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ORLYO'Reilly Automotive, Inc.Hold5.6·$84.50-6.37%
ORLY · Why this verdict

Why O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY) is rated HOLD

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictHOLD
Overall score5.6/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL

Thesis pillars

A Piotroski F-Score of 8/9 and moat score of 7.0 reflect a durable competitive position in aftermarket auto parts, driven by extensive distribution networks and professional installer relationships.

Stable
Quality breakdown
Expectation
Piotroski score remains at 7 or above and operating margin stays above 15% for the next 4 reported quarters.

CounterFree cash flow is only 51% of net income, flagging an earnings quality warning that could indicate capital expenditures are consuming cash faster than the headline income suggests.

Analyst consensus implies 22% upside from current levels, reflecting institutional confidence that current prices represent a temporary dislocation from fair value.

Stable
Sentiment breakdown
Expectation
Price appreciates to within 5% of the $99.19 analyst target within 12 months.

CounterAn elevated put-to-call ratio of 3.52 and a confirmed downtrend suggest that sophisticated options traders are not aligned with the bullish analyst consensus.

The stock is below its 200-day moving average with the average declining at 1.5% over 30 days, confirming a downtrend that historically precedes further underperformance before a sustainable reversal.

Stable
Momentum breakdown
Expectation
Price crosses back above the 200-day moving average and the slope turns positive within 12 months.

CounterMACD is improving despite the downtrend, and the overall momentum score of 5.0 sits at the boundary of acceptable momentum, suggesting the worst of the selling may be past.

A put-to-call ratio of 3.52 indicates that options buyers are paying significantly more to hedge downside risk than to capture upside, a bearish signal that professional market participants expect further weakness.

Stable
Key risks
Expectation
Put-to-call ratio falls below 2.0 within 6 months as the downtrend resolves and the stock builds a base.

CounterElevated put-to-call ratios at cyclical lows in high-quality retailers often precede sharp recoveries when the hedging overhang unwinds.

TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

O'Reilly Automotive is a high-quality auto parts retailer with a strong Piotroski score of 8/9 and 22% analyst upside, but a confirmed downtrend, thin 9.9% upside margin, elevated put-to-call ratio of 3.52, and a recent executive departure create a cautious near-term outlook.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

5.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E4.4
P/S7.5
EV/EBITDA0.0
Fwd P/E5.0
PEG4.6
Analyst target7.5
  • Forward P/E: 24.9x
  • PEG: 1.93

Quality

6.6/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROA9.2
Gross margin6.3
Op margin7.4
Net margin7.2
Current ratio3.0
FCF quality4.1
Moat7.0
Piotroski F8.9
  • Earnings quality warning: 51% FCF/NI
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 8/9

Growth

5.1/10data confidence 67%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth5.0
EPS growth5.2

Momentum

3.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI3.5
MACD6.4
OBV1.0
MA position1.0
Volume7.5
  • Volume distribution (falling OBV)
  • Below 200-MA, MA slope -2.3%/30d — confirmed downtrend

Sentiment

7.5/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
LLM sentiment6.5
Analyst rating7.5
Price target8.6
  • Analyst upside: 31%

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.0
  • Insider selling (low materiality) — $9,815,211 (0.013% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

5.3/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank1.7
quality rank8.4
growth rank6.0
  • Best-in-class margins

Technical

8.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger10.0
support resistance8.6
52w position5.5

Risk (lower is worse)

5.7/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest8.5
days to cover7.3
volatility3.9
put call0.0
implied vol4.8
beta9.9
  • Elevated put/call: 6.12

Catalyst

5.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm5.0
earnings history5.6
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg2.9
news activity8.0

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Maintain position. Not compelling to add more.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_HOLD
Passed (6)
  • ASYMMETRY:2.6>=1.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:24d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (2)
  • MOMENTUM:3.9<4.5
  • DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK
Warning (1)
  • 8K_CSUITE_CHANGE:5.02 (officer departure/appointment)
Reward-to-Risk
2.57
Upside
+17.8%
Downside
6.9%
Sizing output
AVOID

Setup No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed

EdgeNo clear edge No clear edge identified

SuitabilityModerate Balanced profile

Investment implication

None of the engine's positive-conviction paths (C-quality, D-momentum) triggered — the F-path HOLD reflects balanced signals. Strongest-cleared gate: ASYMMETRY:2.6>=1.5. Top dim: Technical at 8.0; weakest: Momentum at 3.9. No conviction either direction.

The strongest dimensions are Technical at 8.0, Sentiment at 7.5, and Quality at 6.6; the weakest are Momentum at 3.9, Insider at 5.0, and Value at 5.0. The V9 engine flagged 2 failed gates with 1 warning, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of 2.57 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Piotroski Quality Moat

    Trip ifPiotroski F-Score falls below 6 in any reported period.

  • P2Analyst Upside 22pct

    Trip ifAnalyst consensus price target falls below $85 (below current price of $90.26).

  • P3Confirmed Downtrend Risk

    Trip ifThe 200-day moving average slope declines below negative 3% for more than 60 days.

  • P4Elevated Put Call Ratio

    Trip ifPut-to-call ratio rises above 5.0, signaling accelerating institutional hedging activity.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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