O’Reilly 4Q same-store sales grow but below guidance

The Springfield-based company reported Wednesday after market close that comparable store sales – for stores open at least one year – for the quarter ended Dec. 31 were up 2.1 percent, compared to O’Reilly’s 4 percent to 6 percent guidance for that segment. Comparable store sales also increased 2.1 percent in fourth-quarter 2006.

“Sales for the first half of the fourth quarter were in line with our estimates for the quarter but fell below expectations during the holiday shopping season,” said CEO and Co-President Greg Henslee in a news release. “We believe consumers continue to be negatively impacted by economic pressures and continue to defer discretionary maintenance on their vehicles.”

Comparable store sales increased 3.7 percent in 2007, compared to a 3.3 percent increase in 2006. Guidance for the year had been positioned between 4 percent and 4.5 percent.

O’Reilly hit its target to open 190 stores for the year, 56 of which opened in the fourth quarter, according to the release. The company is aiming at opening 205 stores this year.

Full fourth-quarter earnings are scheduled to be released Feb. 19, and a conference call discussing the results is set for 10 a.m. Feb. 20 via webcast at www.oreillyauto.com.

O’Reilly shares (Nasdaq: ORLY) closed Wednesday at $27.05 and were trading up 8 cents as of 9:45 a.m. The 52-week range is $26.14 to $38.84.