Company Description
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY) is a specialty retailer in the automotive aftermarket industry. According to the company’s disclosures, it focuses on automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories, serving both the do-it-yourself (DIY) customer and the professional service provider market. The company’s stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol ORLY.
O’Reilly Automotive was founded in 1957 by the O’Reilly family. Over the decades, it has grown from its origins into one of the largest specialty retailers in its category in the United States. Company press releases state that O’Reilly operates thousands of stores and, as of September 30, 2025, it had 6,538 stores across 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada. Earlier releases show a progression in store count over time, reflecting ongoing expansion of its retail footprint.
The company’s business model centers on the retail sale of automotive aftermarket products. O’Reilly describes itself as serving both DIY consumers who work on their own vehicles and professional service providers. In its public communications, the company emphasizes customer service and parts availability as key elements of how it operates its stores. O’Reilly’s stores are supported by distribution infrastructure that is intended to provide parts coverage for a wide range of vehicles, as described in its investor-facing materials.
O’Reilly’s investor communications highlight comparable store sales as an important performance metric. The company regularly reports comparable store sales growth for U.S. stores open at least one year, and it explains that this measure excludes sales of specialty machinery, sales to independent parts stores, and sales to team members, while including online ship-to-home and pick-up-in-store orders for qualifying stores. The company has also disclosed a long history of annual comparable store sales growth and record revenue since becoming a public company in April 1993.
In addition to its retail operations, O’Reilly’s public filings and press releases reference capital allocation activities such as share repurchases under a long-running repurchase program. An 8-K filed on November 18, 2025, notes that the Board of Directors approved an increase in the authorization amount under this program, with repurchases conducted through open market transactions as the company deems appropriate, subject to market conditions and corporate requirements.
O’Reilly communicates regularly with investors through quarterly earnings releases and conference calls. Press releases detail the timing of earnings announcements, provide summaries of sales and earnings performance, and include management commentary on store growth, comparable store sales, and other operating metrics. The company also provides guidance ranges for selected full-year financial data, including net new store openings and comparable store sales, in its earnings announcements.
Geographically, O’Reilly’s store base extends across much of the United States and into select international markets. Company press releases specify that as of various reporting dates in 2024 and 2025, O’Reilly operated stores in 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada. This footprint positions the company to serve a broad set of vehicle owners and repair professionals in multiple regions.
O’Reilly’s communications to investors also reference non-GAAP financial measures such as free cash flow and adjusted debt to EBITDAR. The company explains that these measures are presented as supplemental information and provides reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in tables accompanying its earnings releases. It notes that these measures are used by management and, in its view, provide additional insight into core operations.
From a regulatory standpoint, O’Reilly is incorporated in Missouri, as indicated in its Form 8-K filings, which also list its Commission file number and IRS Employer Identification Number. The company files periodic and current reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, and uses these filings to provide detailed financial statements, risk factor disclosures, and updates on material events.
For customers and potential employees, O’Reilly’s press releases point to its website as a resource for online shopping, current promotions, store locations, hours and services, and employment opportunities. These references underscore that the company engages both in-store and through digital channels, and that it uses its online presence to support its retail operations and recruiting efforts.
Business focus and markets served
Across its disclosures, O’Reilly consistently describes itself as a retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories. Its stated markets are the DIY segment and professional service providers. This dual focus is reflected in management commentary that refers to performance on “both sides” of the business, with growth in both professional and DIY sales contributing to comparable store sales results.
The company’s communications highlight the importance of parts availability and customer service in supporting these markets. While detailed operational processes are not fully described in the provided materials, O’Reilly’s repeated emphasis on service and availability indicates that these are central themes in how it presents its business to investors and customers.
Growth, store expansion, and guidance
O’Reilly regularly reports on net new store openings and provides guidance for future store growth in its earnings releases. For example, multiple releases reference targets for net new store openings in a given year and discuss progress toward those targets. The company also reports the number of stores in operation at quarter-end or year-end, showing incremental increases over time across the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada.
In addition to store growth, O’Reilly provides guidance ranges for selected full-year metrics, such as comparable store sales and total revenue, and updates these ranges as the year progresses. Management commentary in the earnings releases often explains changes to guidance and references factors such as sales trends and external conditions.
Capital structure and share repurchase activity
O’Reilly’s earnings releases and 8-K filings describe an active share repurchase program. The company discloses the number of shares repurchased in a given period, the average price per share, and the total investment. It also reports the cumulative number of shares repurchased and total aggregate investment since the inception of the program, along with the remaining authorization amount.
The November 18, 2025 Form 8-K notes that the Board approved an increase in the authorization amount under the share repurchase program, effective for a three-year period. The filing explains that repurchases may be made from time to time through open market transactions at prevailing market prices, and that the program may be modified, renewed, suspended, or terminated without prior notice.
Stock split and public company history
In a March 13, 2025 press release, O’Reilly announced that its Board of Directors approved a 15-for-1 stock split of its common stock, subject to shareholder approval of an increase in the number of authorized shares. The release links the decision to the company’s history since its initial public offering in April 1993, noting long-term growth in comparable store sales, total revenues, and operating income. The company also states that one of the original goals of going public was to share its success with team members, and it connects the stock split to employee stock purchase participation.
The company’s public communications emphasize a long record of annual comparable store sales growth and record earnings since becoming a public company. This historical perspective is presented as context for the stock split and for the company’s ongoing financial performance.
Use of non-GAAP measures and risk disclosures
O’Reilly’s earnings releases include sections labeled “Non-GAAP Information”, where the company discusses measures such as free cash flow and adjusted debt to EBITDAR. It states that these measures are not derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP, should not be considered in isolation, and are presented as supplemental information. The company provides reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures in accompanying tables.
The releases also contain forward-looking statements disclaimers, identifying certain statements as forward-looking and listing a range of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The company refers readers to the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings for additional details on risks that could affect financial performance.
How investors use O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY) information
Investors and analysts following ORLY typically review the company’s quarterly earnings releases, guidance updates, and SEC filings to understand sales trends, comparable store performance, store expansion, capital allocation decisions, and risk disclosures. O’Reilly’s regular schedule of earnings releases and conference calls, along with its use of both GAAP and non-GAAP metrics, provides a structured view of its operations and financial condition over time.