AutoZone, Inc. (AZO)
AutoZone is a leading retailer of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories across the Americas.
AZO vs DHI: how the two businesses compare
- Bigger business: DHI, with $34.3B of yearly revenue, about 1.8× AZO's $18.9B.
- More profitable: AZO keeps 13 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 10 cents at DHI.
- More cash from each sale: AZO turns 16 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 10 cents at DHI.
From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.
D.R. Horton (DHI) is the larger business by reported revenue: $34.3B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 1.8× AZO's $18.9B (fiscal year ended Aug 2025). AZO's net margin was 13.2% and DHI's 10.5%. The SEC classifies them differently (Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores; Operative Builders); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Consumer Discretionary
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Different
- AZO August 29 · DHI September 30
- Oct 26, 2026
AZO vs DHI: quick comparison
| Company fact | AZO | DHI |
|---|---|---|
| Company | AutoZone, Inc. | D.R. Horton, Inc. |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| SEC industry | Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores | Operative Builders |
| Fiscal year-end | August 29 | September 30 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-10-26 | 10-K · 2025-11-19 |
AZO vs DHI: audited financials
- Scale: DHI's $34.3B of revenue is about 1.8× AZO's $18.9B.
- Net margin: AZO kept 13.2% of revenue as net income versus 10.5% at DHI.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled AZO 16.5% of revenue, or 1.25× net income; DHI 10.0% of revenue, or 0.95× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 1 month apart (2025-08-30 for AZO, 2025-09-30 for DHI), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | AZO | DHI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $18.9B2024-09-01 to 2025-08-30 · SEC filing | $34.3B2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $2.5B2024-09-01 to 2025-08-30 · SEC filing | $3.6B2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $3.1B2024-09-01 to 2025-08-30 · SEC filing | $3.4B2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $144.872024-09-01 to 2025-08-30 · SEC filing | $11.572024-10-01 to 2025-09-30 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 13.2%2024-09-01 to 2025-08-30 · SEC filing | 10.5%2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30 · SEC filing |
AZO: FY ending 2025-08-30 · DHI: FY ending 2025-09-30. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where AZO and DHI overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research theme: Economic trends.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: AZO files as Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores; DHI as Operative Builders.
- Offset fiscal calendars: AZO's year ends August 29 and DHI's September 30, about 1 month apart.
- Only DHI maps to Rates & central banks.
- Scale: DHI reported about 1.8× the annual revenue of AZO.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI)
D.R. Horton is the largest US homebuilder by volume, constructing single-family homes across price points.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves AZO
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for AZO. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-10-26.
What moves DHI
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for DHI. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2025-11-19.
The investment question
You now know DHI reports about 1.8× AZO's revenue, and AZO keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to economic trends, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
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Read the full researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. AZO's fiscal year ends August 29, while DHI's ends September 30. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 11 matched transaction rows for AZO and 15 matched transaction rows for DHI. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
AZO primary filings
DHI primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
AZO vs DHI FAQs
Are AZO and DHI direct competitors?
Not necessarily. AutoZone files as Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores and D.R. Horton as Operative Builders. The pair is compared because both map to the Economic trends research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is AZO or DHI the bigger company by revenue?
D.R. Horton (DHI) is the larger business by reported revenue: $34.3B in its fiscal year ended Sep 2025, about 1.8× AZO's $18.9B (fiscal year ended Aug 2025). AZO's net margin was 13.2% and DHI's 10.5%. The SEC classifies them differently (Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores; Operative Builders); what connects them is shared exposure to the Economic trends research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, AZO or DHI?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this AZO vs DHI comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers AutoZone, Inc. and D.R. Horton, Inc. tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
AZO vs DHI compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.
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