For the third consecutive year AutoZone claimed the top spot in the annual Aftermarket Business World Top 25 Auto Chain Report, which lists companies by their number of company-owned stores in North America. AutoZone increased its North American store count to 5,806 this year from its industry-leading 5,644 figure in last year’s report.
Also for the third consecutive year, Advance Auto Parts ranked No. 2, this time with 5,189 company-owned stores in North America. That figure does not include approximately 1,250 independently owned Carquest locations that Advance serves, pushing their total number of locations to more than 6,400.
O’Reilly Automotive came in third once again with 4,829 company-owned stores in North America, an increase from 4,571 in last year’s report. After the top three, the number of stores drop off sharply as Genuine Parts Company finished fourth with 1,368 company-owned stores in North America.
Icahn Automotive Group LLC, parent company of Pep Boys and Auto Plus, placed fifth with 1,228 company-owned stores in North America. The company has more than 4,000 company-owned and independently owned stores and service centers. Icahn Automotive Group burst into the top five list last year following its purchases of Pep Boys in February 2016 for approximately $1.03 billion, and of Uni-Select USA and Beck/Arnley Worldparts in June 2015 for approximately $340 million.
Rounding out the top 10 of company owned stores in North America this year are Fisher Auto Parts with approximately 500; Uni-Select, approximately 255, which includes company-owned Finishmaster locations; Replacement Parts Inc., 177; Auto-Wares Group of Companies, 172; and Automotive Parts Headquarters, 124. Click here to see companies finishing 11 through 25.
Industry consolidation once again affected the Top 25 this year. Two companies – Bond Auto Parts and Hedahls Auto Plus – dropped off this year’s list because they were acquired. O’Reilly Automotive acquired Bond Auto Parts, which operated 48 stores in New England, on Dec. 2, 2016. Automotive Parts Headquarters acquired 22 Hedahls locations and three Benco Equipment locations that were owned by Hedahls in January 2017.
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