASU 2009-13 to have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-06,Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements, which amends ASC 820 (formerly FASB Statement No. 157,Fair Value Measurements). This ASU requires a number of additional disclosures regarding fair value measurements such as transfers in and out of Levels 1 and 2 and separate disclosures about activity relating to Level 3 measurements. It also clarifies existing disclosure requirements related to the level of disaggregation and input valuation techniques. This ASU became effective for the Company commencing with the Company’s third fiscal quarter beginning February 14, 2010, and its adoption has been reflected within “Note C — Fair Value Measurements”. The provisions of ASU 2010-06 did not have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
Note B — Share-Based Payments
AutoZone recognizes compensation expense for share-based payments based on the fair value of the awards at the grant date. Share-based payments include stock option grants and the discount on shares sold to employees under share purchase plans. Additionally, directors may defer a portion of their fees in units with value equivalent to the value of shares of common stock as of the grant date.
Total share-based compensation expense (a component of operating, selling, general and administrative expenses) was $4.3$5.1 million for the twelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, and was $4.2 million for the comparable prior year period. Share-based compensation expense was $13.2 million for the thirty-six week period ended May 8, 2010, and was $13.5$4.3 million for the comparable prior year period.
During the thirty-sixtwelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, the Company made stock option grants of 496,580423,520 shares. The Company granted options to purchase 593,842474,087 shares during the comparable prior year period. The weighted average fair value of the stock option awards granted during the thirty-sixtwelve week periods ended May 8,November 20, 2010 and May 9,November 21, 2009, using the Black-Scholes-Merton multiple-option pricing valuation model, was $40.75$58.53 and $34.05$40.08 per share, respectively, using the following weighted average key assumptions:
        
         Twelve Weeks Ended 
 Thirty-Six Weeks Ended  November 20, November 21, 
 May 8, May 9,  2010 2009 
 2010 2009  
Expected price volatility  31%  28%  31%  31%
Risk-free interest rate  1.8%  2.4%  1.0%  1.7%
Weighted average expected lives in years 4.3 4.1  4.3 4.3 
Forfeiture rate  10.0%  10.0%  10.0%  10.0%
Dividend yield  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%  0.0%

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See AutoZone’s 2009 Annual Report to Stockholderson Form 10-K for the year ended August 28, 2010 for a discussion of the methodology used in developing AutoZone’s assumptions to determine the fair value of the option awards.
For the twelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, there were no stock options excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation because they would have been anti-dilutive. For the comparable prior year period, 2,400 anti-dilutive shares were excluded. There were 24,900 anti-dilutive shares excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation for the thirty-six week period ended May 8, 2010 and 32,952 shares excluded for the comparable prior year period.
Note C — Fair Value Measurements
The Company defines fair value as the price received to transfer an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company uses a hierarchy of valuation inputs to measure fair value.
The hierarchy prioritizes the inputs into three broad levels:
Level 1 inputs—unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. An active market for the asset or liability is one in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide ongoing pricing information.
Level 2 inputs—inputs other than quoted market prices included in Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for the asset or liability. Level 2 inputs include, but are not limited to, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in an active market, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and inputs other than quoted market prices that are observable for the asset or liability, such as interest rate curves and yield curves observable at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, credit risk and default rates.
Level 3 inputs—unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

6


The Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis were as follows:
                 
  November 20, 2010 
              Fair 
(in thousands) Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Value 
                 
Other current assets $16,640  $3,941  $  $20,581 
Other long-term assets  48,787   5,808      54,595 
             
  $65,427  $9,749  $  $75,176 
             
                 
  August 28, 2010 
              Fair 
(in thousands) Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Value 
                 
Other current assets $11,307  $4,996  $  $16,303 
Other long-term assets  47,725   8,673      56,398 
Accrued expenses and other     (9,979)     (9,979)
             
  $59,032  $3,690  $  $62,722 
             
At November 20, 2010, the fair value measurement amounts for assets and liabilities recorded in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet consisted of short-term marketable securities of $20.6 million, which are included within other current assets and long-term marketable securities of $54.6 million, which are included in other long-term assets. The Company’s marketable securities are typically valued at the closing price in the principal active market as of the last business day of the quarter or through the use of other market inputs relating to the securities, including benchmark yields and reported trades. The fair values of the marketable securities, by asset class, are described in “Note D — Marketable Securities”.
The carrying value of certain of the Company’s financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid assets and accounts payable, approximate fair value because of their short maturities. A discussion of the carrying values and fair values of the Company’s debt is included in “Note FHDebt”Financing”.
The Company holds investments in its wholly owned insurance captive in a money market fund and marketable debt securities and classifies them as available-for-sale. The investments are recorded at fair value, which is typically valued at the closing quoted price in the principal active market as of the last business day of the quarter. At May 8, 2010, the debt securities measured at fair value include Level 1 investments of $11.7 million and $60.7 million, which are included in other current assets and other long-term assets, respectively, in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.Note D — Marketable Securities
Unrealized gains and losses on the marketable securities are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax. The Company’s basis for determining the cost of a security sold is the “Specific Identification Model”. Unrealized gains (losses) on marketable securities are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss. The Company’s available-for-sale marketable securities consisted of the following:
                                
 May 8, 2010  November 20, 2010 
 Amortized Gross Gross    Amortized Gross Gross   
 Cost Unrealized Unrealized    Cost Unrealized Unrealized   
(in thousands) Basis Gains Losses Fair Value 
(in thousands) Basis Gains Losses Fair Value 
 
Corporate securities $26,445 $446 $(4) $26,887  $25,042 $402 $(4) $25,440 
Government bonds 28,954 268  29,222  31,127 322  (9) 31,440 
Mortgage-backed securities 10,126 276  10,402  7,076 132  7,208 
Asset-backed securities and other 5,801 89  5,890  11,057 32  (1) 11,088 
                  
Total $71,326 $1,079 $(4) $72,401 
          $74,302 $888 $(14) $75,176 
         
                                
 August 29, 2009  August 28, 2010 
 Amortized Gross Gross    Amortized Gross Gross   
 Cost Unrealized Unrealized    Cost Unrealized Unrealized   
(in thousands) Basis Gains Losses Fair Value 
(in thousands) Basis Gains Losses Fair Value 
 
Corporate securities $28,302 $654 $(5) $28,951  $28,707 $490 $(1) $29,196 
Government bonds 18,199 283  18,482  24,560 283  24,843 
Mortgage-backed securities 14,772 366  (119) 15,019  8,603 192  8,795 
Asset-backed securities and other 7,589 207  (210) 7,586  9,831 47  (11) 9,867 
                  
Total $68,862 $1,510 $(334) $70,038 
          $71,701 $1,012 $(12) $72,701 
         
The debt securities held at May 8,November 20, 2010, had effective maturities ranging from less than one year to less than threeapproximately 3 years. The Company did not realize any material gains or losses on its marketable securities during the thirty-six week period ended May 8, 2010.
Asfirst quarter of May 8, 2010, thefiscal 2011.

7


The Company holds threeten securities that are in an unrealized loss position.position of approximately $14 thousand at November 20, 2010. The Company has the intent and ability to hold these investments until recovery of fair value or maturity, and does not deem the investments to be impaired on an other than temporary basis. In evaluating whether the securities are deemed to be impaired on an other than temporary basis, the Company considers factors such as the duration and severity of the loss position, the creditworthinesscredit worthiness of the issuer,investee, the term to maturity and our intent and ability to hold the investments until maturity or until recovery of fair value.

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Note DE — Derivative Financial Instruments
Cash Flow Hedges
During the first quarter of fiscal 2011, the Company was party to three forward starting swaps. These agreements were designated as cash flow hedges and were used to hedge the exposure to variability in future cash flows resulting from changes in variable interest rates related to the $500 million Senior Note debt issuance during the first quarter of fiscal 2011. The swaps had notional amounts of $150 million, $150 million and $100 million with associated fixed rates of 3.15%, 3.13%, and 2.57%, respectively. The swaps were benchmarked based on the 3-month London InterBank Offered Rate. These swaps expired in November 2010 and resulted in a loss of $7.4 million, net of tax, that will be deferred in accumulated other comprehensive loss and reclassified to interest expense over the life of the underlying debt. The hedges remained highly effective until they expired; therefore, no ineffectiveness was recognized in earnings.
At November 20, 2010, the Company had $4.1 million recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss related to net realized losses associated with terminated interest derivatives which were designated as hedges. Net losses are amortized into interest over the remaining life of the associated debt. During the twelve week period ended November 20, 2010, the Company reclassified $43 thousand of net losses from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense. In the comparable prior year period, the Company reclassified $141 thousand of net gains from accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense.
Note F — Merchandise Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method for domestic inventories and the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method for Mexico inventories. Included in inventories are related purchasing, storage and handling costs. Due to price deflation on the Company’s merchandise purchases, the Company’s domestic inventory balances are effectively maintained under the FIFO method. The Company’s policy is not to write up inventory in excess of replacement cost. The cumulative balance of this unrecorded adjustment, which will be reduced upon experiencing price inflation on the Company’s merchandise purchases, was $243.0$250.9 million at May 8,November 20, 2010, and $223.0$247.3 million at August 29, 2009.28, 2010.
Note EG — Pension and Savings Plans
The components of net periodic pension expense (income) related to the Company’s pension plans for all periods presented are as follows:
                        
 Twelve Weeks Ended Thirty-Six Weeks Ended  Twelve Weeks Ended 
 May 8, May 9, May 8, May 9,  November 20, November 21, 
(in thousands) 2010 2009 2010 2009  2010 2009 
  
Interest cost $2,611 $2,457 $7,833 $7,371  $2,678 $2,611 
Expected return on plan assets  (2,087)  (2,927)  (6,261)  (8,780)  (2,181)  (2,087)
Amortization of prior service cost  14  41 
Amortization of net loss 1,877 17 5,631 51  2,653 1,877 
              
Net periodic pension expense (income) $2,401 $(439) $7,203 $(1,317)
Net periodic pension expense $3,150 $2,401 
              
The Company makes contributions in amounts at least equal to the minimum funding requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended by the Pension Protection Act of 2006. During the thirty-sixtwelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, the Company did not make anymade contributions to its funded plan and does not expectin the amount of $2.2 million. The Company expects to make any additional cash contributionscontribute approximately $4.6 million to the plan during the remainder of fiscal 2010.2011; however, a change to the expected cash funding may be impacted by a change in interest rates or a change in the actual or expected return on plan assets.

8


Note FHDebtFinancing
The Company’s long-term debt consisted of the following:
                
 May 8, August 29,  November 20, August 28, 
(in thousands) 2010 2009  2010 2010 
  
4.75% Senior Notes due November 2010, effective interest rate of 4.17% $199,300 $199,300  $ $199,300 
5.875% Senior Notes due October 2012, effective interest rate of 6.33% 300,000 300,000  300,000 300,000 
4.375% Senior Notes due June 2013, effective interest rate of 5.65% 200,000 200,000  200,000 200,000 
6.5% Senior Notes due January 2014, effective interest rate of 6.63% 500,000 500,000  500,000 500,000 
5.75% Senior Notes due January 2015, effective interest rate of 5.89% 500,000 500,000  500,000 500,000 
5.5% Senior Notes due November 2015, effective interest rate of 4.86% 300,000 300,000  300,000 300,000 
6.95% Senior Notes due June 2016, effective interest rate of 7.09% 200,000 200,000  200,000 200,000 
7.125% Senior Notes due August 2018, effective interest rate of 7.28% 250,000 250,000  250,000 250,000 
Commercial paper, weighted average interest rate of 0.36% and 0.49% at May 8, 2010 and August 29, 2009, respectively 249,200 277,600 
4.000% Senior Notes due November 2020, effective interest rate of 4.43% 500,000  
Commercial paper, weighted average interest rate of 0.4% and 0.4% at November 20, 2010 and August 28, 2010, respectively 95,700 433,000 
          
 $2,698,500 $2,726,900  $2,845,700 $2,882,300 
          
As of May 8,November 20, 2010, the 4.75% Senior Notes due November 2010 and the commercial paper borrowings mature in the next twelve months, but are classified as long-term in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet,Sheets, as the Company has the ability and intent to refinance the borrowingsthem on a long-term basis. Before considering the effect of commercial paper borrowings, the Company had $693.0$793.6 million of availability under its $800 million revolving credit facility, expiring in July 2012, which would allow it to replace these short-term obligations with long-term financing.
In addition to the long-term debt discussed above, as of November 20, 2010, the Company has $33.5 million of short-term borrowings that are scheduled to mature in the next 12 months. The short-term borrowings are unsecured, peso denominated borrowings and accrue interest at 5.2% as of November 20, 2010.
On November 15, 2010, the Company issued $500 million in 4.000% Senior Notes due 2020 under the Company’s shelf registration statement filed with the SEC on July 29, 2008 (the “Shelf Registration”). The Shelf Registration allows the Company to sell an indeterminate amount in debt securities to fund general corporate purposes, including repaying, redeeming or repurchasing outstanding debt and for working capital, capital expenditures, new store openings, stock repurchases and acquisitions. During the quarter, the Company used the proceeds from the issuance of debt to repay the principal due relating to the 4.75% Senior Notes that matured on November 15, 2010, to repay a portion of the commercial paper borrowings and for general corporate purposes.
The fair value of the Company’s debt was estimated at $2.946$3.136 billion as of May 8,November 20, 2010, and $2.853$3.182 billion as of August 29, 2009,28, 2010, based on the quoted market prices for the same or similar issues or on the current rates available to the Company for debt of the same terms. Such fair value is greater than the carrying value of debt by $247.6$257.1 million at May 8,November 20, 2010, and $126.5$273.5 million at August 29, 2009.28, 2010.
Subsequent to May 8, 2010, the Company executed a new $100 million letter of credit facility.

8


Note GI — Stock Repurchase Program
From January 1, 1998 to May 8,November 20, 2010, the Company has repurchased a total of 118.9123.0 million shares at an aggregate cost of $8.1$9.0 billion, including 3,532,6051,295,300 shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of $558.3$299.7 million during the thirty-sixtwelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010. On December 16, 2009,September 28, 2010, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) voted to increase the authorization by $500 million to raise the cumulative share repurchase authorization from $7.9$8.9 billion to $8.4$9.4 billion. Considering cumulative repurchases as of May 8,November 20, 2010, the Company had $250.8$385.8 million remaining under the Board’s authorization to repurchase its common stock. On JuneDecember 15, 2010, the Board voted to increase the authorization by $500 million to raise the cumulative share repurchase authorization from $8.4$9.4 billion to $8.9$9.9 billion. Subsequent to May 8,November 20, 2010, the Company has repurchased 816,390327,900 shares of its common stock at an aggregate cost of $153.9$84.8 million.

9


During the thirty-six week period ended May 8, 2010, the Company retired 8.5 million shares of treasury stock which had previously been repurchased under the Company’s share repurchase program. The retirement decreased retained (deficit) earnings by $1,120.3 million and additional paid-in capital by $85.7 million.
Note HJ — Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income includes foreign currency translation adjustments; the impact from certain derivative financial instruments designated and effective as cash flow hedges, including changes in fair value, as applicable; the reclassification of gains and/or losses from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net income to offset the earnings impact of the underlying items being hedged; pension liability adjustments and changes in the fair value of certain investments classified as available-for- sale. During the thirty-six week period ended May 8, 2010, the Mexican Peso remained relatively flat against the US Dollar. The foreign currency translation adjustment of $40.5 million in the thirty-six week period ended May 9, 2009, was attributable to the weakening of the Mexican Peso against the US Dollar, which as of May 9, 2009, had decreased by approximately 27% when compared to the fiscal year ended August 30, 2008.available-for-sale.
Comprehensive income for all periods presented is as follows:
                        
 Twelve Weeks Ended Thirty-Six Weeks Ended  Twelve Weeks Ended 
 May 8, May 9, May 8, May 9,  November 20, November 21, 
(in thousands) 2010 2009 2010 2009  2010 2009 
  
Net income, as reported $202,745 $173,689 $469,378 $420,923 
Net income $172,076 $143,300 
Foreign currency translation adjustments 6,417 12,310 5,068  (40,473) 12,668 1,488 
Net impact from derivative instruments  (141) 737  (423)  (1,549)  (1,059)  (141)
Unrealized (losses) gains from marketable securities  (73) 183 
Pension liability adjustments  (309)  3,435   1,623  
Unrealized (losses) gains from marketable securities  (154) 250  (55) 389 
              
Comprehensive income $208,558 $186,986 $477,403 $379,290  $185,235 $144,830 
              
Note IK — Litigation
AutoZone, Inc. is a defendant in a lawsuit entitled “Coalition for a Level Playing Field, L.L.C., et al., v. AutoZone, Inc. et al.,” filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in October 2004. The case was filed by more than 200 plaintiffs, which are principally automotive aftermarket warehouse distributors and jobbers, against a number of defendants, including automotive aftermarket retailers and aftermarket automotive parts manufacturers. In the amended complaint, the plaintiffs allege,inter alia, that some or all of the automotive aftermarket retailer defendants have knowingly received, in violation of the Robinson-Patman Act (the “Act”), from various of the manufacturer defendants benefits such as volume discounts, rebates, early buy allowances and other allowances, fees, inventory without payment, sham advertising and promotional payments, a share in the manufacturers’ profits, benefits of pay on scan purchases, implementation of radio frequency identification technology, and excessive payments for services purportedly performed for the manufacturers. Additionally, a subset of plaintiffs alleges a claim of fraud against the automotive aftermarket retailer defendants based on discovery issues in a prior litigation involving similar claims under the Act. In the prior litigation, the discovery dispute, as well as the underlying claims, was decided in favor of AutoZone and the other automotive aftermarket retailer defendants who proceeded to trial, pursuant to a unanimous jury verdict which was affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In the current litigation, plaintiffs seek an unspecified amount of damages (including statutory trebling), attorneys’ fees, and a permanent injunction prohibiting the aftermarket retailer defendants from inducing and/or knowingly receiving discriminatory prices from any of the aftermarket manufacturer defendants and from opening up any further stores to compete with plaintiffs as long as defendants allegedly continue to violate the Act.
In an order dated September 7, 2010 and issued on September 16, 2010, the court granted motions to dismiss all claims against AutoZone and its co-defendant competitors and suppliers. Based on the record in the prior litigation, the court dismissed with prejudice all overlapping claims — that is, those covering the same time periods covered by the prior litigation and brought by the judgment plaintiffs in the prior litigation. The court also dismissed with prejudice the plaintiffs’ attempt to revisit discovery disputes from the prior litigation. Further, with respect to the other claims under the Act, the Court found that the factual statements contained in the complaint fall short of what would be necessary to support a plausible inference of unlawful price discrimination. Finally, the court held that the AutoZone pay-on-scan program is a difference in non-price terms that are not governed by the Act. The court ordered the case closed, but also stated that “in an abundance of caution the Court [was] defer[ring] decision on whether to grant leave to amend to allow plaintiff an opportunity to propose curative amendments.” The plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to amend their complaint and attached a proposed Third Amended and Supplemental Complaint (the “Third Amended Complaint”) on behalf of four plaintiffs. The Third Amended Complaint repeats and expands certain allegations from previous complaints, asserting two claims under the Act, but states that all other plaintiffs have withdrawn their claims, and that,inter alia, Chief Auto Parts, Inc. has been dismissed as a defendant. The court set a briefing schedule pursuant to which AutoZone and the co-defendants will oppose the motion seeking leave to amend.
The Company believes this suit to be without merit and is vigorously defending against it. The Company is unable to estimate a loss or possible range of loss.
The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings incidental to the conduct of its business, including several lawsuits containing class-action allegations in which the plaintiffs are current and former hourly and salaried employees who allege various wage and hour violations and unlawful termination practices. The Company does not currently believe that, in the aggregate, these matters will result in liabilities material to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

10


Note L — Segment Reporting
The Company’s two operating segments (Domestic Auto Parts and Mexico) are aggregated as one reportable segment: Auto Parts Stores. The criteria the Company used to identify the reportable segment are primarily the nature of the products the Company sells and the operating results that are regularly reviewed by the Company’s chief operating decision maker to make decisions about the resources to be allocated to the business units and to assess performance. The accounting policies of the Company’s reportable segment are the same as those described in Note A in its 2009 Annual Report to Stockholders.on Form 10-K for the year ended August 28, 2010.
The Auto Parts Stores segment is a retailer and distributor of automotive parts and accessories through the Company’s 4,5214,645 stores in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Each store carries an extensive product line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories and non-automotive products.
The Other category reflects business activities that are not separately reportable, including ALLDATA, which produces, sells and maintains diagnostic and repair information software used in the automotive repair industry, and E-commerce, which includes direct sales to customers throughwww.autozone.com.

9


The Company evaluates its reportable segment primarily on the basis of net sales and segment profit, which is defined as gross profit. Segment results for the periods presented are as follows:
                        
 Twelve Weeks Ended Thirty-Six Weeks Ended  Twelve Weeks Ended 
 May 8, May 9, May 8, May 9,  November 20, November 21, 
(in thousands) 2010 2009 2010 2009  2010 2009 
Net Sales
  
Auto Parts Stores $1,787,069 $1,624,806 $4,816,288 $4,485,258  $1,754,987 $1,556,261 
Other 34,921 33,354 101,171 99,072  36,675 32,983 
              
Total $1,821,990 $1,658,160 $4,917,459 $4,584,330  $1,791,662 $1,589,244 
              
  
Segment Profit
  
Auto Parts Stores $895,163 $805,589 $2,394,959 $2,211,687  $878,865 $772,998 
Other 27,958 27,318 81,822 81,709  28,883 26,926 
              
Gross profit 923,121 832,907 2,476,781 2,293,396  907,748 799,924 
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses  (567,256)  (527,675)  (1,630,106)  (1,534,930)  (601,627)  (539,496)
Interest expense, net  (36,833)  (31,482)  (109,483)  (94,554)  (37,253)  (36,340)
              
Income before income taxes $319,032 $273,750 $737,192 $663,912  $268,868 $224,088 
              

 

1011


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The Board of Directors and Stockholders
AutoZone, Inc.
We have reviewed the condensed consolidated balance sheet of AutoZone, Inc. as of May 8,November 20, 2010, the related condensed consolidated statements of income for the twelve and thirty-six week periods ended May 8,November 20, 2010 and May 9,November 21, 2009, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the thirty-sixtwelve week periods ended May 8,November 20, 2010 and May 9,November 21, 2009. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management.
We conducted our review in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.
Based on our review, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the condensed consolidated financial statements referred to above for them to be in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of AutoZone, Inc. as of August 29, 2009,28, 2010, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders’ (deficit) equity, (deficit), and cash flows for the year then ended, not presented herein, and, in our report dated October 26, 2009,25, 2010, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of August 29, 200928, 2010 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Memphis, Tennessee
JuneDecember 16, 2010

 

1112


Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Overview
We are the nation’s leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories. We began operations in 1979 and at May 8,November 20, 2010, operated 4,3094,404 stores in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and 212241 in Mexico. Each of our stores carries an extensive product line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories and non-automotive products. At May 8,November 20, 2010, in 2,3402,478 of our domestic stores and 141 of our Mexico stores, we also have a commercial sales program that provides prompt delivery of parts and other products to local, regional and national repair garages, dealers, service stations and public sector accounts. We also sell the ALLDATA brand automotive diagnostic and repair software throughwww.alldata.com. Additionally, we sell automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories and non-automotive products throughwww.autozone.com, and as part of our commercial sales program, throughwww.autozonepro.com. We do not derive revenue from automotive repair or installation services.
Operating results for the twelve and thirty-six weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending August 28, 2010.27, 2011. Each of the first three quarters of our fiscal year consists of 12 weeks, and the fourth quarter consists of 16 or 17 weeks. The fourth quarters for fiscal 20092010 and fiscal 20102011 each have 16 weeks. Our business is somewhat seasonal in nature, with the highest sales generally occurring during the months of February through September and the lowest sales generally occurring in the winter months of December and January.
Executive Summary
Net sales were up 9.9%12.7%, driven by domestic same store sales growth of 7.1%9.5%. We experienced sales growth from both our retail and commercial customers. Earnings per share increased 31.5%33.7% for the quarter.
There are various factors occurring within the current economy that affect both our consumer and our industry, including the impact of the recent recession, higher unemployment and other challenging economic conditions, which we believe have aided our sales growth during the quarter. Given the nature of these macroeconomic factors, we cannot predict whether or for how long these trends will continue, nor can we predict to what degree these trends will impact us in the future. Our primary response to fluctuations in the demand for the products we sell are to adjust our advertising message,product assortment, store staffing, and product assortment.advertising message. We continue to believe we are well positioned to help our customers save money and meet their needs in a challenging macro environment.
The two statistics that we believe have the closest correlation to our market growth over the long-term are miles driven and the number of seven year old or older vehicles on the road. Prior to the recession, we had seen a close correlation between our net sales and the number of miles driven; however, recently we have seen minimal correlation in sales performance with miles driven. Sales have grown at an increased rate, while miles driven has either decreased or grown at a slower rate than what we have historically experienced. During this period of minimal correlation between net sales and miles driven, we believe net sales have been positively impacted by other factors, including the number of seven year old or older vehicles on the road. Since the beginning of the fiscal year 2010 and through MarchSeptember 2010 (latest publicly available information), miles driven improved by approximately 1.0%remained relatively flat as compared to the comparablecorresponding prior year period, and the average age of the U.S. light vehicle fleet continues to trend in our industry’s favor. As the economy continues to recover, we believe that annual miles driven will return to pre-recession low single digit growth rates and that the correlation between annual miles driven andnumber of seven year old or older vehicles will continue to increase; however, we are unable to predict the annual sales growth of our industryimpact, if any, these indicators will return.have on future results.
In the current environment, we have experienced growth in each of our maintenance, failure and discretionary sales categories as compared to previous quarters. Failure related categories were our best performing categories during the quarter. We remain focused on refining and expanding our product assortment to ensure we have the best merchandise at the right price in each of our categories.
Twelve Weeks Ended May 8,November 20, 2010,
Compared with Twelve Weeks Ended May 9,November 21, 2009
Net sales for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, increased $163.8$202.4 million to $1.822$1.792 billion, or 9.9%12.7%, over net sales of $1.658$1.589 billion for the comparable prior year period. Total auto parts sales increased by 10.0%12.8%, primarily driven by a domestic same store sales (sales for stores open at least one year) increase of 7.1%9.5% and net sales of $50.2$39.7 million from new stores. The domestic same store sales increase was driven by higher transaction value, as well as higher transaction count.
Gross profit for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, was $923.1$907.7 million, or 50.7% of net sales, compared with $832.9$799.9 million, or 50.2%50.3% of net sales, during the comparable prior year period. The improvement in gross margin benefited from higher merchandise margins and leveraging distribution costs due to higher sales. The merchandise margin improvement of 23 basis points was primarily attributable to both a shift in mix to higher marginincreased penetration of Duralast product offerings and lower product acquisition costs.

13


Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, were $567.3$601.6 million, or 31.1%33.6% of net sales, compared with $527.7$539.5 million, or 31.8%33.9% of net sales, during the comparable prior year period. The reduction in operating expenses, as a percentage of sales, reflected leverage of store operating expenses due to higher sales, partially offset by 17increased incentive compensation costs (35 basis points of expense from thepoints), higher legal expenses (27 bps), and continued investmentinvestments in our hub store initiative and 16(18 basis points from higher pension expense.points).

12


Net interest expense for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, was $36.8$37.3 million compared with $31.5$36.3 million during the comparable prior year period. This increase was primarily due to the increase in debt over the comparable prior year period, as well asoffset by a slight increasedecrease in borrowing rates. Average borrowings for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, were $2.743$2.861 billion, compared with $2.516$2.735 billion for the comparable prior year period. Weighted average borrowing rates were 5.3% for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, and 5.2%5.4% for the twelve weeks ended May 9,November 21, 2009.
Our effective income tax rate was 36.4%36.0% of pretax income for the twelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, and 36.6%36.1% for the comparable prior year period.
Net income for the twelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, increased by $29.1$28.8 million to $202.7$172.1 million, and diluted earnings per share increased by 31.5%33.7% to $4.12$3.77 from $3.13$2.82 in the comparable prior year period. The impact on current quarter diluted earnings per share from stock repurchases since the end of the comparable prior year period was an increase of $0.48.
Thirty-Six Weeks Ended May 8, 2010,
Compared with Thirty-Six Weeks Ended May 9, 2009
Net sales for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, increased $333.1 million to $4.917 billion, or 7.3% over net sales of $4.584 billion for the comparable prior year period. Total auto parts sales increased by 7.4%, primarily driven by net sales of $130.4 million from new stores and an increase in domestic comparable store sales (sales for domestic stores opened at least one year) of 4.7%. The domestic same store sales increase was driven by higher transaction value.
Gross profit for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, was $2.477 billion, or 50.4% of net sales, compared with $2.293 billion, or 50.0% of net sales, during the comparable prior year period. The improvement in gross margin benefited from leveraging distribution costs of 15 basis points primarily due to higher sales and a favorable shrink comparison of 13 basis points as compared to prior year.
Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, were $1.630 billion, or 33.1% of net sales, compared with $1.535 billion, or 33.5% of net sales, during the comparable prior year period. The reduction in operating expenses, as a percentage of sales, reflected leverage of store operating expenses due to higher sales, partially offset by 21 basis points of expense from the continued investment in our hub store initiative and 18 basis points from higher pension expense.
Net interest expense for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, was $109.5 million compared with $94.6 million during the comparable prior year period. This increase was primarily due to higher average borrowing levels, partially offset by a decline in borrowing rates. Average borrowings for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, were $2.757 billion, compared with $2.394 billion for the comparable prior year period. Weighted average borrowing rates were 5.3% for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, and 5.5% for the thirty-six weeks ended May 9, 2009.
Our effective income tax rate was 36.3% of pretax income for the thirty-six weeks ended May 8, 2010, and 36.6% for the comparable prior year period. The actual annual rate for fiscal 2010 will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and source of operating profit and the timing and nature of discrete income tax events.
Net income for the thirty-six week period ended May 8, 2010, increased by $48.5 million to $469.4 million, and diluted earnings per share increased by 27.3% to $9.37 from $7.36 in the comparable prior year period. The impact on year to date diluted earnings per share from stock repurchases since the end of the comparable prior year period was an increase of $0.90.$0.39.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The primary source of our liquidity is our cash flows realized through the sale of automotive parts, products and accessories. For the thirty-sixtwelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, our net cash flows from operating activities provided $741.0$357.4 million as compared with $535.0$230.9 million provided during the comparable prior year period. The increase is primarily due to higher net income of $48.5$28.8 million, and improvements in accounts payable as our cash flows from operating activities continue to benefit from our inventory purchases being largely financed by our vendors.vendors and timing of income tax payments. Our accounts payable to inventory ratio was approximately 98%107% at May 8,November 20, 2010, and approximately 94%97% at May 8,November 21, 2009. In the prior year period, operating cash flows were negatively impacted by a $70.3 million change in accounts receivable, primarily from the discontinuance of the factoring of our commercial accounts receivables with a third party bank.
Our net cash flows from investing activities for the thirty-sixtwelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, used $176.8$47.9 million as compared with $156.0$52.7 million used in the comparable prior year period. Capital expenditures for the thirty-sixtwelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, were $180.1$45.8 million compared to $160.1$53.4 million for the comparable prior year period. During this thirty-sixtwelve week period, we opened 10418 net new stores, including 24 stores in Mexico.stores. In the comparable prior year period, we opened 10041 net new stores, including 20 in Mexico.stores. The increasedecrease in capital expenditures as compared to the prior year was driven by a shiftdecrease in mix from build-to-suit properties to ground leases and land purchases.the number of stores opened, offset by the number of new stores currently under construction. Investing cash flows were also impacted by our wholly owned insurance captive, which purchased $31.4$9.9 million and sold $28.3$7.3 million in marketable securities during the thirty-sixtwelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010. During the comparable prior year period, thisthe captive purchased $27.7$2.2 million in marketable securities and sold $23.3$1.3 million in marketable securities. Capital asset disposals provided $6.5$0.5 million during the thirty-sixtwelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010, and $8.6$1.6 million in the comparable prior year period.

13


Our net cash flows from financing activities for the thirty-sixtwelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, used $561.5$310.2 million compared to $525.0$191.9 million used in the comparable prior year period. NetProceeds from the issuance of debt were $500.0 million for the current twelve week period ended November 20, 2010. Those proceeds were used for the repayment of debt of $199.3 million, a portion of our commercial paper borrowings, and general corporate purposes. For the twelve weeks ended November 20, 2010, net repayments of commercial paper and short-term borrowings were $28.4$331.6 million versus net proceeds from commercial paper borrowings of $156.6$12.6 million in the comparable prior year period. Stock repurchases were $558.3$299.7 million in the current thirty-sixtwelve week period as compared with $712.6$204.4 million in the comparable prior year period. For the thirty-sixtwelve weeks ended May 8,November 20, 2010, proceeds from the sale of common stock and exercises of stock options provided $39.0$30.9 million, including $10.2$9.0 million in related tax benefits. In the comparable prior year period, proceeds from the sale of common stock and exercises of stock options provided $44.3$4.4 million, including $7.5$0.6 million in related tax benefits.
We expect to invest in our business consistent with historicalat increased rates during fiscal 2010,2011, with our investments being directed primarily to our newnew-store development program, our hub store development programinitiative, and enhancements to existing stores and infrastructure. The amount of our investments in our new storenew-store program are impacted by different factors, including such factors as whether the building and land are purchased (requiring higher investment) or leased (generally lower investment), U.S.located in the United States or Mexico, or located in urban or rural etc. Over the past two years,areas. During fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2009, our capital expenditures have increased by approximately 8% to16% and 12%, respectively, as compared to the prior year.year, and we expect our capital expenditures for fiscal 2011 to increase by 15% to 20% as compared to fiscal 2010. Our mix of store openings has moved away from build-to-suit leases (lower initial capital investment) to ground leases and land purchases (higher initial capital investment), resulting in increased capital expenditures during the previous threerecent years, and we expect this trend to continue during the fiscal year ending August 28, 2010.27, 2011.
In addition to the building and land costs, our new-store development program requires working capital, predominantly for inventories. Historically, we have negotiated extended payment terms from suppliers, reducing the working capital required and resulting in a high accounts payable to inventory ratio. We plan to continue leveraging our inventory purchases; however, our ability to do so may be limited by our vendors’ capacity to factor their receivables from us. Certain vendors participate in financing arrangements with financial institutions whereby they factor their receivables from us, allowing them to receive payment on our invoices at a discounted rate.

14


Depending on the timing and magnitude of our future investments (either in the form of leased or purchased properties or acquisitions), working capital requirements and stock repurchases, we anticipate that we will rely primarily on internally generated funds and available borrowing capacity. However, thecapacity to support a majority of our capital expenditures, working capital requirements and stock repurchases. The balance may be funded through new borrowings. We anticipate that we will be able to obtain such financing in view of our current credit ratings and previous historyfavorable experiences in the credit markets.debt markets in the past.
For the trailing four quarters ended May 8,November 20, 2010, our after-tax return on invested capital (“ROIC”) was 26.5%28.6% as compared to 24.3%25.0% for the comparable prior year period. ROIC is calculated as after-tax operating profit (excluding rent charges) divided by average invested capital (which includes a factor to capitalize operating leases). ROIC increased primarily due to increased after-tax operating profit. We use ROIC to evaluate whether we are effectively using our capital resources and believe it is an important indicator of our overall operating performance.
Credit Ratings
At May 8, 2010, AutoZone had a senior unsecured debt credit rating from Standard & Poor’s of BBB and a commercial paper rating of A-2. Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) had assigned us a senior unsecured debt credit rating of Baa2 and a commercial paper rating of P-2. Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”) assigned us a BBB rating for senior unsecured debt and an F-2 rating for commercial paper. As of May 8, 2010, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch had AutoZone listed as having a “stable” outlook. If our credit ratings drop, our interest expense may increase; similarly, we anticipate that our interest expense may decrease if our investment ratings are raised. If our commercial paper ratings drop below current levels, we may have difficulty continuing to utilize the commercial paper market and our interest expense will likely increase, as we will then be required to access more expensive bank lines of credit. If our senior unsecured debt ratings drop below investment grade, our access to financing may become more limited.
Our adjusted debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, rent and share-based expense (“EBITDAR”) ratio was 2.4:1 as of May 8, 2010, and was 2.3:1 as of May 9, 2009. We calculate adjusted debt as the sum of total debt, capital lease obligations and rent times six; and we calculate EBITDAR by adding interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, rent and share-based expenses to net income. Adjusted debt to EBITDAR is calculated on a trailing four quarter basis. We target our debt levels to a ratio of adjusted debt to EBITDAR in order to maintain our investment grade credit ratings. We believe this is important information for the management of our debt levels.
Debt Facilities
We maintain an $800 million revolving credit facility with a group of banks to primarily support commercial paper borrowings, letters of credit and other short-term unsecured bank loans. The credit facility may be increased to $1.0 billion at AutoZone’sour election and subject to bank credit capacity and approval, may include up to $200 million in letters of credit, and may include up to $100 million in capital leases each fiscal year. As the available balance is reduced by commercial paper borrowings and certain outstanding letters of credit, we had $415.5$669.6 million in available capacity under this facility at May 8,November 20, 2010. Under the revolving credit facility, we may borrow funds consisting of Eurodollar loans or base rate loans. Interest accrues on Eurodollar loans at a defined Eurodollar rate, defined as the London InterBank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus the applicable percentage, which could range from 150 basis points to 450 basis points, depending upon our senior unsecured (non-credit enhanced) long-term debt rating. ThisInterest accrues on base rate loans at the prime rate. We also have the option to borrow funds under the terms of a swingline loan subfacility. The revolving credit facility expires in July 2012.

14

We also maintain a letter of credit facility that allows us to request the participating bank to issue letters of credit on our behalf up to an aggregate amount of $100 million. The letter of credit facility is in addition to the letters of credit that may be issued under the revolving credit facility. As of November 20, 2010, we have $91.5 million in letters of credit outstanding under the letter of credit facility, which expires in June 2013.


On November 15, 2010, we issued $500 million in 4.000% Senior Notes due 2020 under our shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 29, 2008 (the “Shelf Registration”). The Shelf Registration allows us to sell an indeterminate amount in debt securities to fund general corporate purposes, including repaying, redeeming or repurchasing outstanding debt and for working capital, capital expenditures, new store openings, stock repurchases and acquisitions. During the quarter, we used the proceeds from the issuance of debt to repay the principal due relating to the 4.75% Senior Notes that matured on November 15, 2010, to repay a portion of the commercial paper borrowings and for general corporate purposes.
The 6.50% and 7.125% Senior Notes issued during August 2008, and the 5.75% Senior Notes issued in July 2009, are subject to an interest rate adjustment if the debt ratings assigned to the notes are downgraded. TheyThese notes, along with the 4.000% Senior Notes issued in November 2010, also contain a provision that repayment of the notes may be accelerated if AutoZone experiences a change in control (as defined in the agreements). Our borrowings under our other senior notes contain minimal covenants, primarily restrictions on liens. Under our other borrowing arrangements, covenants include limitations on total indebtedness, restrictions on liens, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio and a change of control provision that may require acceleration of the repayment obligations under certain circumstances. All of the repayment obligations under our borrowing arrangements may be accelerated and come due prior to the scheduled payment date if covenants are breached or an event of default occurs. As of May 8,November 20, 2010, we were in compliance with all covenants and expect to remain in compliance with all covenants.
Our adjusted debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, rent and share-based expense (“EBITDAR”) ratio was 2.3:1 as of November 20, 2010, and was 2.5:1 as of November 21, 2009. We calculate adjusted debt as the sum of total debt, capital lease obligations and rent times six; and we calculate EBITDAR by adding interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, rent and share-based expenses to net income. Adjusted debt to EBITDAR is calculated on a trailing four quarter basis. We target our debt levels to a ratio of adjusted debt to EBITDAR in order to maintain our investment grade credit ratings. We believe this is important information for the management of our debt levels.
Stock Repurchases
From January 1, 1998 to May 8,November 20, 2010, we have repurchased a total of 118.9123.0 million shares at an aggregate cost of $8.1$9.0 billion, including 3,532,6051,295,300 shares of our common stock at an aggregate cost of $558.3$299.7 million during the thirty-sixtwelve week period ended May 8,November 20, 2010. On December 16, 2009,September 28, 2010, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) voted to increase the authorization by $500 million to raise the cumulative share repurchase authorization from $7.9$8.9 billion to $8.4$9.4 billion. Considering cumulative repurchases as of May 8,November 20, 2010, we have $250.8$385.8 million remaining under the Board’s authorization to repurchase our common stock. On JuneDecember 15, 2010, the Board voted to increase the authorization by $500 million to raise the cumulative share repurchase authorization from $8.4$9.4 billion to $8.9$9.9 billion. Subsequent to May 8,November 20, 2010, we have repurchased 816,390327,900 shares of our common stock at an aggregate cost of $153.9$84.8 million.

15


Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Since our fiscal year end, we have cancelled, issued and modified stand-by letters of credit that are primarily renewed on an annual basis to cover premium and deductible payments to our workers’ compensationcasualty insurance carriers. Our total stand-by letters of credit commitment at May 8,November 20, 2010, was $107.5$97.9 million compared with $111.9$107.6 million at August 29, 2009,28, 2010, and our total surety bonds commitment at May 8,November 20, 2010, was $17.7$25.0 million compared with $14.8$23.7 million at August 29, 2009. Subsequent to May 8, 2010, we executed a new $100 million letter of credit facility.28, 2010.
Financial Commitments
As of May 8,November 20, 2010, there were no significant changes to our contractual obligations as described in our 2009 Annual Report to Stockholders.on Form 10-K for the year ended August 28, 2010.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”Operations include certain financial measures not derived in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP financial measures provide additional information for determining our optimum capital structure and are used to assist management in evaluating performance and in making appropriate business decisions to maximize stockholders’ value.
Non-GAAP financial measures should not be used as a substitute for GAAP financial measures, or considered in isolation, for the purpose of analyzing our operating performance, financial position or cash flows. However, we have presented the non-GAAP financial measures, as we believe they provide additional information that is useful to investors as they indicate more clearly the Company’s comparative year-to-year operating results.investors. Furthermore, our management and the Compensation Committee of the Board use the abovementioned non-GAAP financial measures to analyze and compare our underlying operating results and to determine payments of performance-based compensation. We have included a reconciliation of this information to the most comparable GAAP measures in the following reconciliation tables.

 

1516


Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure: After-Tax Return on Invested Capital “ROIC”
The following tables reconcile the percentages of ROIC for the trailing four quarters ended May 8,November 20, 2010 and May 9,November 21, 2009.
                    
 A B A-B=C D C+D 
                     Trailing Four 
 A B A-B=C D C+D  Fiscal Year Twelve Forty Twelve Weeks Quarters 
 Fiscal Year Thirty-Six Sixteen Thirty-Six Trailing Four  Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Ended Ended 
 Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Quarters Ended  August 28, November 21, August 28, November 20, November 20, 
(in thousands, except percentage) August 29, 2009 May 9, 2009 August 29, 2009 May 8, 2010 May 8, 2010  2010 2009 2010 2010 2010 
Net income $657,049 $420,923 $236,126 $469,378 $705,504  $738,311 $143,300 $595,011 $172,076 $767,087 
Adjustments:  
Interest expense 142,316 94,554 47,762 109,483 157,245  158,909 36,340 122,569 37,253 159,822 
Rent expense 181,309 123,253 58,056 133,560 191,616  195,632 44,397 151,235 47,546 198,781 
Tax effect (1)  (117,380)  (79,000)  (38,380)  (88,151)  (126,531)  (128,983)  (28,953)  (100,030)  (30,345)  (130,375)
                      
After-tax return $863,294 $559,730 $303,564 $624,270 $927,834  $963,869 $195,084 $768,785 $226,530 $995,315 
                      
 
Average debt (2) $2,669,100  $2,800,081 
Average deficit (3)  (369,156)  (584,704)
Rent x 6 (4) 1,149,700  1,192,686 
Average capital lease obligations (5) 56,009  68,271 
      
Pre-tax invested capital $3,505,653  $3,476,334 
      
 
ROIC  26.5%  28.6%
      
                    
 A B A-B=C D C+D 
                     Trailing Four 
 A B A-B=C D C+D  Fiscal Year Twelve Forty Twelve Weeks Quarters 
 Fiscal Year Thirty-Six Seventeen Thirty-Six Trailing Four  Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Ended Ended 
 Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Quarters Ended  August 29, November 22, August 29, November 21, November 21, 
(in thousands, except percentage) August 30, 2008 May 3, 2008 August 30, 2008 May 9, 2009 May 9, 2009 (6)  2009 2008 2009 2009 2009 
Net income $641,606 $397,860 $243,746 $420,923 $664,669  $657,049 $131,371 $525,678 $143,300 $668,978 
Adjustments:  
Interest expense 116,745 81,980 34,765 94,554 129,319  142,316 31,166 111,150 36,340 147,490 
Rent expense 165,121 109,319 55,802 123,253 179,055  181,308 40,185 141,123 44,397 185,520 
Tax effect (1)  (102,755)  (69,738)  (33,017)  (79,401)  (112,418)  (117,929)  (26,000)  (91,929)  (28,953)  (120,882)
                      
After-tax return $820,717 $519,421 $301,296 $559,329 $860,625  $862,744 $176,722 $686,022 $195,084 $881,106 
                      
 
Average debt (2) $2,309,371  $2,566,251 
Average equity (3) 102,618 
Average deficit(3)
  (217,893)
Rent x 6 (4) 1,074,322  1,113,120 
Average capital lease obligations (5) 62,537  56,690 
      
Pre-tax invested capital $3,548,848  $3,518,168 
      
 
ROIC  24.3%  25.0%
      
   
(1) The effective tax rate over the trailing four quarters ended May 8,November 20, 2010 and May 9,November 21, 2009 is 36.3% and 36.5%36.4% , respectively.
 
(2) Average debt is equal to the average of our long-term debt measured as of the previous five quarters.
 
(3) Average equity is equal to the average of our stockholders’ (deficit) equity measured as of the previous five quarters.
 
(4) Rent is multiplied by a factor of six to capitalize operating leases in the determination of pre-tax invested capital.
 
(5) Average capital lease obligations isare equal to the average of our capital lease obligations measured as of the previous five quarters.
(6)The trailing four quarters ended May 9, 2009 includes 53 weeks as the fiscal year ended August 30, 2008 includes 17 weeks during the fourth quarter.

 

1617


Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure: Adjusted Debt to Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Rent and Share-Based Expense “EBITDAR”
The following tables reconcile the ratio of adjusted debt to EBITDAR for the trailing four quarters ended May 8,November 20, 2010 and May 9,November 21, 2009.
                    
 A B A-B=C D C+D 
                     Trailing Four 
 A B A-B=C D C+D  Fiscal Year Twelve Forty Twelve Weeks Quarters 
 Fiscal Year Thirty-Six Sixteen Thirty-Six Trailing Four  Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Ended Ended 
 Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Quarters Ended  August 28, November 21, August 28, November 20, November 20, 
(in thousands, except ratio) August 29, 2009 May 9, 2009 August 29, 2009 May 8, 2010 May 8, 2010  2010 2009 2010 2010 2010 
Net income $657,049 $420,923 $236,126 $469,378 $705,504  $738,311 $143,300 $595,011 $172,076 $767,087 
Add: Interest expense 142,316 94,554 47,762 109,483 157,245  158,909 36,340 122,569 37,253 159,822 
Income tax expense 376,697 242,989 133,708 267,814 401,522  422,194 80,788 341,406 96,792 438,198 
                      
EBIT 1,176,062 758,466 417,596 846,675 1,264,271  1,319,414 260,428 1,058,986 306,121 1,365,107 
Add: Depreciation expense 180,433 123,273 57,160 129,918 187,078  192,084 42,566 149,518 44,291 193,809 
Rent expense 181,309 123,253 58,056 133,560 191,616  195,632 44,397 151,235 47,546 198,781 
Share-based expense 19,135 13,492 5,643 13,215 18,858  19,120 4,251 14,869 5,071 19,940 
                      
EBITDAR $1,556,939 $1,018,484 $538,455 $1,123,368 $1,661,823  $1,726,250 $351,642 $1,374,608 $403,029 $1,777,637 
                      
 
Debt $2,698,500  2,879,217 
Capital lease obligations 63,337  85,019 
Add: Rent x 6 1,149,700 
Add: Rent x 6(1)
 1,192,686 
      
Adjusted debt $3,911,537  4,156,922 
      
 
Adjusted debt / EDITDAR 2.4  2.3 
      
                    
 A B A-B=C D C+D 
                     Trailing Four 
 A B A-B=C D C+D  Fiscal Year Twelve Forty Twelve Weeks Quarters 
 Fiscal Year Thirty-Six Seventeen Thirty-Six Trailing Four  Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Ended Ended 
 Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Weeks Ended Quarters Ended  August 29, November 22, August 29, November 21, November 21, 
(in thousands, except ratio) August 30, 2008 May 3, 2008 August 30, 2008 May 9, 2009 May 9, 2009 (1)  2009 2008 2009 2009 2009 
Net income $641,606 $397,860 $243,746 $420,923 $664,669  $657,049 $131,371 $525,678 $143,300 $668,978 
Add: Interest expense 116,745 81,980 34,765 94,554 129,319  142,316 31,166 111,150 36,340 147,490 
Income tax expense 365,783 227,455 138,328 242,989 381,317  376,697 76,002 300,695 80,788 381,483 
                      
EBIT 1,124,134 707,295 416,839 758,466 1,175,305  1,176,062 238,539 937,523 260,428 1,197,951 
Add: Depreciation expense 169,509 116,709 52,800 123,273 176,073  180,433 40,153 140,280 42,566 182,846 
Rent expense 165,121 109,319 55,802 123,253 179,055  181,308 40,185 141,123 44,397 185,520 
Share-based expense 18,388 12,630 5,758 13,492 19,250  19,135 4,456 14,679 4,251 18,930 
                      
EBITDAR $1,477,152 $945,953 $531,199 $1,018,484 $1,549,683  $1,556,938 $323,333 $1,233,605 $351,642 $1,585,247 
                      
 
Debt $2,405,900  $2,739,500 
Capital lease obligations 57,227  53,004 
Add: Rent x 6 1,074,322 
Add: Rent x 6(1)
 1,113,120 
      
Adjusted debt $3,537,449  $3,905,624 
      
 
Adjusted debt / EDITDAR 2.3  2.5 
      
   
(1) The trailing four quarters ended May 9, 2009 includes 53 weeks asRent is multiplied by a factor of six to capitalize operating leases in the fiscal year ended August 30, 2008 includes 17 weeks during the fourth quarter.determination of adjusted debt.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2009-13,Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables, which amends Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 605 (formerly Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 00-21,Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables). This ASU addresses the accounting for multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements to enable vendors to account for deliverables separately rather than as a combined unit. This ASU will be effective prospectively for revenue arrangements entered into commencing with the Company’s first fiscal quarter beginning August 29, 2010. We do not expect the provisions of ASU 2009-13 to have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU 2010-06,Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements, which amends ASC 820 (formerly FASB Statement No. 157,Fair Value Measurements). This ASU requires a number of additional disclosures regarding fair value measurements such as transfers in and out of Levels 1 and 2 and separate disclosures about activity relating to Level 3 measurements. It also clarifies existing disclosure requirements related to the level of disaggregation and input valuation techniques. This ASU became effective for the Company commencing with the Company’s third fiscal quarter beginning February 14, 2010, and its adoption has been reflected within “Note C — Fair Value Measurements”. The provisions of ASU 2010-06 did not have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.

17


Critical Accounting Policies
Preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions affecting the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period and related disclosures of contingent liabilities. Our policies are evaluated on an ongoing basis, and our significant judgments and estimates are drawn from historical experience and other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ under different assumptions or conditions.
Our critical accounting policies are described in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our 2009 Annual Report to Stockholders.on Form 10-K for the year ended August 28, 2010. Our critical accounting policies have not changed since the filing of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 29, 2009.28, 2010.

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Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press releaseQuarterly Report on Form 10-Q are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically use words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “should,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “positioned,” “strategy” and similar expressions. These are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors that we believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation: credit market conditions; the impact of recessionary conditions; competition; product demand; the ability to hire and retain qualified employees; consumer debt levels; inflation; weather; raw material costs of our suppliers; energy prices; war and the prospect of war, including terrorist activity; construction delays; access to available and feasible financing; and changes in laws or regulations. Certain of these risks are discussed in more detail in the “Risk Factors”Risk Factors section contained in Item 1A under Part 1 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 29, 2009,28, 2010, and these Risk Factors should be read carefully. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results; developments and business decisions may differ from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements, and events described above and in the “Risk Factors” could materially and adversely affect our business. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Actual results may materially differ from anticipated results.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
At May 8,November 20, 2010, there have been no material changes to our instruments and positions that are sensitive to market risk since the disclosures in our 2009 Annual Report to Stockholders,on Form 10-K for the year ended August 28, 2010, except as described below.
The fair value of our debt was estimated at $2.946$3.136 billion as of May 8,November 20, 2010, and $2.853$3.182 billion as of August 29, 2009,28, 2010, based on the quoted market prices for the same or similar debt issues or on the current rates available to AutoZone for debt of the same terms. Such fair value is greater than the carrying value of debt by $247.6$257.1 million at May 8,November 20, 2010 and $126.5$273.5 million at August 29, 2009.28, 2010. We had $249.2$129.2 million of variable rate debt outstanding at May 8,November 20, 2010, and $277.6$459.2 million of variable rate debt outstanding at August 29, 2009.28, 2010. At these borrowing levels for variable rate debt, a one percentage point increase in interest rates would have had an unfavorable annual impact on our pre-tax earnings and cash flows of $2.5$1.3 million in fiscal 2010.2011. The primary interest rate exposure on variable rate debt is based on LIBOR. We had outstanding fixed rate debt of $2.449$2.750 billion at May 8,November 20, 2010, and $2.449 billion at August 29, 2009.28, 2010. A one percentage point increase in interest rates would reduce the fair value of our fixed rate debt by $99.1$126.9 million at May 8, 2010, and $105.9 million at August 29, 2009.November 20, 2010.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures.
As of May 8,November 20, 2010, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as amended. Based on that evaluation, our management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of May 8,November 20, 2010. During or subsequent to the quarter ended May 8,November 20, 2010, there were no changes in our internal controls that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect, internal controls over financial reporting.
Item 4T. Controls and Procedures.
Not applicable.

 

1819


PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings.
AsWe are a defendant in a lawsuit entitled “Coalition for a Level Playing Field, L.L.C., et al., v. AutoZone, Inc. et al.,” filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in October 2004. The case was filed by more than 200 plaintiffs, which are principally automotive aftermarket warehouse distributors and jobbers, against a number of defendants, including automotive aftermarket retailers and aftermarket automotive parts manufacturers. In the amended complaint, the plaintiffs allege,inter alia, that some or all of the dateautomotive aftermarket retailer defendants have knowingly received, in violation of the Robinson-Patman Act (the “Act”), from various of the manufacturer defendants benefits such as volume discounts, rebates, early buy allowances and other allowances, fees, inventory without payment, sham advertising and promotional payments, a share in the manufacturers’ profits, benefits of pay-on-scan purchases, implementation of radio frequency identification technology, and excessive payments for services purportedly performed for the manufacturers. Additionally, a subset of plaintiffs alleges a claim of fraud against the automotive aftermarket retailer defendants based on discovery issues in a prior litigation involving similar claims under the Act. In the prior litigation, the discovery dispute, as well as the underlying claims, was decided in favor of AutoZone and the other automotive aftermarket retailer defendants who proceeded to trial, pursuant to a unanimous jury verdict which was affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. In the current litigation, the plaintiffs seek an unspecified amount of damages (including statutory trebling), attorneys’ fees, and a permanent injunction prohibiting the aftermarket retailer defendants from inducing and/or knowingly receiving discriminatory prices from any of the aftermarket manufacturer defendants and from opening up any further stores to compete with the plaintiffs as long as the defendants allegedly continue to violate the Act.
In an order dated September 7, 2010 and issued on September 16, 2010, the court granted motions to dismiss all claims against AutoZone and its co-defendant competitors and suppliers. Based on the record in the prior litigation, the court dismissed with prejudice all overlapping claims — that is, those covering the same time periods covered by the prior litigation and brought by the judgment plaintiffs in the prior litigation. The court also dismissed with prejudice the plaintiffs’ attempt to revisit discovery disputes from the prior litigation. Further, with respect to the other claims under the Act, the court found that the factual statements contained in the complaint fall short of what would be necessary to support a plausible inference of unlawful price discrimination. Finally, the court held that the AutoZone pay-on-scan program is a difference in non-price terms that are not governed by the Act. The court ordered the case closed, but also stated that “in an abundance of caution the Court [was] defer[ring] decision on whether to grant leave to amend to allow plaintiff an opportunity to propose curative amendments.” The Plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to amend their complaint and attached a proposed Third Amended and Supplemental Complaint (the “Third Amended Complaint”) on behalf of four plaintiffs. The Third Amended Complaint repeats and expands certain allegations from previous complaints, asserting two claims under the Act, but states that all other plaintiffs have withdrawn their claims, and that,inter alia, Chief Auto Parts, Inc. has been dismissed as a defendant. The court set a briefing schedule pursuant to which AutoZone and the co-defendants will oppose the motion seeking leave to amend.
We believe this filing, there have been no additional materialsuit to be without merit and are vigorously defending against it. We are unable to estimate a loss or possible range of loss.
We are involved in various other legal proceedings or material developmentsincidental to the conduct of our business, including several lawsuits containing class-action allegations in which the plaintiffs are current and former hourly and salaried employees who allege various wage and hour violations and unlawful termination practices. We do not currently believe that, in the legal proceedings disclosedaggregate, these matters will result in Part I, Item 3,liabilities material to our financial condition, results of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2009.operations, or cash flows.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
As of the date of this filing, there have been no material changes in our risk factors from those disclosed in Part I, Item 1A, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 29, 2009.28, 2010.

20


Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
Shares of common stock repurchased by the Company during the quarter ended May 8,November 20, 2010, were as follows:
Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities
                 
          Total Number of  Maximum Dollar 
          Shares Purchased as  Value that May Yet 
  Total Number of  Average  Part of Publicly  Be Purchased Under 
  Shares  Price Paid  Announced Plans or  the Plans or 
Period Purchased  per Share  Programs  Programs 
February 14, 2010 to March 13, 2010  378,800  $167.50   378,800  $453,746,636 
March 14, 2010 to April 10, 2010  946,012   172.55   946,012   290,511,989 
April 11, 2010 to May 8, 2010  225,010   176.43   225,010   250,813,934 
                
                 
Total  1,549,822  $171.88   1,549,822  $250,813,934 
             
                 
          Total Number of  Maximum Dollar 
          Shares Purchased as  Value that May Yet 
  Total Number  Average  Part of Publicly  Be Purchased Under 
  of Shares  Price Paid  Announced Plans or  the Plans or 
Period Purchased  per Share  Programs  Programs 
August 29, 2010 to September 25, 2010  209,000  $212.46   209,000  $641,025,280 
September 26, 2010 to October 23, 2010  587,400   230.66   587,400   505,537,192 
October 24, 2010 to November 20, 2010  498,900   240.06   498,900   385,773,677 
             
Total  1,295,300  $231.34   1,295,300  $385,773,677 
             
All of the above repurchases were part of publicly announced plans that were authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors for the purchase of a maximum of $8.4$9.4 billion in common shares as of May 8,November 20, 2010. The program was initially announced in January 1998, and was most recently amended on JuneDecember 15, 2010, to increase the repurchase authorization to $8.9$9.9 billion from $8.4$9.4 billion. The program does not have an expiration date. Subsequent to May 8,November 20, 2010, we have repurchased 816,390327,900 shares of our common stock at an aggregate cost of $153.9$84.8 million.
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.
Not applicable.
Item 4. Removed and Reserved.
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Information.
Not applicable.

 

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Item 6. Exhibits.
The following exhibits are filed as part of this report:
     
 3.1  Restated Articles of Incorporation of AutoZone, Inc. incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended February 13, 1999.
     
 3.2  Fourth Amended and Restated By-laws of AutoZone, Inc. incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Form 8-K dated September 28, 2007.
4.1Officers’ Certificate dated November 15, 2010, pursuant to Section 3.2 of the Indenture, dated as of August 8, 2003, setting forth the terms of the 4.000% Notes due 2020. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Form 8-K dated November 15, 2010.
4.2Form of 4.000% Note due 2020. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Form 8-K dated November 15, 2010.
*10.1AutoZone, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the definitive proxy statement dated October 25, 2010 for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held December 15, 2010.
*10.2Form of Stock Option Agreement under the 2006 Stock Option Plan, effective September 2010.
*10.3Form of Stock Option Agreement under the 2006 Stock Option Plan for certain executive officers, effective September 2010.
*10.4Form of Letter Agreement dated as of December 14, 2010, amending certain Stock Option Agreements of executive officers.
*10.5AutoZone, Inc. 2011 Director Compensation Program.
*10.6Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement dated December 15, 2010, between AutoZone, Inc. and William C. Rhodes, III, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 8-K dated December 15, 2010.
     
 12.1  Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
     
 15.1  Letter Regarding Unaudited Interim Financial Statements.
     
 31.1  Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 31.2  Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 32.1  Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 32.2  Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
**101.INS  XBRL Instance Document
     
**101.SCH  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
     
**101.CAL  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Document
     
**101.LAB  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Document
     
**101.PRE  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Document
**101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Document
   
*Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
** In accordance with Regulation S-T, the Interactive Data Files in Exhibit 101 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall be deemed “furnished” and not “filed.”

 

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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
     
 AUTOZONE, INC.
 
 
 By:  /s/ WILLIAM T. GILES   
  William T. Giles  
  Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President,
Finance, Information Technology and
Store Development
(Principal Financial Officer) 
 
   
 By:  /s/ CHARLIE PLEAS, III   
  Charlie Pleas, III  
  Senior Vice President, Controller
(Principal Accounting Officer) 
 
Dated: JuneDecember 16, 2010

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX
The following exhibits are filed as part of this report:
     
 3.1  Restated Articles of Incorporation of AutoZone, Inc. incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended February 13, 1999.
     
 3.2  Fourth Amended and Restated By-laws of AutoZone, Inc. incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the Form 8-K dated September 28, 2007.
4.1Officers’ Certificate for the Notes, pursuant to Section 3.2 of the Indenture, dated November 15, 2010, setting forth the terms of the Notes. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Form 8-K dated November 15, 2010.
4.2Form of 4.0% Note due 2020. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Form 8-K dated November 15, 2010.
*10.1AutoZone, Inc. 2011 Equity Incentive Award Plan, incorporated by reference to Exhibit A to the definitive proxy statement dated October 25, 2010 for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held December 15, 2010.
*10.2Form of Stock Option Agreement under the 2006 Stock Option Plan, effective September 2010.
*10.3Form of Stock Option Agreement under the 2006 Stock Option Plan for certain executive officers, effective September 2010.
*10.4Form of Letter Agreement dated as of December 14, 2010, amending certain Stock Option Agreements of executive officers.
*10.5AutoZone, Inc. 2011 Director Compensation Program.
*10.6Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units Award Agreement dated December 15, 2010, between AutoZone, Inc. and William C. Rhodes, III, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Form 8-K dated December 15, 2010.
     
 12.1  Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
     
 15.1  Letter Regarding Unaudited Interim Financial Statements.
     
 31.1  Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 31.2  Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 32.1  Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
 32.2  Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
     
**101.INS  XBRL Instance Document
     
**101.SCH  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
     
**101.CAL  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Document
     
**101.LAB  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Document
     
**101.PRE  XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Document
     
**101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Document
   
*Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
** In accordance with Regulation S-T, the Interactive Data Files in Exhibit 101 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q shall be deemed “furnished” and not “filed.”

 

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