North American aftermarket parts provider Advance Auto Parts, Inc. announced its financial results for the third quarter ended October 10, 2026, with professional sales leading results.

As of October 10, 2026, Advance operated 4,325 stores primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Our comparable sales performance improved as the quarter progressed. Main Street Pro outperformed throughout the quarter while DIY trends improved compared to the softer trends experienced during the summer. I thank the team for their hard work and commitment to serving our customers,” said Shane O’Kelly, president and chief executive officer.

“Sales declined in the low-single-digit range during the first eight weeks before turning positive in the final four weeks, supported by improved transaction volumes. The Pro channel led performance in Q3, with low-single-digit sales growth including stronger Main Street Pro growth.

“The DIY channel declined in the low-single-digit range for the quarter, with trends recovering from negative mid-single-digit levels at the start of the quarter. Despite the volatile demand environment and industry cost pressures, we delivered an adjusted operating margin of 4.5% in Q3 and generated over $100 million of free cash flow year-to-date. We believe that our strategic initiatives are starting to gain traction and we remain focused on delivering sustainable, profitable growth over the long term.”

Third Quarter 2026 Results

Third quarter 2026 net sales totaled $2,012 million, compared with $2,036 million in the third quarter of the prior year. Comparable store sales for the third quarter 2026 decreased 1.2%.

All figures in USD.

The company’s third quarter 2026 gross profit was $897 million, or 44.6% of net sales compared with $881 million, or 43.3% in the third quarter of 2025. Adjusted gross profit was $899 million, or 44.7% of net sales in the third quarter of 2026 compared with $913 million, or 44.8% in the third quarter of 2025.

The decrease in gross profit as a percentage of net sales compared to the third quarter of 2025 was primarily driven by changes in product and channel sales mix compared to last year and supply chain expense deleverage.

Advance Auto Parts’ third quarter 2026 selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $850 million, or 42.2% of net sales compared with $859 million, or 42.2% of net sales in the third quarter of 2025. Adjusted SG&A expenses were $808 million, or 40.2% of net sales in the third quarter of 2026 compared with $823 million, or 40.4% of net sales in the third quarter of 2025.

The decrease in SG&A as a percentage of net sales compared to the third quarter of 2025 was primarily driven by a reduction in expenses compared to last year, supported by disciplined expense management.

Third quarter 2026 operating income was $47 million, or 2.3% of net sales, compared with $22 million, or 1.1% of net sales in the third quarter of 2025. Adjusted operating income was $91 million or 4.5% of net sales in the third quarter of 2026, compared with $90 million or 4.4% of net sales in the third quarter of 2025.

The company’s third quarter 2026 diluted earnings per share was $0.25, compared with loss of $0.02 in the third quarter of 2025. Adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.79 in the third quarter of 2026, compared with $0.92 in the third quarter of 2025.

Capital Allocation

On October 26, 2026, the Company declared a regular cash dividend of $0.25 per share to be paid on January 22, 2027 to all common stockholders of record as of January 8, 2027.

Full Year 2026 Guidance

The company has revised its full year 2026 guidance to reflect year-to-date financial performance and updated operating assumptions for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Investor Conference Call

The company detailed its results for the third quarter and full year 2026 via a webcast scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 5, 2026. The webcast will be accessible via the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website (ir.AdvanceAutoParts.com).

A replay of the conference call will be available on the company’s Investor Relations website for one year.

About Advance Auto Parts

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider that serves both professional installers and do-it-yourself customers. As of October 10, 2026, Advance operated 4,325 stores primarily within the United States, with additional locations in Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Company also served 787 independently owned Carquest branded stores across these locations in addition to various Caribbean islands. Additional information about Advance, including employment opportunities, customer services, and online shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.