Advance Auto Parts Sales Fall 1.2% in Quarter
Comparable store sales declined in the third quarter of 2026 as operating income rose to $47 million.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Auto Parts
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Advance Auto Parts reported a 1.2 percent decline in comparable store sales for the third quarter of 2026, with net sales of $2.01 billion for the period ended Oct. 10. Operating income increased to $47 million, or 2.3 percent of sales, compared with $22 million a year earlier.
Why it matters
Sales weakness early in the quarter reversed in the final four weeks, with stronger demand from professional repair shops leading the improvement. The results show the company improving profitability even as top-line sales remained under pressure.
Gross profit rose to $897 million from $881 million, and gross margin reached 44.6 percent for the quarter. Diluted earnings per share were 25 cents for the period.
The players
Advance Auto Parts
Advance Auto Parts is a United States automotive aftermarket retailer that sells parts, accessories and batteries to both do-it-yourself and professional installer customers.
The details
Sales declined in the low-single-digit range during the first eight weeks of the quarter before turning positive in the final four weeks. Professional installer sales increased in the low-single-digit range while sales to do-it-yourself customers declined in the low-single-digit range, and selling, general and administrative expenses fell to $850 million from $859 million.
Timeline
Q3 2025: prior-year comparison period.
Oct. 10, 2026: end of the third quarter 2026 reporting period.
Market Landscape
Professional installer demand has increasingly carried U.S. auto parts retail as do-it-yourself buying softens. Advance Auto Parts' quarter follows that pattern, with installer sales growing in the low-single-digit range while do-it-yourself sales declined.
Stronger professional installer traffic may shape which stores have parts in stock for repair shops and which promotions are offered to do-it-yourself buyers. Shoppers buying parts for their own vehicles saw softer demand in the quarter, which may influence store pricing and inventory choices.
The takeaway
Investors and car owners should watch whether the late-quarter improvement in professional installer sales holds as a sustained trend. A shift toward installer demand suggests the parts business may increasingly depend on repair shops rather than individual buyers.
Further reading
For more on the parts-retail sector, see Auto Parts coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Auto Service World.
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