AUTOZONE INC
For the period ended Dec 17, 2025. Filed Oct 28, 2025.
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Dec 17, 2025 · Filed Oct 28, 2025
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Cover page
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
SCHEDULE 14A** INFORMATION**
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No.__)
Filed by the Registrant☒
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant☐
Check the appropriate box:
☐ Preliminary Proxy Statement
☐ Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
☒ Definitive Proxy Statement
☐ Definitive Additional Materials
☐ Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12
AutoZone, Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):
| ☒ | No fee required. |
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| ☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
| ☐ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
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| Letter from our Executive Chairman | |
Dear Stockholders,
In connection with our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the J.R. Hyde III, Store Support Center in downtown Memphis on December 17 th, 2025, it is my honor to address you, our owners, on key developments that have occurred since our last annual meeting.
As a reminder, last year for the first time in nearly two decades, our Board of Directors (“Board”) elected a new Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”). The Board conducted a rigorous and robust succession planning process which lasted over three years and culminated in the selection of Phil Daniele, who on January 2 nd, 2024, became AutoZone’s fifth CEO in our rich history. As part of the succession planning process, the Board had requested that I assume the role of Executive Chairman where I continue to work with Phil and our talented Executive Committee (the senior most leaders of the management team). In this capacity, my role was to serve as an advisor, coach, sounding board and mentor – Phil, in his role as President and CEO, is the ultimate decision maker. These changes resulted in us splitting the roles of Chairman and CEO for the first time since 2007.
Today, we continue to believe the split role of Chairman and CEO is the best leadership structure for AutoZone. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Phil in the first year of his CEO tenure and know he is the strong and capable CEO we all expected him to be. Accordingly, the Board has approved my transition from the role of Executive Chairman to Chairman, effective January 2026. Our Board believes in optimizing the structure based on the talents and capabilities of the leadership at the time.
We have also prioritized board succession planning and refreshment, given that our overall tenure in recent years was increasing. At last year’s annual meeting, two of our longer-tenured Board members elected to not stand for re-election. Following their decisions, we began a formal search process led by a third party to identify two new, independent directors. We are pleased to announce that the search was a success resulting in the appointment of Claire McDonough and Constantino Spas Montesinos, two outstanding new directors who we believe bring uniquely valuable perspectives and impressive professional experiences to our Board. We also rotated Committee appointments and Board leadership positions, including naming Brian Hannasch as our new Lead Independent Director and Linda Goodspeed as our new Audit Committee Chair.
Over the course of the last few months, we have held off-season engagement discussions with you, our owners, to discuss recent changes and also to listen to your thoughts and ideas. We thank you for sharing and continue to take your feedback to heart. As always, we strive to execute changes in a thoughtful and disciplined manner.
On behalf of the Board, I invite you to join us for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and as always, we appreciate your investment in us and your continued support.
Sincerely,
Bill Rhodes
Executive Chairman
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| NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS | ||||
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| DATE AND TIME | | PLACE | | RECORD DATE |
| December 17, 2025 8:00 a.m. Central Time | | J.R. Hyde III Store Support Center123 S. Front StreetMemphis, Tennessee 38103 | | Close of business on October 20, 2025 |
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| ITEMS OF BUSINESS | ||||
| 1.Election of 11 directors | | |||
| 2.Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the 2026 fiscal year | | |||
| 3.Advisory vote on the compensation of named executive officers | | |||
| In addition, we will transact such other business properly brought before the meeting.VOTINGYour vote is important. We strongly encourage you to submit your vote as promptly as possible through the Internet, by telephone or by mailing your completed and signed proxy card (or voting instruction form, if you hold your shares through a broker, bank or nominee). For more specific instructions on how to vote, please see page 72.MEETING MATERIALSThis Proxy Statement and our 2025 Annual Report are available on the Investor Relations section of our website at www.investors.autozone.com. Additionally, you may access our proxy materials at www.envisionreports.com/AZO.ATTENDING THE MEETINGWe are holding the 2025 Annual Meeting at the J. R. Hyde III Store Support Center located at 123 S. Front St, Memphis, Tennessee 38103. For additional information on how you may attend or vote at the meeting, please see page 72. | ||||
| Memphis, TennesseeOctober 28, 2025 | By Order of the Board of Directors, Jenna M. BedsoleCorporate Secretary | |||
PROXY SUMMARY
This Proxy Summary provides general information about AutoZone and highlights information contained elsewhere in this Proxy Statement. As it is only a summary, please refer to the entire Proxy Statement and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 30, 2025 before you vote. In this Proxy Statement, we use the term*“AutoZone,”** “we,” “us,” “our” and**“the Company”** to refer to AutoZone, Inc.*
MEETING INFORMATION
| DATE & TIME | LOCATION | RECORD DATE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 17, 2025 at 8:00 a.m. CT | J.R. Hyde III Store Support Center, 123 S. Front Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103 | Shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 20, 2025 are entitled to vote. | ||
ITEMS OF BUSINESS
| Proposal Number · Board Recommendation · Page | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Election of 11 directors | FOReach of the directors | 24 |
| 2. | Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the 2026 fiscal year | FOR | 31 |
| 3. | Approval of an advisory vote on the compensation of named executive officers | FOR | 33 |
VOTING
We strongly encourage you to submit your vote as promptly as possible through the Internet, by telephone or by mailing your completed and signed proxy card (or voting instruction form, if you hold your shares through a broker, bank or nominee), even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting.
| Internet | Telephone | At the Meeting | |||
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| Visit the website on your proxy card, voting instruction form or electronic communications. | Call the telephone number on your proxy card, voting instruction form or electronic communications. | Sign, date and return your proxy card or voting instruction form in the enclosed envelope. | Attend the Annual Meeting and vote in-person. | ||
For more specific instructions on how to vote as well as how to attend the Annual Meeting, please see page 72.
ABOUT THESE MATERIALS
We began mailing our Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the“Notice”) to each shareholder entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting on or about October 28, 2025. Our Board of Directors (the“Board”) has sent you this Proxy Statement to solicit your vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof.
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| 2025 Proxy Statement | 1 |
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| | | AutoZone Highlights | | | |
| | FY25 FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS* ●$18.9 Billion in Revenue and $144.87 Diluted Earnings per Share ●Completed $1.5 billion in Share Repurchases●Average of 20.8% Total Shareholder Return (TSR) for past 20 years●7,657 Stores Globally, including 6,627 in the U.S., 883 in Mexico and 147 in Brazil●6,098 Commercial Programs in the U.S.For more information, see: AutoZone’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 30, 2025 (the “FY25 Form 10-K”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). | | |||
| | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ●Board Leadership consists of Executive Chairman and Lead Independent Director●Intentional Board refreshment and succession planning resulted in two new independent candidates to further enhance the Board’s diverse skillset●Disciplined CEO succession planning resulted in appointment of new President and Chief Executive Officer in FY24●Audit, Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees (the “Standing Committees”) made up entirely of Independent Directors●Use of Third-Party Firm for 2021 and 2024 Board Evaluations●Review and update of Corporate Governance Principles in FY24 and Committee Charters in FY25For more information, see: Corporate Governance beginning on page 7. | | |||
| | | EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION●Significant portion of executive’s compensation is variable or at-risk ●Annual Incentive Plan tied to economic profit, as a function of Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (“EBIT”) and Return on Invested Capital (“ROIC”)●Improved Say-On-Pay Vote receiving support from over 89% of the votes cast. ●Compensation plans and practices reviewed to ensure they do not encourage excessive risk-taking●Stock Ownership Guidelines aligned to compensation strategyFor more information, see: Compensation, Discussion & Analysis beginning on page 34. | | | |
| | | SHAREHOLDER ENGAGMENT ●Conduct year-round outreach through our Board leadership, senior management and investor relations to understand shareholders’ perspectives, priorities and concerns●In FY25, invited investors representing approx. 65% of shares outstanding to discuss corporate governance, board composition and executive compensation.For more information, see: Shareholder Engagement on page 20. | | | |
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** Information reflected as of, and for the fiscal year ended, August 30, 2025, as applicable*
Disclaimer: The contents of any websites, reports or other materials are not incorporated by reference into this proxy statement and do not constitute a part of this proxy statement.
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| 2 | 2025 Proxy Statement |
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| | | CULTURE ●Our Pledge and Values foster a strong, unique and powerful culture of teamwork and customer service. Every AutoZoner, from the Board of Directors and CEO Team (Vice Presidents and above) to AutoZoners in our stores, strive to Live the Pledge.●Meetings at AutoZone begin with our Cheer and Pledge, to remind us of our commitment to customer satisfaction and our promise to put customers first, and an Extra Miler Story, to recognize fellow AutoZoners for living our Pledge and Values and taking care of our customers.●We believe our commitment to living the Pledge and Values and strong culture of recognition is what sets us apart from our competitors and drives our success. | | | |
| | | HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT●Approximately 130,000 AutoZoners Globally●Significant diversity of backgrounds, experiences and tenures represented on the Board and Executive Committee.●Align human capital management with strategy by focusing on succession planning, investing in individual growth and development and aiming to have AutoZoners reflect the communities in which they work and serve.●Published EEO-1 compliance disclosure in Corporate Responsibility Report. | | | |
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Forward Looking Statements:* *Certain statements contained in this proxy statement, including statements about our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies, constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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, some of which are discussed in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section contained in Item 1A under Part 1 of the Company’s FY25 Form 10-K. 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.
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| 2025 Proxy Statement | 3 |
Board of Directors Nominees
| Name and Principal Occupation · Independent · Age · DirectorSince · Committee Membership | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit · · Comp · · NomGov | ||||||||
| Philip B. Daniele, IIIPresident and CEO of AutoZone, Inc. | | 56 | 2024 | | | | | |
| Michael A. GeorgeFormer President and CEO of Qurate Retail | 64 | 2022 | M | | M | | | |
| Linda A. GoodspeedFormer Managing Partner and COO of WealthStrategies Financial Advisors | 63 | 2013 | | | | | ||
| Earl G. Graves, Jr.President and CEO of Black Enterprise | 63 | 2002 | | | | | ||
| Brian P. HannaschFormer President and CEO of Alimentation Couche-Tard | Lead | 59 | 2022 | | | M | | |
| Gale V. KingFormer EVP and Chief Administrative Officer of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company | 69 | 2018 | | | | | M | |
| Claire R. McDonoughChief Financial Officer of Rivian Automotive, Inc. | 44 | 2025 | M | | M | | | |
| George R. Mrkonic, Jr.Former Non-Executive Chairman of Maru Group | 73 | 2006 | M | | | | ||
| William C. Rhodes, IIIExecutive Chairman and former President and CEO of AutoZone, Inc. | | 60 | 2005 | | | | | |
| Jill A. SoltauFormer CEO of J.C. Penney Company, Inc. | 58 | 2018 | | | | | M | |
| Constantino Spas MontesinosCEO of the Proximity Americas and Mobility Division of FEMSA | 55 | 2025 | M | | | | M | |
| indicates Committee Chairperson M indicates Committee Member“Lead” indicates Lead Independent Director | ||||||||
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| 4 | 2025 Proxy Statement |
BOARD Skills
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| Core Skills | | Distinct Strengths | ||||
| Leadership | 11 / 11 | | Retail & Consumer | 10 / 11 | ||
| Financial Literacy | 11 / 11 | | International | 6 / 11 | ||
| Board Experience | 7 / 11 | | Technology | 9 / 11 | ||
| Strategy & Business Development | 11 / 11 | | CEO Experience | 7 / 11 | ||
| Risk Management | 11 / 11 | | Financial Expertise | 8 / 11 | ||
| | | | | Business to Business | 4 / 11 | |
| | | | | Supply Chain | 7 / 11 | |
| | | | | Human Capital Management | 9 / 11 | |
BOARD COMPOSITION
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | | | | | ||
| Independent | | 9 / 11 | | | | |
| Not Independent | | 2 / 11 | | | | |
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| Age of Independent Directors | | Tenure of Independent Directors | ||||
| 40 – 49 years | | 1 / 9 | | 0-5 Years | | 4 / 9 |
| 50 – 59 years | | 3 / 9 | | 6-10 Years | | 2 / 9 |
| 60 – 69 years | | 4 / 9 | | 11-15 Years | | 1 / 9 |
| 70+ years | | 1 / 9 | | 16+ Years | | 2 / 9 |
Executive Committee AT-A-Glance
AutoZone is committed to continuing to build a diverse organization that represents our customers and the communities in which we serve, because when our store teams mirror the communities they serve, we perform better. This commitment to diversity begins at the top, and we are proud of the quality, strength, experience, tenure and racial, ethnic and gender diversity of both our Board and our Executive Committee.
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| Diversity | Tenure |
| Female: ●●●● | 0-10 Years: ●●●●●●● |
| Black: ●●● | 11-20 Years: ● |
| Hispanic / Latin: ● | 21+ Years: ●●●●●●●● |
| Two or More Races: ● | |
| Total Executive Committee Members: 16 | |
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| 2025 Proxy Statement | 5 |
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.