AZO vs GPC: How AutoZone and Genuine Parts Company Compare (2026)

Same yardstick, side by side (as of July 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.

Reading it: GPC is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.

The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. AZO and GPC share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.

This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined AZO and GPC exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

AutoZone is the largest retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States, with more than 7,000 stores across the US, Mexico, and Brazil. It sells hard parts, maintenance items, tools, and accessories to both do-it-yourself (DIY) retail customers and, increasingly, to professional repair shops through its commercial (do-it-for-me, or DIFM) program. Demand is relatively defensive because people keep older cars on the road longer during uncertain economies, and parts eventually fail regardless of the cycle.

Full AZO guide

Genuine Parts Company is a large global distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts. Its best-known business is automotive, where it operates and supplies the NAPA Auto Parts network, distributing replacement parts to repair shops, dealers, fleets, and consumers across North America, Europe, and Australasia. Its industrial segment, operating largely under the Motion brand, distributes bearings, power transmission, hydraulic, automation, and other industrial components to manufacturers and maintenance operations. Genuine Parts makes money by buying parts from thousands of suppliers and distributing them efficiently through an extensive network of distribution centers and stores, earning a margin on the value of logistics, availability, and breadth of inventory. Founded in 1928 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company benefits from steady aftermarket demand: vehicles and machinery require maintenance and repair regardless of the economic cycle. It is a long-standing dividend payer with one of the longest records of consecutive dividend increases among US companies, making it a classic income and defensive holding.

Full GPC guide

Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.

• AZO drivers: Professional (DIFM) expansion; Aggressive share buybacks.
• GPC drivers: Resilient aftermarket demand; Distribution scale and breadth.

A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: AutoZone's DIY comparable sales grow only in the low single digits and DIY customer traffic has at times declined, so much of the per-share growth depends on buybacks rather than underlying volume. For GPC, genuine Parts operates in a competitive, low-margin distribution business where pricing pressure, freight and labor costs, and inflation can squeeze profitability.

Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick AZO if you believe its drivers more; GPC if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the AZO and GPC guides.

AZO. As of July 2026, AutoZone traded around a mid-20s trailing price-to-earnings multiple with a market cap near $50 billion. Fiscal third-quarter 2026 net sales rose about 8.4% to roughly $4.8 billion with EPS near $38, though gross margin was dented by a non-cash LIFO charge. Growth was led by the commercial segment while DIY comps stayed in the low single digits.

GPC. Genuine Parts is valued as a stable, defensive distributor and dividend aristocrat rather than a growth name. Investors weigh resilient aftermarket demand and a long dividend-growth record against modest growth, thin distribution margins, and longer-term questions about electric vehicles. The valuation reflects steady cash generation and the reliability of its income profile across economic cycles.

Headline figures (approximate, JULY 2026): AZO shows revenue (ttm) ~$19.6B, q3 fy2026 net sales ~$4.8B (up ~8.4% YoY), q3 fy2026 eps ~$38.07 (up ~7.7%), domestic same-store sales (q3) ~4.1%; GPC shows revenue (ttm) ~$23 to 25 billion, operating margin ~mid to high single digits percent, net income (ttm) ~$1 billion or more, dividend yield ~2 to 3%.

AZO and GPC are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined AZO and GPC exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.