Amid rising environmental concerns and inflating fuel prices, the recent shift in consumer interest in electric vehicles should bolster the auto parts industry’s growth prospects. Moreover, given the growing market for used cars, the need for auto parts is expected to keep up.
Furthermore, lucrative government initiatives, rapid technological advancements, and a shift of focus on car accessories should propel growth in the coming years. According to Research and Markets, the motor vehicle parts market is projected to grow at 7.9% from 2021 to 2026.
However, aggressive policy tightening by the Fed has increased car loan rates, dampening demand. Moreover, supply chain disruptions and lingering macroeconomic headwinds might harm the auto parts industry.
While fundamentally strong auto parts stocks O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY), Bridgestone Corporation (BRDCY), and Garrett Motion Inc. (GTX) could be ideal additions to your portfolio, Luminar Technologies, Inc. (LAZR) might be best avoided considering its bleak fundamentals.
Stocks to Buy:
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (ORLY)
ORLY operates as a retailer and supplier of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories. The company also provides new and remanufactured automotive hard parts and maintenance items.
ORLY’s sales increased 9.2% year-over-year to $3.80 billion for the fiscal third quarter that ended September 30, 2022. The company’s gross profit increased 6.4% year-over-year to $1.93 billion. Its net income increased 4.8% from the year-ago period to $585.44 million, while its EPS rose 13.6% from the prior-year quarter to $9.17.
Street expects ORLY’s EPS for the fourth fiscal quarter (ended December 2022) to rise 1.2% year-over-year to $7.73. Its revenue is expected to grow 6.3% year-over-year to $3.50 billion in the same quarter.
Over the past six months, the stock has gained 24.1% to close its last trading session at $810.85. It has gained 11.5% over the past three months.
ORLY’s POWR Ratings reflect this promising outlook. The stock has an overall rating of B, which translates to Buy in our proprietary rating system. The POWR Ratings assess stocks by 118 different factors, each with its own weighting.
It has an A grade in Quality. The stock is ranked #21 out of 62 stocks in the A-rated Auto Parts industry.
Click here to access additional ratings for ORLY for Growth, Value, Momentum, Stability, and Sentiment.
Bridgestone Corporation (BRDCY)
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, BRDCY manufactures and sells tires and rubber products. It operates in two segments: Tires and Diversified Products. The company offers tires and tire tubes for passenger cars, trucks, buses, construction and mining vehicles, industrial machinery, agricultural machinery, aircraft, motorcycles, scooters, etc.
BRDCY pays a $0.61 per share dividend annually, which translates to a 3.31% yield on the current share price. Its four-year dividend yield is 3.54%.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2022, BRDCY’s revenue increased 28.4% year-over-year to ¥2.98 trillion ($22.88 billion). The company’s gross profit grew 21.2% from the prior-year period to ¥1.15 trillion ($8.80 billion). Its operating profit rose 11% year-over-year to ¥307.23 billion