AZO: 10-K Risk Factor Changes

​ Demand for the products we sell may be affected by a number of factors we cannot control, including: ​ ​ These factors could result in a decline in the demand for our products, which could materially adversely affect our business and overall financial condition. 14 14 Table of Contents​If we are unable to compete successfully against other businesses that sell the products that we sell, we could lose customers and our sales and profits may decline.​The sale of automotive parts, accessories and maintenance items is highly competitive. See “Item 1. Business” above for additional information regarding our competitive environment.​Although we believe we compete effectively, our competitors may have greater financial resources allowing them to invest more in their business, greater sourcing capabilities allowing them to sell merchandise at lower prices, larger stores with more merchandise, longer operating histories with deeper customer relationships, more frequent customer visits, more effective advertising and more successful utilization of data analytics, artificial intelligence and other new and emerging technologies. Online and multi-channel retailers often have lower operating costs and focus on delivery services, thereby offering customers faster, guaranteed delivery times and low-price or free shipping. In addition, because our business strategy is based on offering superior levels of customer service to complement the products we offer, our cost structure is higher than some of our competitors, which also puts pressure on our margins.​With the increasing use of digital tools, our customers often begin their shopping experience online and are quickly able to compare prices, product assortment, product availability and feedback from other customers before purchasing products. We may be unable to differentiate ourselves or unable to anticipate and adapt to new or enhanced digital experiences offered by other retailers.​If we are unable to continue to manage in-stock inventory and costs, provide competitive delivery options, develop successful competitive strategies, including the maintenance of effective promotions, advertising and loyalty programs, develop and execute effective digital and omni-channel strategies or otherwise compete effectively, or if our competitors develop more effective strategies, we could lose customers and our sales and profits may decline.​We may not be able to sustain our historic rate of sales growth.​We have increased annual revenues in the past five fiscal years from $12.6 billion in fiscal 2020 to $18.9 billion in fiscal 2025, with a compounded annual growth rate of approximately eight percent. Annual revenue growth is driven by increases in same store sales, the opening of new stores and the development of new commercial programs. Same store sales are impacted both by customer demand levels and by the prices we are able to charge for our products, which can also be negatively impacted by economic pressures. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for further discussion of same store sales.​We have increased our store count in the past five fiscal years, growing from 6,549 stores at August 29, 2020 to 7,657 stores at August 30, 2025, a compounded annual growth rate of approximately three percent.​Achieving our store development and expansion goals, domestically and in international markets, will depend upon our ability to identify and obtain suitable sites for new and expanded stores in a timely manner and at acceptable costs, the hiring and training of qualified personnel, effective utilization of our supply chain and hub network, and the integration of new stores into existing operations, among other factors. Furthermore, we open new stores only after evaluating customer buying trends and market demand/needs, all of which could be adversely affected by persistent unemployment, wage cuts, small business failures and microeconomic conditions unique to the automotive industry. There can be no assurance we will be able to achieve our store expansion goals, manage our growth investments effectively, successfully integrate the planned new stores into our operations or operate our new, remodeled and expanded stores profitably. ​If we cannot profitably increase our market share in the commercial auto parts business, our sales growth may be limited.​Although we are a leading distributor of automotive parts and other products in the commercial market, we must effectively compete against national, regional and local auto parts chains, independently owned parts stores, 15 Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents ​If we are unable to compete successfully against other businesses that sell the products that we sell, we could lose customers and our sales and profits may decline.​The sale of automotive parts, accessories and maintenance items is highly competitive. See “Item 1. Business” above for additional information regarding our competitive environment.​Although we believe we compete effectively, our competitors may have greater financial resources allowing them to invest more in their business, greater sourcing capabilities allowing them to sell merchandise at lower prices, larger stores with more merchandise, longer operating histories with deeper customer relationships, more frequent customer visits, more effective advertising and more successful utilization of data analytics, artificial intelligence and other new and emerging technologies. Online and multi-channel retailers often have lower operating costs and focus on delivery services, thereby offering customers faster, guaranteed delivery times and low-price or free shipping. In addition, because our business strategy is based on offering superior levels of customer service to complement the products we offer, our cost structure is higher than some of our competitors, which also puts pressure on our margins.​With the increasing use of digital tools, our customers often begin their shopping experience online and are quickly able to compare prices, product assortment, product availability and feedback from other customers before purchasing products. We may be unable to differentiate ourselves or unable to anticipate and adapt to new or enhanced digital experiences offered by other retailers.​If we are unable to continue to manage in-stock inventory and costs, provide competitive delivery options, develop successful competitive strategies, including the maintenance of effective promotions, advertising and loyalty programs, develop and execute effective digital and omni-channel strategies or otherwise compete effectively, or if our competitors develop more effective strategies, we could lose customers and our sales and profits may decline.​We may not be able to sustain our historic rate of sales growth.​We have increased annual revenues in the past five fiscal years from $12.6 billion in fiscal 2020 to $18.9 billion in fiscal 2025, with a compounded annual growth rate of approximately eight percent. Annual revenue growth is driven by increases in same store sales, the opening of new stores and the development of new commercial programs. Same store sales are impacted both by customer demand levels and by the prices we are able to charge for our products, which can also be negatively impacted by economic pressures. See “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for further discussion of same store sales.​We have increased our store count in the past five fiscal years, growing from 6,549 stores at August 29, 2020 to 7,657 stores at August 30, 2025, a compounded annual growth rate of approximately three percent.​Achieving our store development and expansion goals, domestically and in international markets, will depend upon our ability to identify and obtain suitable sites for new and expanded stores in a timely manner and at acceptable costs, the hiring and training of qualified personnel, effective utilization of our supply chain and hub network, and the integration of new stores into existing operations, among other factors. Furthermore, we open new stores only after evaluating customer buying trends and market demand/needs, all of which could be adversely affected by persistent unemployment, wage cuts, small business failures and microeconomic conditions unique to the automotive industry. There can be no assurance we will be able to achieve our store expansion goals, manage our growth investments effectively, successfully integrate the planned new stores into our operations or operate our new, remodeled and expanded stores profitably. ​If we cannot profitably increase our market share in the commercial auto parts business, our sales growth may be limited.​Although we are a leading distributor of automotive parts and other products in the commercial market, we must effectively compete against national, regional and local auto parts chains, independently owned parts stores, ​