Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 27, 2022

Significant Accounting Policies

Business

Business: AutoZone, Inc. (“AutoZone” or the “Company”) is the leading retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the Americas. At the end of fiscal 2022, the Company operated 6,168 stores in the U.S., 703 stores in Mexico and 72 stores in Brazil. 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. At the end of fiscal 2022, 5,342 of the domestic stores had a commercial sales program that provides commercial credit and prompt delivery of parts and other products to local, regional and national repair garages, dealers, service stations and public sector accounts. The Company also had commercial programs in all stores in Mexico and Brazil. The Company sells the ALLDATA brand automotive diagnostic, repair and shop management software through www.alldata.com. Additionally, the Company sells automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through www.autozone.com, and its commercial customers can make purchases through www.autozonepro.com. The Company also provides product information on its Duralast branded products through www.duralastparts.com. The Company does not derive revenue from automotive repair or installation services.

Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year: The Company’s fiscal year consists of 52 or 53 weeks ending on the last Saturday in August. Fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020 represented 52 weeks.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation: The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of AutoZone, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Variable Interest Entities

Variable Interest Entities: The Company invests in certain tax credit funds that promote renewable energy and generate a return primarily through the realization of federal tax credits. The deferral method is used to account for the tax attributes of these investments.

The Company considers its investment in these tax credit funds as an investment in a variable interest entity (“VIE”). The Company evaluates the investment in any VIE to determine whether it is the primary beneficiary. The Company considers a variety of factors in identifying the entity that holds the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance including, but not limited to, the ability to direct financing, leasing, construction and other operating decisions and activities. As of August 27, 2022, the Company held tax credit equity investments that were deemed to be VIE’s and determined that it was not the primary beneficiary of the entities, as it did not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impacted the entity and accounted for this investment using the equity method. The Company’s maximum exposure to losses is limited to its net investment, which was $14.1 million as of August 27, 2022 and $11.8 million as of August 28, 2021 and was included within the Other long-term assets caption in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates: Management of the Company has made a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reporting of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent liabilities to prepare these financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents: Cash equivalents consist of investments with original maturities of 90 days or less at the date of purchase. Cash equivalents include proceeds due from credit and debit card transactions with settlement terms of less than five days. Credit and debit card receivables included within cash and cash equivalents were $78.4 million at August 27, 2022 and $70.5 million at August 28, 2021.

Cash balances are held in various locations around the world. Cash and cash equivalents of $86.8 million and $80.4 million were held outside of the U.S. as of August 27, 2022, and August 28, 2021, respectively, and were generally utilized to support the liquidity needs in foreign operations.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable: Effective in fiscal 2021, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), which requires the Company to estimate all expected credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost basis, including trade receivables, based on historical experience, current market conditions and supportable forecasts. The Company’s accounts receivable primarily consists of receivables from commercial customers. The Company routinely grants credit to certain commercial customers on a short-term basis consisting primarily of daily, weekly or monthly terms. The risk of credit loss in its trade receivables is substantially mitigated by the Company’s credit evaluation process, short collection terms and diversification of customers, as well as the low dollar value for its typical sales transaction.

Receivables are presented net of an allowance for credit losses. Allowances for expected credit losses are determined based on historical experience, the current economic environment, our expectations of future economic conditions and the current evaluation of the composition of accounts receivable. The Company will apply adjustments for specific factors and current economic conditions as needed at each reporting date. The Company’s allowance for credit losses are included in “Accounts receivable” on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets as of August 27, 2022 and August 28, 2021. The balance of the allowance for credit losses was $9.5 million at August 27, 2022, and $11.4 million at August 28, 2021.

Vendor Receivables

Vendor Receivables: The Company’s vendor receivables primarily consist of balances arising from its vendors through a variety of programs and arrangements, including rebates, allowances, promotional funds and reimbursement of specific, incremental, identifiable costs incurred by the Company in selling the vendors’ products. The amounts to be received are prescribed by the terms of the vendor agreements and therefore collection of such amounts is generally not at risk. The Company regularly reviews vendor receivables for collectability and assesses the need for an allowance for credit losses based on an evaluation of the vendors’ financial positions and corresponding abilities to meet financial obligations. Management does not believe there is a reasonable likelihood that the Company will be unable to collect the receivables from vendors and did not record a reserve for expected credit losses from vendors in the Consolidated Financial Statements as of August 27, 2022 and August 28, 2021.

Merchandise Inventories

Merchandise Inventories: Merchandise inventories include related purchasing, storage and handling costs. Inventory cost has been determined using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method stated at the lower of cost or market for domestic inventories and the weighted average cost method stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value for Mexico and Brazil inventories. Due to historical price deflation on the Company’s merchandise purchases prior to the current fiscal year, the Company had previously exhausted its LIFO credit reserve balance. As the Company’s policy is to not write up inventory in excess of replacement cost, the difference between LIFO cost and replacement cost was disclosed at $335.3 million at August 28, 2021. Due to recent price inflation on the Company’s merchandise purchases, primarily driven by increased freight costs, the Company recorded a LIFO credit reserve balance of $15.0 million at August 27, 2022, which resulted in a non-cash charge to cost of sales.

Marketable Debt Securities

Marketable Debt Securities: The Company invests a portion of its assets held by the Company’s wholly owned insurance captive in marketable debt securities and classifies them as available-for-sale. The Company includes these marketable debt securities within the Other current assets and Other long-term assets captions in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets and records the amounts at fair market value, which is determined using quoted market prices at the end of the reporting period. (Refer to “Note E – Fair Value Measurements” and “Note F – Marketable Debt Securities” for a discussion of marketable debt securities.)

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment: Property and equipment is stated at cost. Property consists of land, which includes finance leases – real estate, buildings and improvements, equipment, which includes finance leases – vehicles, and construction in progress. Depreciation and amortization are computed principally using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives: buildings, 40 to 50 years; building improvements, 5 to 15 years; equipment, including software, 3 to 10 years; and leasehold improvements, over the shorter of the asset’s estimated useful life or the remaining lease term, which includes any reasonably assured renewal periods. Depreciation and amortization include amortization of assets under finance leases.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: The Company evaluates the recoverability of its long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. When such an event occurs, the Company compares the sum of the undiscounted expected future cash flows of the asset (asset group) with the carrying amounts of the asset. If the undiscounted expected future cash flows are less than the carrying value of the assets, the Company measures the amount of impairment loss as the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets.

Goodwill

Goodwill: The cost in excess of fair value of identifiable net assets of businesses acquired is recorded as goodwill. Goodwill has not been amortized since fiscal 2001, but an analysis is performed at least annually to compare the fair value of the reporting unit to the carrying amount to determine if any impairment exists. The Company had approximately $302.6 million of goodwill, which is allocated to the Auto Parts Stores operating segment at August 27, 2022 and August 28, 2021. The Company performs its annual impairment assessment in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, unless circumstances dictate more frequent assessments. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 and 2021, the Company concluded its remaining goodwill was not impaired.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities: AutoZone is exposed to market risk from, among other things, changes in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and fuel prices. From time to time, the Company uses various derivative instruments to reduce such risks. To date, based upon the Company’s current level of foreign operations, no derivative instruments have been utilized to reduce foreign exchange rate risk. All of the Company’s hedging activities are governed by guidelines that are authorized by AutoZone’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Further, the Company does not buy or sell derivative instruments for trading purposes.

AutoZone’s financial market risk results primarily from changes in interest rates. At times, AutoZone reduces its exposure to changes in interest rates by entering into various interest rate hedge instruments such as interest rate swap contracts, treasury lock agreements and forward-starting interest rate swaps. All of the Company’s interest rate hedge instruments are designated as cash flow hedges. (Refer to “Note H – Derivative Financial Instruments” for additional disclosures regarding the Company’s derivative instruments and hedging activities.) Cash flows related to these instruments designated as qualifying hedges are reflected in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows in the same categories as the cash flows from the items being hedged. The resulting gain or loss from such settlement is deferred to Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss and reclassified to interest expense over the term of the underlying debt. This reclassification of the deferred gains and losses impacts the interest expense recognized on the underlying debt that was hedged.

Foreign Currency

Foreign Currency: The Company accounts for its foreign operations using the local market currency and converts its financial statements from these currencies to U.S. dollars. The cumulative loss on currency translation is recorded as a component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Refer to “Note G – Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss” for additional information regarding the Company’s Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss.)

Self-Insurance Reserves

Self-Insurance Reserves: The Company retains a significant portion of the risks associated with workers’ compensation, general liability, product liability, property and vehicle insurance. The Company obtains third party insurance to limit the exposure related to certain of these risks. The reserve for the Company’s liability associated with these risks totaled $264.3 million and $284.0 million at August 27, 2022 and August 28, 2021, respectively.

The assumptions made by management in estimating its self-insurance reserves include consideration of historical cost experience, judgments about the present and expected levels of cost per claim and retention levels. The Company utilizes various methods, including analyses of historical trends and use of a specialist, to estimate the costs to settle reported claims and claims incurred but not yet reported. The actuarial methods develop estimates of the future ultimate claim costs based on claims incurred as of the balance sheet date. When estimating these liabilities, the Company considers factors, such as the severity, duration and frequency of claims, legal costs associated with claims, healthcare trends and projected inflation of related factors.

The Company’s liabilities for workers’ compensation, general and product liability, property and vehicle claims do not have scheduled maturities; however, the timing of future payments is predictable based on historical patterns and

is relied upon in determining the current portion of these liabilities. Accordingly, the Company reflects the net present value of the obligations it determines to be long-term using the risk-free interest rate as of the balance sheet date.

Leases

Leases: The Company leases certain retail stores, distribution centers and vehicles under various non-callable leases. Leases are categorized at their commencement date, which is the date the Company takes possession or control of the underlying asset. Most of the Company’s leases are operating leases; however, certain land and vehicles are leased under finance leases. The leases have varying terms and expire at various dates through 2046. Retail leases typically have initial terms between one and 20 years, with one to six optional renewal periods of one to five years each. Finance leases for vehicles typically have original terms between one and five years, and finance leases for real estate typically have terms of 20 or more years. The Company subleases certain properties that are not used in its operations. Sublease income was not significant for the periods presented.

Lease-related assets and liabilities are recognized for all leases with an initial term of 12 months or greater. The exercise of lease renewal options is at the Company’s sole discretion. The Company evaluates renewal options at commencement and on an ongoing basis and includes options that are reasonably certain to exercise in its expected lease terms when classifying leases and measuring lease liabilities.

Certain lease agreements require variable payments based upon actual costs of common-area maintenance, real estate taxes and insurance. Lease components are not separated from the non-lease components (typically fixed common-area maintenance costs at its retail store locations) for all classes of leased assets, except vehicles which contain variable non-lease components that are expensed as incurred. The Company uses the stated borrowing rate in determining the present value of the lease payments over the lease term for vehicles. The Company’s incremental borrowing rate is used to determine the present value of the lease payments over the lease term for substantially all the operating and financing leases for retail stores, distribution centers and other real estate, as these leases typically do not have a stated borrowing rate. For operating leases that commenced prior to the date of adoption of ASU 2016-02 – Leases (Topic 842), the Company used the incremental borrowing rate that corresponded to the remaining lease term as of the date of adoption. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. (Refer to “Note M – Leases” for additional disclosures regarding the Company’s leases.)

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments: The Company has financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, other current assets and accounts payable. The carrying amounts of these financial instruments approximate fair value because of their short maturities. (Refer to “Note I – Financing” for a discussion of the carrying values and fair values of the Company’s debt, “Note F – Marketable Debt Securities” for additional disclosures related to marketable debt securities and “Note H – Derivative Financial Instruments” for additional information regarding derivatives.)

Income Taxes

Income Taxes: The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. Our effective tax rate is based on income by tax jurisdiction, statutory rates and tax saving initiatives available to the Company in the various jurisdictions in which we operate.

The Company recognizes liabilities for uncertain income tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step requires the Company to estimate and measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company reevaluates these uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis or when new information becomes available to management. These reevaluations are based on factors including, but not limited to, changes in facts or circumstances, changes in tax law, successfully settled issues under audit, expirations due to statutes and new audit activity. Such a change in recognition or measurement could result in the recognition of a tax benefit or an increase to the tax accrual.

The Company classifies interest related to income tax liabilities, and if applicable, penalties, as a component of Income tax expense. The income tax liabilities and accrued interest and penalties are expected to be payable within one year of the balance sheet date are presented within the Accrued expenses and other caption in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The remaining portion of the income tax liabilities and accrued interest and penalties are presented within the Other long-term liabilities caption in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets because payment of cash is not anticipated within one year of the balance sheet date. (Refer to “Note D – Income Taxes” for additional disclosures regarding the Company’s income taxes.)

Sales and Use Taxes

Sales and Use Taxes: Governmental authorities assess sales and use taxes on the sale of goods and services. The Company excludes taxes collected from customers in its reported sales results; such amounts are included within the Accrued expenses and other caption until remitted to the taxing authorities.

Dividends

Dividends: The Company currently does not pay a dividend on its common stock. The ability to pay dividends is subject to limitations imposed by Nevada law. Under Nevada law, any future payment of dividends would be dependent upon the Company’s financial condition, capital requirements, earnings and cash flow.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition: The Company’s primary source of revenue is derived from the sale of automotive aftermarket parts and merchandise to its retail and commercial customers. Revenue is recognized when performance obligations under the terms of a contract with a customer are satisfied, in an amount representing the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for selling products to its customers. Shipping and handling activities are considered activities to fullfill the order, and therefore are not evaluated as a separate performance oligation. Sales are recorded net of variable consideration in the period incurred, including discounts, sales incentives and rebates, sales taxes and estimated sales returns. Sales returns are based on historical return rates. The Company may enter into contracts that include multiple combinations of products and services, which are accounted for as separate performance obligations and do not require significant judgment.

The Company’s performance obligations are typically satisfied when the customer takes possession of the merchandise. Revenue from retail customers is recognized when the customer leaves our store with the purchased products, typically at the point of sale or for E-commerce orders when the product is shipped. Revenue from commercial customers is recognized upon delivery, typically same-day. Payment from retail customers is at the point of sale and payment terms for commercial customers are based on the Company’s pre-established credit requirements and generally range from 1 to 30 days. Discounts, sales incentives and rebates are treated as separate performance obligations, and revenue allocated to these performance obligations is recognized as the obligations to the customer are satisfied. Additionally, the Company estimates and records gift card breakage as redemptions occur. The Company offers diagnostic and repair information software used in the automotive repair industry through ALLDATA. This revenue is recognized as services are provided. Revenue from these services are recognized over the life of the contract.

A portion of the Company’s transactions include the sale of auto parts that contain a core component. The core component represents the recyclable portion of the auto part. Customers are not charged for the core component of the new part if a used core is returned at the point of sale of the new part; otherwise the Company charges customers a specified amount for the core component. The Company refunds that same amount in the event the customer returns a used core to the store at a later date. The Company does not recognize sales or cost of sales for the core component of these transactions when a used part is returned or expected to be returned from the customer.

There were no material contract assets, liabilities or deferred costs recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of August 27, 2022 and August 28, 2021. Revenue related to unfulfilled performance obligations as of August 27, 2022 and August 28, 2021 is not significant. (Refer to “Note P – Segment Reporting” for additional information related to revenue recognized during the period.)

Vendor Allowances and Advertising Costs

Vendor Allowances and Advertising Costs: The Company receives various payments and allowances from its vendors through a variety of programs and arrangements. Monies received from vendors include rebates, allowances and promotional funds. The amounts to be received are subject to the terms of the vendor agreements, which generally do not state an expiration date, but are subject to ongoing negotiations that may be impacted in the future

based on changes in market conditions, vendor marketing strategies and changes in the profitability or sell-through of the related merchandise.

Rebates and other miscellaneous incentives are earned based on purchases or product sales and are accrued ratably over the purchase or sale of the related product. These monies are generally recorded as a reduction of merchandise inventories and are recognized as a reduction to cost of sales as the related inventories are sold.

For arrangements that provide for reimbursement of specific, incremental, identifiable costs incurred by the Company in selling the vendors’ products, the vendor funds are recorded as a reduction to Operating, selling, general and administrative expenses in the period in which the specific costs were incurred.

The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred. Advertising expense, net of vendor promotional funds, was $97.1 million in fiscal 2022, $85.9 million in fiscal 2021 and $77.6 million in fiscal 2020. Vendor promotional funds, which reduced advertising expense, amounted to $52.1 million in fiscal 2022, $53.2 million in fiscal 2021 and $39.4 million in fiscal 2020.

Cost of Sales and Operating, Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Cost of Sales and Operating, Selling, General and Administrative Expenses: The following illustrates the primary costs classified in each major expense category:

Cost of Sales

● Total cost of merchandise sold, including:

o Freight expenses associated with moving merchandise inventories from the Company’s vendors to the distribution centers;

o Vendor allowances that are not reimbursements for specific, incremental and identifiable costs

● Costs associated with operating the Company’s supply chain, including payroll and benefits, warehouse occupancy, transportation and depreciation; and

● Inventory shrinkage

Operating, Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

● Payroll and benefits for store, field leadership and store support employees;

● Occupancy of store and store support facilities;

● Depreciation and amortization related to store and store support assets;

● Transportation associated with field leadership, commercial sales force and deliveries from stores;

● Advertising;

● Self-insurance; and

● Other administrative costs, such as credit card transaction fees, legal costs, supplies and travel and lodging

Warranty Costs

Warranty Costs: The Company or the vendors supplying its products provides the Company’s customers limited warranties on certain products that range from 30 days to lifetime. In most cases, the Company’s vendors are primarily responsible for warranty claims. Warranty costs relating to merchandise sold under warranty not covered by vendors are estimated and recorded as warranty obligations at the time of sale based on each product’s historical return rate. These obligations, which are often funded by vendor allowances, are recorded within the Accrued expenses and other caption in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For vendor allowances in excess of the related estimated warranty expense for the vendor’s products, the excess is recorded in inventory and recognized as a reduction to cost of sales as the related inventory is sold.

Pre-opening Expenses

Pre-opening Expenses: Pre-opening expenses, which consist primarily of payroll and occupancy costs, are expensed as incurred.

Earnings per Share

Earnings per Share: Basic earnings per share is based on the weighted average outstanding common shares. Diluted earnings per share is based on the weighted average outstanding common shares adjusted for the effect of

common stock equivalents, which are primarily stock options. There were 142,887, 171,652 and 169,460 stock options excluded for the year ended August 27, 2022, August 28, 2021 and August 29, 2020, respectively because they would have been anti-dilutive.

Share-Based Payments

Share-Based Payments: Share-based payments include stock option grants, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and other transactions under the Company’s equity incentive plans. The Company recognizes compensation expense for its share-based payments over the requisite service period based on the fair value of the awards. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option pricing model to calculate the fair value of stock options. The value of restricted stock is based on the stock price of the award on the grant date. (Refer to “Note B – Share-Based Payments” for further discussion.)

Risk and Uncertainties

Risk and Uncertainties: In fiscal 2022, one class of similar products accounted for approximately 13 percent of the Company’s total revenues. No other class of similar products accounted for 10 percent or more of total revenues, and no individual vendor provided more than 10 percent of total purchases.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements:

In November 2021, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832) – Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance, which requires annual disclosures for entities receiving government assistance to provide more transparency.This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021 and will be effective for the Company for fiscal 2023. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption will have on the Company's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.