O REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021

OR

For the transition period from                     to                        

O’REILLY AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

233 South Patterson Avenue

Springfield, Missouri 65802

(Address of principal executive offices, Zip code)

(417) 862-6708

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes  ☒  No  ☐

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes  ☐  No  ☒

Note - Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from their obligations under those Sections.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  ☒  No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes  ☒  No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  ☐  No  ☒

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At June 30, 2021, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Company was $32,941,377,581 based on the last price of the common stock reported by The Nasdaq Global Select Market.

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At February 21, 2022, an aggregate of 66,600,918 shares of common stock of the registrant were outstanding.

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DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

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Portions of the definitive proxy statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 120 days after December 31, 2021, are incorporated by reference into Part III.

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O’REILLY AUTOMOTIVE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

FORM 10-K

FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Forward-Looking Statements

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We claim the protection of the safe-harbor for forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as “estimate,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “would,” “consider,” “should,” “anticipate,” “project,” “plan,” “intend” or similar words.  In addition, statements contained within this annual report that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, such as statements discussing, among other things, expected growth, store development, integration and expansion strategy, business strategies, future revenues and future performance.  These forward-looking statements are based on estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions and are not guarantees of future events and results.  Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, the COVID-19 pandemic or other public health crises; the economy in general; inflation; consumer debt levels; product demand; the market for auto parts; competition; weather; tariffs; availability of key products and supply chain disruptions; business interruptions, including terrorist activities, war and the threat of war; failure to protect our brand and reputation; challenges in international markets; volatility of the market price of our common stock; our increased debt levels; credit ratings on public debt; historical growth rate sustainability; our ability to hire and retain qualified employees; risks associated with the performance of acquired businesses; information security and cyber-attacks; and governmental regulations.  Actual results may materially differ from anticipated results described or implied in these forward-looking statements.  Please refer to the “Risk Factors” section in this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, for additional factors that could materially affect our financial performance.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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PART I

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Item 1. Business

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GENERAL INFORMATION

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Unless otherwise indicated, “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms, as well as references to the “Company,” refer to O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. and its Subsidiaries.  O’Reilly is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States (“U.S.”), selling our products to both do-it-yourself (“DIY”) and professional service provider customers, our “dual market strategy.”  The business was founded in 1957 by Charles F. O’Reilly and his son, Charles H. “Chub’’ O’Reilly, Sr., and initially operated from a single store in Springfield, Missouri. Our common stock has traded on The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ORLY” since April 22, 1993.

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At December 31, 2021, we operated 5,759 stores in 47 states in the United States and 25 stores in Mexico.  Our stores carry an extensive product line, including

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Our stores offer many enhanced services and programs to our customers, such as

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See the “Risk Factors” section of this annual report on Form 10-K for a description of certain risks relevant to our business.  These risk factors include, among others, risk related to the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, deteriorating economic conditions, competition in the automotive aftermarket business, our sensitivity to regional economic and weather conditions, our relationships with key suppliers and availability of key products, complications in our distribution centers (“DCs”), failure to protect our brand and reputation, risks associated with international operations, unanticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results, the volatility of the market price of our common stock, our increased debt levels, a downgrade in our credit ratings, future growth assurance, our dependence upon key personnel, our acquisition strategies, data security and environmental legislation and other regulations.

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OUR BUSINESS

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Our goal is to continue to achieve growth in sales and profitability by capitalizing on our competitive advantages and executing our growth strategy.  We remain confident in our ability to continue to gain market share in our existing markets and grow our business in new markets by focusing on our dual market strategy and the core O’Reilly values, including superior customer service and expense control.  Our intent is to be the dominant auto parts provider in all the markets we serve by providing a higher level of customer service and a better value position than our competitors to both DIY and professional service provider customers.

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Competitive Advantages

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We believe our effective dual market strategy, superior customer service, technically proficient store personnel, strategic distribution network and experienced management Team make up our key competitive advantages, which cannot be easily duplicated.

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Proven Ability to Execute Our Dual Market Strategy:

For more than 40 years, we have established a track record of effectively serving, at a high level, both DIY and professional service provider customers.  We believe our proven ability to effectively execute a dual market strategy is a unique competitive advantage.  The execution of this strategy enables us to better compete by targeting a larger base of automotive aftermarket parts consumers, capitalizing on our existing store and distribution infrastructure, operating profitably in both large markets and less densely populated geographic areas that typically attract fewer competitors and enhancing service levels offered to DIY customers through the offering of a broad inventory and the extensive product knowledge required by professional service provider customers.

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In 2021, we derived approximately 59% of our sales from our DIY customers and approximately 41% of our sales from our professional service provider customers.  Historically, we have increased our sales to professional service provider customers at a faster pace than the increase in our sales to DIY customers due to the more fragmented nature of the professional service provider business, which offers a greater opportunity for consolidation.  We believe we will continue to have a competitive advantage on the professional service provider portion of our business, due to our systems, knowledge, industry-leading parts availability and experience serving the professional service provider side of the automotive aftermarket, augmented by our approximately 750 full-time sales staff dedicated solely to calling upon and servicing the professional service provider customer.  We will also continue to expand and enhance the level of offerings focused on growing our DIY business and will continue to execute our proven dual market strategy in both existing and new markets.

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Superior Customer Service:

We seek to provide our customers with an efficient and pleasant in-store experience by maintaining attractive stores in convenient locations with a wide selection of automotive products.  We believe the satisfaction of DIY and professional service provider customers is substantially dependent upon our ability to provide, in a timely fashion, the correct automotive products needed to complete their repairs.  Accordingly, each O’Reilly store carries, or has same or next day availability to, a broad selection of automotive products designed to cover a wide range of vehicle applications.  We continuously refine the inventory levels and assortments carried in each of our stores and within our network, based in large part on the sales movement tracked by our inventory control system, market vehicle registration data, failure rates and management’s assessment of the changes and trends in the marketplace.  We have no material backorders for the products we sell.

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We seek to attract new DIY and professional service provider customers and retain existing customers by offering superior customer service, the key elements of which are identified below:

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Technically Proficient Professional Parts People:

Our highly-motivated, technically-proficient Professional Parts People provide us with a significant competitive advantage, particularly over less specialized retail operators.  We require our Professional Parts People to undergo extensive and ongoing training and to be knowledgeable, particularly with respect to hard part repairs, in order to better serve the technically-oriented professional service provider customers with whom they interact on a daily basis.  Such technical proficiency also enhances the customer service we provide to our DIY customers who value the expert assistance provided by our Professional Parts People.  See our “Team Members and Human Capital Management” disclosure of the “Business” section of this annual report on Form 10-K for more information about our technically proficient professional parts people.

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Strategic Regional Tiered Distribution Network:

We believe our commitment to a robust, regional, tiered distribution network provides superior replenishment and access to hard-to-find parts and enables us to optimize product availability and inventory levels throughout our store network.  Our strategic, regional, tiered distribution network includes DCs and Hub stores.  Our inventory management and distribution systems electronically link each of our stores to one or more DCs, which provides for efficient inventory control and management.  We currently operate 28 regional DCs, which provide our stores with same-day or overnight access to an average of 158,000 stock keeping units (“SKUs”), many of which are hard-to-find items not typically stocked by other auto parts retailers.  To augment our robust distribution network, we operate a total of 375 Hub stores that also provide delivery service and same-day access to an average of 45,000 SKUs from a Hub or 80,000 to 92,000 SKUs from a Super Hub to other stores within the surrounding area.  We believe this timely access to a broad range of products is a key competitive advantage in satisfying customer demand and generating repeat business.

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Experienced Management Team:

Our Company philosophy is to “promote from within” and the vast majority of our senior managers, district managers and store managers have been promoted from within the Company.  We augment this promote from within philosophy by pursuing strategic hires with a strong emphasis on automotive aftermarket experience.  We have a strong management Team that has demonstrated the consistent ability to successfully execute our business plan and growth strategy by generating 29 consecutive years of record revenues and earnings and positive comparable store sales results since becoming a public company in April of 1993.  See our “Team Members and Human Capital Management” disclosure of the “Business” section of this annual report on Form 10-K for more information about our experienced management Team.

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Growth Strategy

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Aggressively Open New Stores:

We intend to continue to consolidate the fragmented automotive aftermarket.  During 2021, we opened 165 net, new domestic stores and three new stores in Mexico.  In 2022, we plan to open 175 to 185 net, new stores, which will increase our penetration in existing markets and allow for expansion into new, contiguous markets.  The sites for these new stores have been identified, and to date, we have not experienced significant difficulties in locating suitable sites for construction of new stores or identifying suitable acquisition targets for conversion to O’Reilly stores.  We typically open new stores by

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New store sites are strategically located in clusters within geographic areas that complement our distribution network in order to achieve economies of scale in management, advertising and distribution.  Other key factors we consider in the site selection process include population density and growth patterns, demographic lifestyle segmentation, age and per capita income, vehicle traffic counts, vehicles in operation, number and type of existing automotive repair facilities and competing auto parts stores within a predetermined radius.

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We target both small and large markets for expansion of our store network.  While we have, and continue to face, aggressive competition in the more densely populated markets, we believe we have competed effectively, and are well positioned to continue to compete effectively, in such markets and to achieve our goal of continued profitable sales growth within these markets.  We also believe that with our dual market strategy, we are better able to operate stores in less densely populated areas, which would not otherwise support a national chain store selling primarily to the retail automotive aftermarket.  Therefore, we continue to pursue opening new stores in less densely populated market areas as part of our growth strategy.

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Grow Sales in Existing Stores:

Profitable comparable store sales growth is also an important part of our growth strategy.  To achieve improved sales and profitability at existing O’Reilly stores, we continually strive to improve the service provided to our customers.  We believe that while competitive pricing is an essential component of successful growth in the automotive aftermarket business, it is customer satisfaction, whether of the DIY consumer or professional service provider, resulting from superior customer service, that generates sustainable increased sales and profitability.

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Selectively Pursue Strategic Acquisitions:

The automotive aftermarket industry is still highly fragmented, and we believe the ability of national auto parts chains, like O’Reilly, to operate more efficiently and effectively than smaller independent operators will result in continued industry consolidation.  Our intention

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is to continue to selectively pursue strategic acquisitions that will strengthen our position as a leading automotive aftermarket parts supplier in existing markets and provide a springboard for expansion into new markets, domestic and international.

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Continually Enhance Store Design and Location:

Our current prototype store design features optimized square footage, high ceilings, convenient interior store layouts, in-store signage, multilingual signage when appropriate, bright lighting, convenient ingress and egress, ample parking and dedicated counters to serve professional service provider customers, each designed to increase sales and operating efficiencies to enhance overall customer service.  We continually update the location and condition of our store network through systematic renovation and relocation of our existing stores to enhance store performance.  During 2021, while experiencing constraints to construction timing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we relocated 12 stores and performed minor to major updates or renovations to approximately 1,200 additional stores.  We believe that our ability to consistently achieve growth in comparable store sales is due in part to our commitment to maintaining an attractive store network, which is strategically located to best attract and serve our customers.  

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Omnichannel Growth Strategy:

Our Omnichannel growth strategies reflect the continued evolution of customer preferences in researching and completing purchases.  More than ever before, our customers’ purchase decisions are informed by a range of interactions, whether in-person, over the phone, or through a variety of digital channels, as they seek to find the professional parts knowledge and the product availability they need to meet their automotive repair and maintenance needs.  Our Omnichannel growth strategies are focused on offering our customers an enhanced and seamless research and buying experience through any of these channels.  We have long been known for excellent customer service and continue to grow the functionality and user-friendliness of our digital platforms, including www.OReillyAuto.com and www.FirstCallOnline.com, to enhance our customers’ shopping experience.  Many of our customers interact over multiple channels to research and complete a purchase, and the functionality and features of our digital sites complement the outstanding customer service provided in our brick and mortar locations.

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Team Members and Human Capital Management

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Our tradition for 65 years has been to treat all of our Team Members with honesty and respect and to commit significant resources to instill in them our “Live Green” culture, which emphasizes the importance of each Team Member’s contribution to the success of O’Reilly.  This focus on professionalism and respect has created an industry-leading Team, and we consider our relations with our Team Members to be excellent.  

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We are committed to providing a work environment that allows Team Members to feel highly valued and to be productive and effective in their jobs by maintaining an inclusive environment and healthy work/life balance, which we believe increases employee engagement.  Our ongoing emphasis on diversity and inclusion, including our policies, recruitment and selection procedures, onboarding processes and training efforts, positively builds upon our successful “promote from within” philosophy and growth strategies.  

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Talent Acquisition, Retention and Training:

Our Company knows the value of a tenured Team, which is why our philosophy is to “promote from within” first.  As management opportunities arise, we look first within the Company and promote those who have performed well, have the right expertise and have shown leadership potential before looking outside the Company; however, we augment this philosophy by pursuing strategic hires with a strong emphasis on automotive aftermarket experience when appropriate.  This comprehensive approach increases Team Member commitment and has resulted in a very experienced leadership Team.  As of December 31, 2021, our strong management Team was comprised of 229 senior managers who average 20 years of service, 289 corporate managers who average 16 years of service and 574 district managers who average 14 years of service.

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Each of our stores is staffed with a store manager and one or more assistant managers, in addition to parts specialists, retail and/or installer service specialists and other positions required to meet the specific needs of each store.  Each of our 574 district managers has general supervisory responsibility for an average of 10 stores, which provides our stores with strong operational support.

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We offer a variety of specific training programs that address a broad spectrum of topics from store and distribution center operations to customer service.  We believe our highly trained Team of Professional Parts People is essential in providing superior customer service to both DIY and professional service provider customers.  A significant portion of our business is from professional service provider customers; therefore, our Professional Parts People are required to be highly technically proficient in automotive products.  In addition, we have found that the typical DIY customer often seeks assistance from Professional Parts People, particularly when purchasing hard parts.  The ability of our Professional Parts People to provide such assistance to the DIY customer creates a favorable impression and is a significant factor in generating repeat DIY business.

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We screen prospective Team Members to identify highly motivated individuals who either have experience with automotive parts and repairs or automotive aptitude.  New store Team Members go through a comprehensive orientation focused on the culture of our Company, as well as the requirements for their specific position.  Additionally, during their first year of employment, our parts specialists go through extensive automotive systems and product knowledge training to ensure they are able to provide high levels of service to our customers.  Once all of the required training has been satisfied, our parts specialists become eligible to take the O’Reilly Certified Parts Professional test.  Passing the O’Reilly test helps prepare them to become certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (“ASE”).

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All of our stores have the ability to service professional service provider customers.  For this reason, select Team Members in each store complete extensive sales call training with a regional field sales manager.  These Team Members then spend at least one day per week calling on existing and potential professional service provider customers.  Each Team Member engaged in such sales activities participates in quarterly advanced training programs for sales and business development.

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Additionally, store and district managers complete a comprehensive training program to ensure each has a thorough understanding of customer service, leadership, inventory management and store profitability, as well as all other sales and operational aspects of our business model.  Store and district managers are also required to complete a structured training program that is specific to their position, including attending a week-long manager development program at the corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri.  Store and district managers also receive continuous training through online training programs, field workshops, regional meetings and our annual leadership conference.

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Diversity and Inclusion:

At O’Reilly, valuing diversity is about creating an environment in which our Team Members feel included, respected and have opportunities to do their best work and achieve their greatest potential.  We believe diversity within the workplace is crucial in running our business and building the best Team of Professional Parts People to serve our customers.  We are committed to recruiting and building a diverse team through ongoing leadership development and actively identifying emerging talent.  In order to ensure our diversity and inclusion efforts are successful, we survey our Team Members and build action plans and programs aimed at improving our work environments for our Team Members and customers.

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Compensation, Benefits and Recognition:

Our compensation philosophy has always been to incentivize Team Members to “run it like you own it,” and we continually evaluate and benchmark our comprehensive compensation programs to ensure they remain competitive, providing an important tool to attract and retain the best and most qualified Team Members in every market.  We provide financial incentives to all store Team Members through various incentive compensation programs.  Store team members have the opportunity to earn incentive pay that increases their base hourly wage consistent with their individual performance or the performance of their store.  Store managers, district managers, region directors and division vice presidents have the ability to earn additional compensation above their salary or base hourly wage based upon the performance of their stores.  In addition, beginning with the district manager level, we augment our competitive programs with share-based compensation.  We believe our incentive compensation programs significantly increase the motivation and overall performance of our Team Members.

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Just as pay, benefits, and growth opportunities are critically important to our Team Member success, we believe it is equally important to recognize Team Members for a job well done.  We regularly present many awards that range from recognizing individual service longevity to performance, allowing peer-to-peer recognition or management nomination of an individual’s excellent performance.  

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Team Composition:

We recognize that each and every one of our Team Members plays a very important role in our ability to provide outstanding customer service and achieve consistent, successful performance.  As of January 31, 2022, we employed 83,636 Team Members (68,679 full-time Team Members and 14,957 part-time Team Members), of whom 68,086 were employed at our U.S. stores, 10,071 were employed at our U.S. DCs, 3,750 were employed at our U.S. corporate and regional offices and 1,729 were employed in Mexico.  Ours is an increasingly technical business creating the need for knowledgeable Professional Parts People, and our ongoing focus on developing a technically proficient Team has resulted in the growth of the mix of our full-time work force, increasing from 65% at January 31, 2020 to 82% at January 31, 2022.  While full-time Professional Parts People play a vital role in our ongoing success, the flexibility of incorporating part-time employment into our work force is also an important component of providing excellent customer service.  Many of our part-time Team Members choose to work at O’Reilly while attending school, or during other transitional periods in their lives, or simply because of their passion for cars and knowledge of auto parts.  Part-time Team Members have the opportunity to become career Professional Parts People because of our promote from within philosophy, and many of our leaders today began their careers as part-time Team Members in our stores or distribution centers.  

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A union represents 419 Team Members in 49 stores in the Greater Bay Area in California and has for many years.  There are 62 Team Members that drive over-the-road trucks in two of our domestic DCs that are also represented by a labor union.  Additionally, two unions represent approximately 1,000 Team Members in Mexico stores and DCs.  We consider our current relationship with these unions and union Team Members to be excellent.  With the exception of the previously described Team Members, our Team Members are not represented by labor unions.  

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Additional information about our Team Member population and human capital management practices can be found in our most recent Sustainability, Social, and Governance report, which is available on our website at www.OReillyAuto.com.  Our Sustainability, Social, and Governance report is not, and will not be deemed to be, a part of this annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, or incorporated by reference into any of our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Store Network

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New Store Site Selection:

In selecting sites for new stores, we seek to strategically locate store sites in clusters within geographic areas in order to achieve economies of scale in management, advertising and distribution.  Other key factors we consider in the site selection process are

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When entering new, more densely populated markets, we generally seek to initially open several stores within a short span of time in order to maximize the effect of initial promotional programs and achieve economies of scale.  After opening this initial cluster of new stores, we begin penetrating the less densely populated surrounding areas.  As these store clusters mature, we evaluate the need to open additional locations in the more densely populated markets where we believe opportunities exist to expand our market share or to improve the level of service provided in high volume areas.  This strategy enables us to achieve additional distribution and advertising efficiencies in each market.

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Store Locations and Size:

As a result of our dual market strategy, we are able to profitably operate in both large, densely populated markets and small, less densely populated areas that would not otherwise support a national chain selling primarily to the retail automotive aftermarket.  Our U.S. stores, on average, carry approximately 21,000 SKUs and average approximately 7,500 total square feet in size.  At December 31, 2021, we had a total of approximately 43 million square feet in our 5,759 domestic stores.  Our domestic stores are served primarily by the nearest DC, which averages 158,000 SKUs, but also have same-day access to the broad selection of inventory available at one of our 375 Hub stores, which are comprised of 281 Hubs that average approximately 10,200 square feet and carry an average of 45,000 SKUs and 94 larger Super Hubs that average approximately to 19,300 square feet and carry an average of 80,000 to 92,000 SKUs.

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We believe that our stores are “destination stores” generating their own traffic rather than relying on traffic created by the presence of other stores in the immediate vicinity.  Consequently, most of our stores are freestanding buildings or prominent end caps situated on or near major traffic thoroughfares and offer ample parking, easy customer access and are generally located in close proximity to our professional service provider customers.

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The following table sets forth the geographic distribution and activity of our stores as of December 31, 2021 and 2020:

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Distribution Systems

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We believe that our tiered distribution model provides industry-leading parts availability and store in-stock positions, while optimizing our inventory investment by controlling the depth of our store stocked inventory.  Moreover, we believe our ongoing, significant capital investments made in our DC network allow us to efficiently service new stores that are planned to open in contiguous market areas as well as servicing our existing store network.  Our distribution expansion strategy complements our new store opening strategy by supporting newly established clusters of stores, and additional penetration into existing markets, in the regions surrounding each DC.  As of December 31, 2021, we had a total growth capacity of 300 to 450 stores in our distribution network, which benefited from completing the relocation of our Knoxville, Tennessee, DC into our larger DC facility in Lebanon, Tennessee.  The existing store portion of our Knoxville, Tennessee, DC facility remains a large Hub that will continue to provide same day parts availability in the Knoxville market.  Additionally, we opened our new Horn Lake, Mississippi, DC in 2021, and when appropriate, we plan to merge our North Little Rock, Arkansas, DC into our new Horn Lake, Mississippi, DC.  At that time, the existing store portion of our North Little Rock, Arkansas, DC facility will remain a large Hub that will continue to provide same day parts availability in the Little Rock market.

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Distribution Centers:

As of December 31, 2021, we operated 28 domestic DCs comprised of approximately 12.1 million operating square feet (see the “Properties” table in Item 2 of this annual report on Form 10-K for more information about DC operating square footages).  Our DCs stock an average of 158,000 SKUs and most DCs are linked to and have access to multiple other regional DCs’ inventory.  Our DCs provide five-night-a-week delivery, primarily via a Company-owned fleet, to substantially all of our stores in the continental United States.  In addition, stores within an individual DC’s metropolitan area receive multiple daily deliveries from the DC’s “city counter,” many of which receive this service seven days per week.  Our DCs provide service to not only the stores they service via their city counters but also to strategic Hub locations, which redistribute products to surrounding stores.  Our national Hub store network provides additional service throughout the week, and on weekends, to surrounding stores.

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As part of our continuing efforts to enhance our distribution network in 2022, we plan to

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Hub Stores:

We currently operate a total of 375 strategically located Hub stores.  In addition to serving DIY and professional service provider customers in their markets, Hub stores also provide delivery service to our other stores within the surrounding area and access to an expanded selection of SKUs on a same-day basis.  Our Hub store network consists of 281 Hubs that average approximately 10,200 square feet and carry an average of 45,000 SKUs and 94 larger Super Hubs that average approximately 19,300 square feet and carry an average of 80,000 to 92,000 SKUs.

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Products and Purchasing

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Our stores offer DIY and professional service provider customers a wide selection of products for domestic and imported automobiles, vans and trucks.  Our merchandise generally consists of nationally recognized, well-advertised, premium name brand products, such as AC Delco, Armor All, Bosch, Castrol, Dorman, Fel-Pro, Gates Rubber, Lucas Oil, Mobil1, Monroe, Moog, Pennzoil, Prestone, Standard, STP, Turtle Wax, Valvoline, Wagner, and Wix, and a wide selection of quality proprietary private label products, which span the entire good, better and best value spectrum, under our BesTest®, BrakeBest®, Cartek®, Import Direct®, MasterPro®, MicroGard®, Murray®, Omnispark®, O’Reilly Auto Parts®, Precision®, Power Torque®, Super Start®, Syntec®, and Ultima® brands.  Our proprietary private label products are produced by respected automotive manufacturers, meet or exceed original equipment manufacturer specifications and consist of house brands and nationally recognized proprietary bands, which we have acquired or developed over time.  Our “good” proprietary brands provide a great combination of quality and value, a characteristic important to our DIY customers, while our “better” and “best” proprietary brands offer options for our more heavy-duty DIY customers, as well as our professional service provider customers, who often prefer higher quality products that can be relied upon to support and grow their businesses.

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We have no long-term contracts with material purchase commitments with any of our suppliers, nor have we experienced difficulty in obtaining satisfactory alternative supply sources for automotive parts.  We believe that alternative supply sources exist at competitive costs for substantially all of the automotive products that we sell.  It is our policy to take advantage of payment and seasonal purchasing discounts offered by our suppliers and to utilize extended dating terms available from suppliers.  We have entered into various programs and arrangements with certain suppliers that provided for extended dating and payment terms for inventory purchases.  As a whole, we consider our relationships with our suppliers to be very good.

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We purchase automotive products in substantial quantities from over 685 suppliers, the five largest of which accounted for approximately 25% of our total purchases in 2021.  Our largest supplier in 2021 accounted for approximately 8% of our total purchases and the next four largest suppliers each accounted for approximately 3% to 6% of our total purchases.

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Marketing

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Retail and Online Marketing:

Our integrated marketing strategy and Omnichannel efforts include national media channels, in-store, digital and social media activation, as well as marketing the O’Reilly brand through automotive event sponsorships and on-site appearances throughout the country.  Our O’Rewards loyalty program encourages repeat customers, as they accumulate points from their O’Reilly purchases that are redeemable for rewards at various purchase levels.  Our marketing efforts also target the Spanish-speaking market through broadcast media, print and sports marketing, as well as sponsorships of local and regional events.

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Professional Marketing:

To develop our continued relationships with professional service providers and installers, we employ Territory Sales Managers in nearly every market to ensure complete sales territory coverage and personalized service for professional customers.  Flyers, quick reference guides and catalogs are distributed on a regular basis to all professional service providers, including paint and body shops and fleet maintenance customers to encourage brand and program awareness.  In addition, our professional customer program, First Call, also offers a proprietary ordering and other services platform called www.FirstCallOnline.com, dedicated Professional Service Specialists in stores, multiple daily deliveries and access to training opportunities, shop management, maintenance supplies and the Certified Auto Repair program, which offers professional service providers with the business tools they need to profitably grow and market their business.

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INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT

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The automotive aftermarket industry includes all products and services purchased for light and heavy-duty vehicles after the original sale.  The total size of the automotive aftermarket is estimated to be approximately $325 billion, according to The Auto Care Association.  This market is made up of four segments:  labor share of professional service provider sales, auto parts share of professional service provider sales, DIY sales and tire sales.  We estimate that O’Reilly’s addressable market within this industry is approximately $130 billion to $140 billion, which includes the auto parts share of professional service provider sales at wholesale and DIY sales at retail.  We do not sell tires or perform for-fee automotive repairs or installations.  

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Competition

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The sale of automotive aftermarket items is highly competitive in many areas, including customer service, product availability, store location, brand recognition and price.  We compete in both the DIY and professional service provider portions of the automotive aftermarket and are one of the largest specialty retailers within that market.  We compete primarily with

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We compete on the basis of customer service, which includes merchandise selection and availability, technical proficiency and helpfulness of store personnel, price, store layout, the Omnichannel experience and convenient and accessible store locations.  Our dual market strategy requires significant capital, including the capital expenditures required for our distribution and store networks and

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working capital needed to maintain inventory levels necessary for providing products to both the DIY and professional service provider portions of the automotive aftermarket.

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Inflation and Seasonality

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We have generally been successful in reducing the effects of merchandise cost increases principally by taking advantage of supplier incentive programs, economies of scale resulting from increased volume of purchases and selective forward buying.  To the extent our acquisition costs increased due to price increases industry wide, we have typically been able to pass along these increased costs through higher retail prices for the affected products.  As a result, we do not believe inflation has had a material adverse effect on our operations.

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To some extent our business is seasonal, primarily as a result of the impact of weather conditions on customer buying patterns.  While we have historically realized operating profits in each quarter of the year, our store sales, profits and inventory levels have historically been higher in the second and third quarters (April through September) than in the first and fourth quarters (October through March) of the year.

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Regulations

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We are subject to federal, state and local laws and governmental regulations relating to our business, as well as the health and safety of our Team Members and customers, including, but not limited to, those related to the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous substances, the recycling of batteries and used lubricants and the ownership and operation of real property.

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As part of our operations, we handle hazardous materials in the ordinary course of business and our customers may bring hazardous materials onto our property in connection with, for example, our used oil, oil filter and battery recycling programs.  We currently provide a recycling program for batteries and the collection of used lubricants at certain stores as a service to our customers pursuant to agreements with third-party suppliers.  The batteries and used lubricants are collected by our Team Members, deposited into supplier-provided containers and pallets and then recycled by the third-party suppliers.  In general, our agreements with such suppliers contain provisions that are designed to limit our potential liability under applicable environmental regulations for any damage or contamination, which may be caused by the batteries and lubricants to off-site properties (including as a result of waste disposal) and to our properties, when caused by the supplier.

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Compliance with any such laws and regulations has not had a material adverse effect on our operations to date.  However, we cannot give any assurance that we will not incur significant expenses in the future in order to comply with any such laws or regulations.

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INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

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Gregory D. Johnson, age 56, President and Chief Executive Officer, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 39 years, which includes continuous years of service with a company acquired by O’Reilly.  Mr. Johnson’s O’Reilly career began as a part-time Distribution Center Team Member and progressed through the roles of Retail Systems Manager, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) Development Manager, Director of Distribution, Vice President of Distribution Operations, Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations, Executive Vice President of Supply Chain, and Chief Executive Officer and Co-President.  Mr. Johnson held the position of Co-President from 2017 until February of 2022.  Mr. Johnson has held the position of Chief Executive Officer since 2018.  Mr. Johnson became President and Chief Executive Officer in February of 2022.

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Brad Beckham, age 43, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 25 years.  Mr. Beckham’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly’s domestic and international store operations and all customer types of sales.  Mr. Beckham’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, Divisional Vice President, Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales, Senior Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales, Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations, and Executive Vice President of Store Operations and Sales.  Mr. Beckham has held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since January of 2022.

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Brent G. Kirby, age 53, Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2018.  Mr. Kirby’s primary areas of responsibility are Distribution, Inventory Management, Purchasing, Merchandise, Pricing, Store Design, Marketing, Advertising, Electronic Catalog, Customer Satisfaction and Digital business areas while working cross functionally to deliver our Omnichannel strategy.  Mr. Kirby has 35 years of experience in the retail industry.  Prior to joining O’Reilly, Mr. Kirby held the position of Chief Supply Chain Officer for Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (“Lowe’s”), with direct responsibility for leading the global supply chain supporting Lowe’s U.S.-based home improvement business.  In this role, Mr. Kirby was responsible for team members across a diverse network of distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, direct-to-consumer parcel operations and last mile delivery operations.  

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Mr. Kirby began his retail career as a hardware associate with Lowe’s and progressed through various positions at the store, district and regional levels before being promoted to Senior Vice President of Store Operations and later Chief Omnichannel Officer.  In 2018, Mr. Kirby joined O’Reilly as Senior Vice President of Omnichannel and progressed through the role of Executive Vice President of Supply Chain.  Mr. Kirby has held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer since January of 2022.

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Tom McFall, age 51, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 15 years.  Mr. McFall’s primary areas of responsibility are Finance, Accounting, Information Technology, Legal, Real Estate and Risk Management.  Mr. McFall’s career began with Ernst & Young LLP in Detroit, Michigan, where he achieved the position of Audit Manager, before accepting a position with Murray’s Discount Auto Stores (“Murray’s”).  Mr. McFall served Murray’s for eight years through the roles of Controller, Vice President of Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, with direct responsibility for finance, accounting and distribution and logistics operations.  After Murray’s was acquired by CSK Auto Corporation (“CSK”) in 2005, Mr. McFall held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Midwest Operation for CSK.  In 2006, Mr. McFall joined O’Reilly as Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer.  Mr. McFall has held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2007.

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Doug Bragg, age 52, Executive Vice President of Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 31 years.  Mr. Bragg’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly U.S. Store Operations.  Mr. Bragg’s O’Reilly career began as a Distribution Center Team Member and progressed through the roles of Assistant Store Manager, Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, Divisional Vice President, and Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations and Sales.  Mr. Bragg has held the position of Executive Vice President of Store Operations since January of 2022.

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Jonathan Andrews, age 54, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Training, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for nine years.  Mr. Andrews’s primary areas of responsibility are Human Resources and Training.  Mr. Andrews has 30 years of human resources experience.  Mr. Andrews’s career includes human resource positions with Cargill, Inc., Tyson Foods, Inc. and AutoNation, Inc.  Mr. Andrews served AutoNation for 10 years as Director of Human Resources and Senior Director of Human Resources.  In 2012, Mr. Andrews joined O’Reilly as Vice President of Human Resources and progressed through the role of Vice President of Human Resources and Training.  Mr. Andrews has held the position of Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Training since 2019.

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Robert Dumas, age 48, Senior Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 30 years, which includes continuous years of service with a company acquired by O’Reilly.  Mr. Dumas’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly’s Eastern Store Operations.  Mr. Dumas’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Installer Service Specialist, Night Manager, Associate Manager, Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, and Divisional Vice President.  Mr. Dumas has held the position of Senior Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales since 2016.

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Larry L. Ellis, age 66, Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 46 years, which includes continuous years of service with a company acquired by O’Reilly.  Mr. Ellis’s primary areas of responsibility are Distribution Operations and Logistics.  Mr. Ellis’s O’Reilly career began as a Distribution Center Team Member and progressed through the roles of Distribution Center Supervisor, Distribution Center Manager, Director of Distribution Operations, Vice President of Logistics, Vice President of Western Division Distribution Operations, and Vice President of Distribution Operations.  Mr. Ellis has held the position of Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations since 2014.

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Jeremy Fletcher, age 44, Senior Vice President of Finance and Controller, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 16 years.  Mr. Fletcher’s primary area of responsibility are Finance, Accounting and Treasury.  Mr. Fletcher’s O’Reilly career began as the Financial Reporting and Budgeting Manager and progressed through the roles of Director of Finance, and Vice President of Finance and Controller.  Prior to joining O’Reilly, Mr. Fletcher worked as a Certified Public Accountant with a public accounting firm and in a financial reporting and planning role for a Fortune 1000 corporation.  Mr. Fletcher has held the position of Senior Vice President of Finance and Controller since 2017.

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Jeffrey L. Groves, age 56, Senior Vice President of Legal and General Counsel, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 17 years.  Mr. Groves’s primary areas of responsibility are Corporate Governance, Regulatory Matters, and Internal Audit.  Mr. Groves’s O’Reilly career began as Director of Legal and Claim Services and progressed through the roles of Director of Legal and Claim Services and General Counsel and Vice President of Legal and Claim Services and General Counsel.  Prior to joining O’Reilly, Mr. Groves worked in a private civil defense trial practice.  Mr. Groves has held the position of Senior Vice President of Legal and General Counsel since 2016.

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Scott Kraus, age 45, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Expansion, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 23 years.  Mr. Kraus’s primary areas of responsibility are Real Estate Expansion and Acquisitions.  Mr. Kraus’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and

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progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Field Sales Manager, Regional Manager, Divisional Vice President, and Vice President of Real Estate.  Mr. Kraus has held the position of Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Expansion since 2016.

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Jeffrey A. Lauro, age 55, Senior Vice President of Information Technology, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for six years.  Mr. Lauro’s primary area of responsibility is Information Technology.  Mr. Lauro has over 30 years of information technology experience primarily in the retail industry.  Prior to joining O’Reilly, Mr. Lauro held the position of Chief Information Officer for Payless ShoeSource (“Payless”), with direct responsibility for solution delivery, infrastructure and operations and enterprise architecture.  Prior to joining Payless, Mr. Lauro was the Vice President, Global Information Technology Service Delivery Director for The TJX Companies, Inc., with direct responsibility for global information technology service management, operations, implementation and disaster recovery.  In 2015, Mr. Lauro joined O’Reilly as Senior Vice President of Information Technology and has held this position since that time.

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Chris Mancini, age 44, Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 18 years.  Mr. Mancini’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly Central Store Operations.  Mr. Mancini’s O’Reilly career began as an Installer Service Specialist and progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Division Vice President, and Western Division Vice President.  Mr. Mancini has held the position of Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations and Sales since January of 2022.

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Chuck Rogers, age 54, Senior Vice President of Professional Sales and Store Operations Support, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 31 years.  Mr. Rogers’s primary areas of responsibility are Professional Sales, Store Operations and Retail Systems, and Ozark Sales.  Mr. Rogers’s O’Reilly career began as a Delivery Specialist and progressed through the roles of various store positions, Assistant Computer Sales and Services Coordinator, Installer Systems Manager, National Accounts/Installer Systems Manager, Director of Sales Administration, and Vice President of Professional Sales.  Mr. Rogers has held the position of Senior Vice President of Professional Sales and Store Operations Support since January of 2022.

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Jason Tarrant, age 41, Senior Vice President of Western Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 20 years, which includes continuous years of service with a company acquired by O’Reilly.  Mr. Tarrant’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly Western Store Operations.  Mr. Tarrant’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Assistant Store Manager, Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Field Sales Manager, Regional Manager, and Divisional Vice President.  Mr. Tarrant has held the position of Senior Vice President of Western Store Operations and Sales since 2018.

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Darin Venosdel, age 51, Senior Vice President of Inventory Management, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for 24 years.  Mr. Venosdel’s primary areas of responsibility are Inventory Management, Purchasing and Store Design.  Mr. Venosdel’s O’Reilly career began as a Programmer/Analyst and progressed through the roles of Application Development Manager, Director of Application Development, Director of Inventory Management, and Vice President of Inventory Management.  Mr. Venosdel has held the position of Senior Vice President of Inventory Management since 2018.

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David Wilbanks, age 50, Senior Vice President of Merchandise, has been an O’Reilly Team Member for nine years.  Mr. Wilbanks’s primary areas of responsibility are Merchandise and Pricing.  Mr. Wilbanks has over 30 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket industry.  Mr. Wilbanks’s career began as a counter technician for an independent jobber and progressed to becoming an ASE Certified Master Technician for an automotive dealership, before accepting a position with AutoZone, Inc. (“AutoZone”).  Mr. Wilbanks served AutoZone for twelve years as a financial analyst, Category Manager, and Director of Merchandise.  In 2012, Mr. Wilbanks joined O’Reilly as Vice President of Merchandise and has held the position of Senior Vice President of Merchandise since 2016.

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SERVICE MARKS AND TRADEMARKS

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We have registered, acquired and/or been assigned the following service marks and trademarks in the United States:  BENNETT AUTO SUPPLY® BESTEST® BETTER PARTS. BETTER PRICES.® BETTER PARTS, BETTER PRICES....EVERYDAY!® BOND AUTO PARTS® BRAKEBEST® BRAKEBEST HD® BRAKEBEST SELECT® CARTEK® CARTEK PRO® CERTIFIED AUTO REPAIR® CHECKER AUTO PARTS® CSK PROSHOP® CUSTOMIZE YOUR RIDE® DEPENDABILITY YOU CAN COUNT ON® DO IT RIGHT DEALS® DO IT RIGHT REBATE® EARN POINTS EVERY WAY YOU SHOP® FIRST CALL® FLEET & HEAVY DUTY PROFESSIONAL PARTS PEOPLE® FORMULATED FOR TODAY’S ENGINES® FRIENDLIEST PARTS STORE IN TOWN® FROM OUR STORE TO YOUR DOOR® IMPORT DIRECT® IMPORT DIRECT REPLACEMENT PARTS® KRAGEN AUTO PARTS® MASTER PRO® MASTER PRO REFINISHING® MASTERPRO SELECT® MASTERPRO UNDERCAR® MICROGARD® MICROGARD HEPA® MURRAY® MURRAY CLIMATE CONTROL®

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MURRAY TEMPERATURE CONTROL® MURRAY’S MASCOT® (Design only); MURRAY PLUS® MURRAY ULTRA® MURRAY’S AUTO PARTS® O LOW PRICE GUARANTEE! ®  O® (Shamrock inside of “O”); OMNISPARK® O’REILLY® O’REILLY AUTO COLOR PROFESSIONAL PAINT PEOPLE® O’REILLY AUTO PARTS® O’REILLY AUTO PARTS PROFESSIONAL PARTS PEOPLE® O’REILLY AUTOMOTIVE® O’REILLY O’REWARDS® O’REILLY SELECT® O’REWARDS® PARTNERSHIP NETWORK® PARTS CITY® PARTS CITY AUTO COLOR PROFESSIONAL PAINT PEOPLE® PARTS CITY AUTO PARTS® PARTS FOR YOUR CAR WHEREVER YOU ARE® PARTS PAYOFF® POWER TORQUE® PRECISION® PRECISION HUB ASSEMBLIES® PROTECTION YOU CAN TRUST® QUIETECH® REAL WORLD TRAINING® ¡SIGUE ADELANTE CON O’REILLY!® SCHUCK’S AUTO SUPPLY® SUPER START® SYNTEC® TOOLBOX® ULTIMA® ULTIMA SELECT® ULTIMA SELECT MOTOR PRODUCTS® WORK AT THE O® AND X® (design mark associated with PRECISION).  Some of the service marks and trademarks listed above may also have a design associated therewith.  Each of the service marks and trademarks are in duration for as long as we continue to use and seek renewal of such marks.  The above list includes only the trademarks and service marks that are currently and validly registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  It does not include trademarks or service marks which may also be in use, but are not yet registered or trademarks or service marks used and/or registered in other countries.  Except for the trademarks and service marks listed or referred to in this Item 1, we believe that our business is not dependent upon any patent, trademark, service mark or copyright.

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Solely for convenience, our service marks and trademarks may appear in this report without the ® or ™ symbol, which is not intended to indicate that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the right to these service marks and trademarks.

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AVAILABLE INFORMATION

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Our Internet address is www.OReillyAuto.com.  Interested readers can access, free of charge, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, through the Securities and Exchange Commission website at www.sec.gov and searching with our ticker symbol “ORLY.”  Such reports are generally available the day they are filed.  Upon request, we will furnish interested readers a paper copy of such reports free of charge by contacting Mark Merz, Vice President of Investor Relations, Financial Reporting and Planning, at 233 South Patterson Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, 65802.

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Item 1A.  Risk Factors

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Our future performance is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties.  Although the risks described below are the risks that we believe are material, there may also be risks of which we are currently unaware, or that we currently regard as immaterial based upon the information available to us that later may prove to be material.  Interested parties should be aware that the occurrence of the events described in these risk factors, elsewhere in this Form 10-K and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.  Actual results, therefore, may materially differ from anticipated results described in our forward-looking statements.

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RISKS RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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The ongoing occurrence of COVID-19, or any other such widespread public health crisis, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on the U.S. and world economies.  The public health concerns resulting from the pandemic have created significant uncertainty, economic disruption and volatility, all of which have impacted and may continue to impact our business.  We may be required to take significant actions to mitigate any adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including, but not limited to incurring increased expenses.  We are unable to predict the ongoing short-term and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our customers, Team Members, supply chain, business, overall industry demand, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows due to several factors beyond our control, including, but not limited to:

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The above factors and uncertainties, in addition to others we are not currently aware of, may result in adverse impacts to our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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RISKS SPECIFIC TO OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

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Deteriorating economic conditions may adversely impact demand for our products, reduce access to credit and cause our customers and others, with which we do business, to suffer financial hardship, all of which could adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Although demand for many of our products is primarily non-discretionary in nature and tend to be purchased by consumers out of necessity, our sales are impacted by constraints on the economic health of our customers.  The economic health of our customers is affected by many factors, including, among others, general business conditions, interest rates, inflation, consumer debt levels, the availability of consumer credit, currency exchange rates, taxation, fuel prices, unemployment levels and other matters that influence consumer confidence and spending, such as a prolonged public health crisis or pandemic, like the COVID-19 pandemic.  Many of these factors are outside of our control.  Our customers’ purchases, including purchases of our products, could decline during periods when income is lower, when prices increase in response to rising costs, or in periods of actual or perceived unfavorable economic conditions or political uncertainty.  If any of these events occur, or if unfavorable economic conditions challenge the consumer environment, our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.

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Overall demand for products sold in the automotive aftermarket is dependent upon many factors including the total number of vehicle miles driven in the U.S., the total number of registered vehicles in the U.S., the age and quality of these registered vehicles and the level of unemployment in the U.S.  Changes in vehicle technology used by the original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”) on future vehicles, including but not limited to electric, hybrid and internal combustion engines, may result in less frequent repairs, parts lasting longer or elimination of certain repairs.  In addition, restrictions on access to telematics, diagnostic tools and repair information imposed by the OEMs or by governmental regulations may force vehicle owners to rely on dealers to perform maintenance and repairs.  Adverse changes in these factors could lead to a decreased level of demand for our products, which could negatively impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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In addition, economic conditions, including decreased access to credit, may result in financial difficulties leading to restructurings, bankruptcies, liquidations and other unfavorable events for our customers, suppliers, logistics and other service providers and financial institutions that are counterparties to our credit facilities.  Furthermore, the ability of these third parties to overcome these difficulties may worsen.  If third parties, on whom we rely for merchandise, are unable to overcome difficulties resulting from the deterioration in economic conditions, the cause of which could include a prolonged public health crisis or pandemic, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide us with the merchandise we need, or if counterparties to our credit facilities do not perform their obligations, our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.

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The automotive aftermarket business is highly competitive, and we may have to risk our capital to remain competitive, all of which could adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

Both the DIY and professional service provider portions of our business are highly competitive, particularly in the more densely populated areas that we serve.  Some of our competitors are larger than we are and have greater financial resources.  In addition, some of our competitors are smaller than we are, but have a greater presence than we do in a particular market.  Online and mobile platforms may allow customers to quickly compare prices and product assortments between us and a range of competitors, which could result in pricing pressure.  Some online competitors may have a lower cost structure than we do, as a result of our strategy of providing an exceptional in-store experience and superior parts availability supported by our extensive store network and robust, regional distribution footprint, which could also create pricing pressure.  We may have to expend more resources and risk additional capital to remain competitive and our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.  For a list of our principal competitors, see the “Competition” section of Item 1 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

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We are sensitive to regional economic and weather conditions that could impact our costs and sales.

Our business is sensitive to national and regional economic and weather conditions and natural disasters.  Unusually inclement weather, such as significant rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, flooding, seismic activity and hurricanes, has historically discouraged our customers from visiting our stores during the affected period and reduced our sales, particularly to DIY customers.  Extreme weather conditions, such as extreme heat and extreme cold temperatures, may enhance demand for our products due to increased failure rates of our customers’ automotive parts, while temperate weather conditions may have a lesser impact on failure rates of automotive parts.  In addition, our stores and DCs located in coastal regions may be subject to increased unrecoverable losses resulting from regional weather conditions and our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.

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A change in the relationship with any of our key suppliers, the limited supply or unavailability of key products, supply chain disruptions or changes in trade policies could affect our financial health.

Our business depends on developing and maintaining close relationships with our suppliers and on our suppliers’ ability or willingness to sell quality products to us at favorable prices and terms.  Many factors outside of our control may harm these relationships and the ability or willingness of these suppliers to sell us products on favorable terms.  For example, financial or operational difficulties that our suppliers may face could increase the cost of the products we purchase from them or our ability to source products from them.  In addition, the trend toward consolidation among automotive parts suppliers, as well as the off-shoring of manufacturing capacity to foreign countries, may disrupt or end our relationship with some suppliers and could lead to less competition and result in higher prices.  We could also be negatively impacted when our suppliers or our supply chain experiences work stoppages; labor strikes; a prolonged public health crisis or pandemic, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; shipping and transportation disruptions or increased costs; currency fluctuations or inflation; or other interruptions to, or difficulties in, the manufacture or supply of the products we purchase.  Changes in U.S. trade policies, sanctions, practices, tariffs or taxes, import limitations and other factors relating to foreign trade and port agreements could affect our ability to source products and our suppliers’ ability to source materials or provide products at current volumes and/or prices.  These and other factors affecting our suppliers and our access to products could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Business interruptions in our distribution centers or other facilities may affect our store hours, stability of our computer systems, and/or availability and distribution of merchandise, which may affect our business.

Weather, terrorist activities, war or other disasters, or the threat of them, may result in the closure of one or more of our DCs or other facilities, or may adversely affect our ability to deliver inventory to our stores on a nightly basis.  This may affect our ability to timely provide products to our customers, resulting in lost sales or a potential loss of customer loyalty.  Some of our merchandise is imported from other countries and these goods could become difficult or impossible to bring into the United States, and we may not be able to obtain such merchandise from other sources at similar prices.  Such a disruption in revenue could potentially have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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We rely extensively on our computer systems to manage inventory, process transactions and timely provide products to our customers.  Our systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches or other catastrophic events.  If our systems are damaged or fail to function properly, we may experience loss of critical data and interruptions or delays in our ability to manage inventories or process customer transactions.  Such a disruption of our systems could negatively impact revenue and potentially have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Failure to protect our brand and reputation could have a material adverse effect on our brand name, business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

We believe our Company has built an excellent reputation as a leading retailer in the automotive aftermarket industry.  We believe our continued success depends, in part, on our ability to preserve, grow and leverage the value of our brand.  Our reputation is based, in part, on perceptions of subjective qualities; negative publicity involving the Company, our merchandise or our industry in general that erode customer trust or confidence could adversely affect our reputation and business.  Failure to comply with ethical, social, product, labor, health and safety, accounting or environmental standards, or existing or future laws or regulations could also jeopardize our reputation and potentially lead to various adverse actions from consumer or environmental groups, employees or regulatory bodies, which could require us to incur substantial legal fees and costs.  In addition, negative claims or publicity, including the availability of information and opinions on social media, as its impact is immediate, could adversely affect our reputation.  The opportunity for the rapid dissemination of information, including inaccurate and inflammatory information and opinions, is virtually limitless and easily accessible.  Damage to our reputation or loss of consumer confidence for any of these or other reasons could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows, as well as require additional resources to rebuild our reputation.

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Risks associated with international operations could result in additional costs and inefficiencies.

In addition to many of the risks we face in our U.S. operations, international operations present a unique set of risks and challenges, including local laws and customs, U.S. laws applicable to foreign operations and political and socio-economic conditions.  Our ability

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to operate effectively and grow in international markets could be impacted by these risks resulting in legal liabilities, additional costs and the distraction of management’s attention.  Compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and protection of intellectual property rights surrounding items such as tradenames and trademarks in foreign jurisdictions can pose significant challenges.

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In addition, our operations in international markets are conducted primarily in the local currency of those countries.  Given that our Consolidated Financial Statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, amounts of assets, liabilities, net sales and other revenues and expenses denominated in local currencies must be translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates for the current period.  As a result, foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates may adversely impact our financial performance.

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RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK

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Risks related to us and unanticipated fluctuations in our quarterly operating results could affect our stock price.

We believe that quarter-to-quarter comparisons of our financial results are not necessarily meaningful indicators of our future operating results and should not be relied on as an indication of future performance.  If our quarterly operating results fail to meet the expectations of analysts, the trading price of our common stock could be negatively affected.  We cannot be certain that our growth plans and business strategies will be successful or that they will successfully meet the expectations of these analysts.  If we fail to adequately address any of these risks or difficulties, our stock price would likely suffer.

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The market price of our common stock may be volatile and could expose us to securities class action litigation.

The stock market and the price of our common stock may be subject to wide fluctuations based upon general economic and market conditions and potentially being targeted through the selling and buying of our common stock by a group of individuals, whose interests and reasoning behind such actions may not align with an average market participant.  The market price of our common stock may also be affected by our ability to meet analysts’ expectations and failure to meet such expectations, even slightly, could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.

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In addition, stock market volatility has had a significant effect on the market prices of securities issued by many companies for reasons unrelated to the operating performance of these companies.  Downturns in the stock market may cause the price of our common stock to decline.  In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been initiated against such companies.  If similar litigation were initiated against us, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources, which could have an adverse effect on our business.

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RISKS RELATED TO OUR INDEBTEDNESS AND FINANCING

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Our debt levels could adversely affect our cash flow and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations.

We have an unsecured revolving credit facility and unsecured senior notes, which could have important consequences for our financial health.  For example, our level of indebtedness could, among other things,

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In addition, the terms of our financing obligations include restrictions, such as affirmative, negative and financial covenants, conditions on borrowing and subsidiary guarantees.  A failure to comply with these restrictions could result in a default under our financing obligations or could require us to obtain waivers from our lenders for failure to comply with these restrictions.  The occurrence of a default that remains uncured or the inability to secure a necessary consent or waiver could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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A downgrade in our credit rating would impact our cost of capital and could impact the market value of our unsecured senior notes, as well as limit our access to attractive supplier financing programs.

Credit ratings are an important component of our cost of capital.  These ratings are based upon, among other factors, our financial strength.  Our current credit ratings provide us with the ability to borrow funds at favorable rates.  A downgrade in our current credit rating from either rating agency could adversely affect our cost of capital by causing us to pay a higher interest rate on borrowed funds under our unsecured revolving credit facility and a higher facility fee on commitments under our unsecured revolving credit facility.  A downgrade in our current credit rating could also adversely affect the market price and/or liquidity of our unsecured senior notes, preventing a holder from selling the unsecured senior notes at a favorable price, as well as adversely affect our ability to issue new notes in the future.  In addition, a downgrade in our current credit rating could limit the financial institutions willing to commit funds to our supplier financing programs at attractive rates.  Decreased participation in our supplier financing programs would lead to an increase in working capital needed to operate the business, adversely affecting our cash flows.

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GENERAL RISKS

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We cannot assure future growth will be achieved.

We believe that our ability to open additional, profitable stores at a high growth rate will be a significant factor in achieving our growth objectives for the future.  Our ability to accomplish our growth objectives is dependent, in part, on matters beyond our control, such as weather conditions, zoning and other issues related to new store site development, the availability of qualified management personnel and general business and economic conditions.  We cannot be sure that our growth plans for 2022 and beyond will be achieved.  Failure to achieve our growth objectives may negatively impact the trading price of our common stock.  For a discussion of our growth strategies, see the “Growth Strategy” section of Item 1 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

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In order to be successful, we will need to attract, retain and motivate key employees.

Our success has been largely dependent on the efforts of certain key personnel.  In order to be successful, we will need to attract, retain and motivate executives and other key employees.  Experienced management and technical personnel are in high demand and competition for their talents is intense.  We must also continue to motivate employees and keep them focused on our strategies and goals.  Our business, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected by the unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our key employees.  We cannot be sure that we will be able to continue to attract qualified personnel, which could cause us to be less efficient and, as a result, may adversely impact our sales and profitability.  For a discussion of our management, see the “Business” section of Item 1 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

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Risks associated with future acquisitions may not lead to expected growth and could result in increased costs and inefficiencies.

We expect to continue to make acquisitions as an element of our growth strategy.  Acquisitions involve certain risks that could cause our actual growth and profitability to differ from our expectations.  Examples of such risks include the following:

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We may fail, or be unable to, discover liabilities of businesses that we acquire for which we or the subsequent owner or operator may be liable.

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A breach of customer, supplier, Team Member or Company information could damage our reputation or result in substantial additional costs or possible litigation.

Our business involves the receiving, storage and transmitting of certain personally identifiable or confidential information about our customers, suppliers, Team Members and the Company, some of which is entrusted to third-party service providers and vendors.  We and our third-party service providers and vendors have taken significant and appropriate steps to protect this information, including maintaining compliance with payment card industry and National Clearing House standards and a security program that includes updating technology and security policies, employee training and monitoring and routine testing of our systems.  However, these security measures are costly and require constant, ongoing attention and may not prevent a security breach due to cyber-attacks, computer malware viruses, exploitation of hardware or software vulnerabilities, Team Member error, malfeasance, system compromises, fraud, hacking, trickery or other intentional or unintentional acts, which could result in unauthorized parties gaining access to such information.  

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A compromise of our security measures or those of a third-party party we entrust could result in information related to our customers, suppliers, Team Members or the Company being obtained or misused by unauthorized persons, adverse operational effects or interruptions or costs to the Company to address the breach, all of which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.  The methods used to obtain unauthorized access are constantly evolving and may be difficult to anticipate or detect for long periods of time.  If we experience a significant data security breach, we could be exposed to damage to our reputation, additional costs, lost sales, litigation or possible regulatory action.  In addition, the regulatory environment related to information security and privacy is constantly evolving and may increase our responsibility and liability in relation to personal data that we process, which may require the investment of additional mechanisms to ensure compliance with privacy laws and regulations.  The cost of complying with stricter and more complex data privacy, data collection and information security laws and standards could be significant to us.  There is no guarantee that the procedures that we and our third-party service providers and vendors have implemented to protect against unauthorized access to secured data are adequate to safeguard against all data security breaches, and such a breach could potentially have a negative impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Litigation, governmental proceedings, environmental legislation and regulations and employment legislation and regulations may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are, and in the future may become, involved in lawsuits, regulatory inquiries and governmental and other legal proceedings, arising out of the ordinary course of our business.  The damages sought against us in some of these litigation proceedings may be material and may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Environmental legislation and regulations, like the initiatives to limit greenhouse gas emissions and bills related to climate change, could adversely impact all industries.  While it is uncertain whether these initiatives will become law, new or more stringent climate change-related mandates, laws or regulations, or stricter interpretations of existing mandates, laws or regulations could potentially be forthcoming.  These matters, if enacted, could adversely impact our costs, by, among other things, increasing fuel prices or requiring additional expenditures by us or our suppliers to comply, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Our business is subject to employment legislation and regulations, including requirements related to minimum wage.  Our success depends, in part, on our ability to manage operating costs and identify opportunities to reduce costs.  Our ability to meet labor needs, while controlling costs is subject to external factors, such as minimum wage legislation.  A violation of, or change in, employment legislation and/or regulations could hinder our ability to control costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.  

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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

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None.

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Item 2. Properties

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Stores, distribution centers and other properties:

Of the 5,784 stores we operated at December 31, 2021, 2,395 stores were owned, 3,318 stores were leased from unaffiliated parties, 24 of which were located in Mexico, and 71 stores were leased from entities that include one or more of our affiliated directors or members of their immediate family.  Leases with unaffiliated parties generally provide for payment of a fixed base rent, payment of certain tax, insurance and maintenance expenses and an original term of, at a minimum, 10 years, subject to one or more renewals at our option.  We have entered into separate master lease agreements with each of the affiliated entities for the occupancy of the stores covered thereby.  Such master lease agreements with two of the five affiliated entities have been modified to extend the term of the lease agreement for specific stores.  The master lease agreements or modifications thereto expire on dates ranging from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2029.  We believe that the lease agreements with the affiliated entities are on terms comparable to those of third parties.

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The following table provides information regarding our U.S. domestic regional DCs in operation as of December 31, 2021:

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In addition, we operate six small distribution centers in Mexico; these distribution centers do not serve U.S. stores and are immaterial in the aggregate.  In 2021, the distribution operations of our Knoxville, Tennessee, DC finished merging into our Lebanon, Tennessee, DC and the existing store portion of our Knoxville, Tennessee, DC facility remains a large Hub that continues to provide same day parts availability in the Knoxville market.  Additionally, we opened our new Horn Lake, Mississippi, DC in 2021, and when appropriate, we plan to merge our North Little Rock, Arkansas, DC into our new Horn Lake, Mississippi, DC.  At that time, the existing store portion of our North Little Rock, Arkansas, DC facility will remain a large Hub that will continue to provide same day parts availability in the Little Rock market.

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We believe that our present facilities are in good condition, are sufficiently insured and are adequate for the conduct of our current operations.  The store servicing capability of our 28 existing U.S. DCs is approximately 6,075 stores, providing a growth capacity of 300 to 450 U.S. stores.  We believe the growth capacity in our DCs will provide us with the DC infrastructure needed for near-term expansion.  However, as we expand our geographic footprint, we will continue to evaluate our existing distribution system infrastructure and will adjust our distribution system capacity as needed to support our future growth.

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Our corporate office operations occur primarily in Springfield, Missouri, and as of December 31, 2021, the total square footage was 0.6 million square feet, substantially all of which was owned.  

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Item 3.  Legal Proceedings

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The Company is currently involved in litigation incidental to the ordinary conduct of the Company’s business.  Based on existing facts and historical patterns, the Company accrues for litigation losses in instances where an adverse outcome is probable and the Company is able to reasonably estimate the probable loss in accordance with Accounting Standard Codification 450-20.  The Company also accrues for an estimate of legal costs to be incurred for litigation matters.  Although the Company cannot ascertain the amount of liability that it may incur from legal matters, it does not currently believe that, in the aggregate, these matters, taking into account applicable insurance and accruals, will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows in a particular quarter or annual period.

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Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

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Not applicable.

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PART II

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Item 5.  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

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Common stock:

Shares of the Company’s common stock are traded on The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “ORLY.”  The Company’s common stock began trading on April 22, 1993; no cash dividends have been declared since that time, and the Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

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As of February 17, 2022, the Company had approximately 552,000 shareholders of common stock based on the number of holders of record and an estimate of individual participants represented by security position listings.

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Sales of unregistered securities:

There were no sales of unregistered securities during the year ended December 31, 2021.

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Issuer purchases of equity securities:

The following table identifies all repurchases during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021, of any of the Company’s securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by or on behalf of the Company or any affiliated purchaser (in thousands, except per share price data):

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Stock performance graph:

The graph below shows the cumulative total shareholder return assuming the investment of $100, on December 31, 2016, and the reinvestment of dividends thereafter, if any, in the Company’s common stock versus the Standard and Poor’s S&P 500 Retail Index (“S&P 500 Retail Index”) and the Standard and Poor’s S&P 500 Index (“S&P 500”).

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Item 6.  [Reserved]

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Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

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In Management’s Discussion and Analysis, we provide a historical and prospective narrative of our general financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and certain other factors that may affect our future results, including

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The review of Management’s Discussion and Analysis should be made in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, related notes and other financial information, forward-looking statements and other risk factors included elsewhere in this annual report.

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OVERVIEW

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We are a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States and Mexico.  We are one of the largest U.S. automotive aftermarket specialty retailers, selling our products to both DIY customers and professional service providers – our “dual market strategy.”  Our stores carry an extensive product line consisting of new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, a complete line of auto body paint and related materials, automotive tools and professional service provider service equipment.  

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Our extensive product line includes an assortment of products that are differentiated by quality and price for most of the product lines we offer.  For many of our product offerings, this quality differentiation reflects “good,” “better,” and “best” alternatives.  Our sales and total gross profit dollars are, generally, highest for the “best” quality category of products.  Consumers’ willingness to select products at a higher point on the value spectrum is a driver of enhanced sales and profitability in our industry.  We have ongoing initiatives focused on marketing and training to educate customers on the advantages of ongoing vehicle maintenance, as well as “purchasing up” on the value spectrum.

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Our stores also offer enhanced services and programs to our customers, including used oil, oil filter and battery recycling; battery, wiper and bulb replacement; battery diagnostic testing; electrical and module testing; check engine light code extraction; loaner tool program; drum and rotor resurfacing; custom hydraulic hoses; professional paint shop mixing and related materials; and machine shops.  As of December 31, 2021, we operated 5,759 stores in 47 U.S. states and 25 stores in Mexico.

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We are influenced by a number of general macroeconomic factors that impact both our industry and our consumers, including, but not limited to, fuel costs, unemployment trends, interest rates and other economic factors.  Macroeconomic factors, such as total U.S. unemployment, and demand drivers specific to the automotive aftermarket, such as U.S. miles driven, have been pressured as a result of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including stay at home orders, work from home arrangements and reduced travel.  However, government stimulus and additional unemployment benefits, the ongoing gradual reopening processes across markets we operate in and increased miles driven have positively impacted our performance.  Due to the nature of these macroeconomic factors, we are unable to determine how long current conditions, including the pandemic, will persist and the degree of impact future changes may have on our business, industry or broader economic conditions.

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We believe the key drivers of current and future long-term demand for the products sold within the automotive aftermarket include the number of U.S. miles driven, number of U.S. registered vehicles, new light vehicle registrations and average vehicle age.

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Number of Miles Driven 

The number of total miles driven in the U.S. influences the demand for repair and maintenance products sold within the automotive aftermarket.  In total, vehicles in the U.S. are driven approximately three trillion miles per year, resulting in ongoing wear and tear and a corresponding continued demand for the repair and maintenance products necessary to keep these vehicles in operation.  According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the number of total miles driven in the U.S. decreased 13.2% in 2020, as a result of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, however for 2021, miles driven improved and increased 11.2%.  Government measures or consumer and business behavior in response to the COVID-19 pandemic could again have a negative impact on miles driven, but we are unable to predict the duration and severity of the impact to our business.

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Size and Age of the Vehicle Fleet

The total number of vehicles on the road and the average age of the vehicle population heavily influence the demand for products sold within the automotive aftermarket industry.  As reported by The Auto Care Association, the total number of registered vehicles increased 12.7% from 2010 to 2020, bringing the number of light vehicles on the road to 281 million by the end of 2020.  Although the rate of new vehicle sales has been pressured due to supply chain constraints experienced by manufacturers, the outlook for the seasonally adjusted annual rate of light vehicle sales in the U.S. (“SAAR”) was approximately 12.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.  The annual changes to the vehicle population resulting from new vehicle sales and the fluctuation in vehicle scrappage rates in any given year represent a small percentage of the total light vehicle population and have a muted impact on the total number and average age of vehicles on the road over the short term.  From 2010 to 2020, vehicle scrappage rates have remained relatively stable, ranging from 4.1% to 5.7% annually.  As a result, over the past decade, the average age of the U.S. vehicle population has increased, growing 12.3%, from 10.6 years in 2010 to 11.9 years in 2020.

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We believe the increase in average vehicle age can be attributed to better engineered and manufactured vehicles, which can be reliably driven at higher mileages due to better quality power trains, interiors and exteriors, and the consumer’s willingness to invest in maintaining these higher-mileage, better built vehicles.  The increase in average vehicle age also benefits from an environment of a new vehicle scarcity and higher than typical used vehicle prices, as consumers are more willing to continue to invest in their current vehicle.  As the average age of vehicles on the road increases, a larger percentage of miles are being driven by vehicles that are outside of a manufacturer warranty.  These out-of-warranty, older vehicles generate strong demand for automotive aftermarket products as they go through more routine maintenance cycles, have more frequent mechanical failures and generally require more maintenance than newer vehicles.  We believe consumers will continue to invest in these reliable, higher-quality, higher-mileage vehicles and these investments, along with an increasing total light vehicle fleet, will support continued demand for automotive aftermarket products.

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We remain confident in our ability to gain market share in our existing markets and grow our business in new markets by focusing on our dual market strategy and the core O’Reilly values of hard work and excellent customer service.

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KEY EVENTS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

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A key event that has had a significant impact on our operations is the COVID-19 pandemic.  As we navigate the ongoing challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to place additional emphasis on the safety and wellness of our Team Members and our customers.  During the year ended December 31, 2021, the increased level of vaccinations, the ongoing reopening processes across markets we operate in, government stimulus payments and enhanced unemployment benefits positively impacted demand for the products we sell.  We continue to keep our stores open and operating to meet our customers’ critical needs, while also ensuring the safety of our Team Members and customers through strict adherence to safety protocols.  However, we cannot predict how long the current crisis will last or the extent of its future impacts on our customers, our Team Members, our supply chain and overall industry demand.  

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

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The table below compares the Company’s selected financial data over a ten-year period:

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The following table includes income statement data as a percentage of sales, which is computed independently and may not compute to presented totals due to rounding differences, for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:

⁽¹⁾ Each percentage of sales amount is computed independently and may not compute to presented totals.

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2021 Compared to 2020

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Sales:

Sales for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $1.72 billion, or 15%, to $13.33 billion from $11.60 billion for the same period in 2020.  Comparable store sales for stores open at least one year increased 13.3% and 10.9% for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  Comparable store sales are calculated based on changes in sales for U.S. domestic stores open at least one year and exclude sales of specialty machinery, sales to independent parts stores and sales to Team Members, as well as sales from Leap Day in the year ended December 31, 2020.  Online sales, resulting from ship-to-home orders and pickup in-store orders, for stores open at least one year, are included in the comparable store sales calculation.

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The following table presents the components of the increase in sales for the year ended December 31, 2021 (in millions):

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We believe the increased sales are the result of store growth, the high levels of customer service provided by our well-trained and technically proficient Team Members, superior inventory availability, including same day and over-night access to inventory from our regional distribution centers and hub store network, enhanced services and programs offered in our stores, a broader selection of product offerings in most stores with a dynamic catalog system to identify and source parts, a targeted promotional and advertising effort through a variety of media and localized promotional events, continued improvement in the merchandising and store layouts of our stores, compensation programs for all store Team Members that provide incentives for performance and our continued focus on serving both DIY and professional service provider customers.  The government stimulus payments, enhanced unemployment benefits, and general economic recovery, including lifting of stay at home orders and associated ongoing market reopenings, when combined with positive industry dynamics, such as consumers investing in existing vehicles and favorable weather, contributed to strong demand in the year ended December 31, 2021.  In addition, despite the global supply chain disruptions that created inventory availability challenges for our industry during the year ended December 31, 2021, the strength of our distribution network and our strong supplier relationships allowed us to maintain better in-stock inventory positions than the broader market and contributed to our sales growth.

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Our comparable store sales increase for the year ended December 31, 2021, was driven by increases in average ticket and transaction counts for both professional service provider and DIY customers.  Average ticket values continue to be positively impacted by the increasing complexity and cost of replacement parts necessary to maintain the current population of better-engineered and more technically advanced vehicles.  These better-engineered, more technically advanced vehicles require less frequent repairs, as the component parts are more durable and last for longer periods of time.  The resulting decrease in repair frequency creates pressure on customer transaction counts; however, when repairs are needed, the cost of replacement parts is, on average, greater, which is a benefit to average ticket values.  Average ticket values continue to benefit from consumers spending additional time and money repairing and maintaining their vehicles in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic environment and the new and used vehicle scarcity.  Average ticket values also benefited from increases in average selling prices, on a same-SKU basis, as compared to the same period in 2020, driven by increases in acquisition costs of inventory, which were passed on in market prices.  2021 transaction counts improved due to prior year headwinds to traffic from the initial COVID-19 stay at home orders in 2020 and business restrictions, which resulted in immediate pressure to transaction counts for both DIY and professional service provider customers, combined with continued market reopening and recovery activity, ongoing government stimulus, favorable winter and spring weather conditions and a benefit from new and used vehicle scarcity positively impacting our customers’ willingness to perform or invest in maintenance on their vehicles.

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We opened 165 net, new U.S. stores and three new stores in Mexico during the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to opening 155 net, new U.S. stores and one new store in Mexico during the year ended December 31, 2020.  As of December 31, 2021, we operated 5,759 stores in 47 U.S. states and 25 stores in Mexico compared to 5,594 U.S. stores in 47 states and 22 stores in Mexico at December 31, 2020.  We anticipate new store growth will be 175 to 185 net, new store openings in 2022.

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Gross profit:

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased 15% to $7.02 billion (or 52.7% of sales) from $6.09 billion (or 52.4% of sales) for the same period in 2020.  The increase in gross profit dollars for the year ended December 31, 2021, was primarily the result of new store sales and the increase in comparable store sales at existing stores, partially offset by prior year gross profit dollars generated from one additional day due to Leap Day.  The increase in gross profit as a percentage of sales for the year ended December 31, 2021, was due to a benefit from selling through inventory purchased prior to recent acquisition cost increases and corresponding selling price increases, partially offset by increased distribution costs.  We determine inventory cost using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method but had, over time, seen our LIFO reserve balance exhausted, resulting in a LIFO inventory value above replacement cost prior to the third

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quarter ended September 30, 2021.  Our policy is to not write up inventory in excess of replacement cost, and accordingly, we had effectively valued our inventory at replacement cost, resulting in a benefit when selling prices increase as we sold through this lower cost inventory.  During 2021, our LIFO reserve reverted back to a more typical credit balance due to recent, significant inflation in acquisition costs; as a result, we anticipate a diminishing benefit moving forward from the final sell through of inventory valued at older, lower replacement cost.  Increased distribution system costs were driven by the significant increase in volumes over the past year, challenging labor markets and ongoing global logistical supply chain pressures.

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Selling, general and administrative expenses:

Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased 12% to $4.10 billion (or 30.8% of sales) from $3.67 billion (or 31.6% of sales) for the same period in 2020.  The increase in total SG&A dollars for the year ended December 31, 2021, was the result of additional Team Members, facilities and vehicles to support our increased sales and store count, increased incentive compensation for Team Members resulting from our increased sales and operating profits and prior year strict expense control measures in response to the onset of the pandemic environment.  The decrease in SG&A as a percentage of sales for the year ended December 31, 2021, was principally due to strong leverage of fixed store operating costs on strong comparable store sales growth and higher average store sales volumes.

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Operating income:

As a result of the impacts discussed above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased 21% to $2.92 billion (or 21.9% of sales) from $2.42 billion (or 20.8% of sales) for the same period in 2020.

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Other income and expense:

Total other expense for the year ended December 31, 2021, decreased 12% to $135 million (or 1.0% of sales), from $153 million (or 1.3% of sales) for the same period in 2020.  The decrease in total other expense for the year ended December 31, 2021, was the result of decreased interest expense on lower average outstanding borrowings and lower average cost of borrowings.

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Income taxes:

Our provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased 20% to $617 million (22.2% effective tax rate) from $514 million (22.7% effective tax rate) for the same period in 2020.  The increase in our provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021, was the result of higher taxable income, partially offset by higher excess tax benefits from share-based compensation and a greater benefit from tax credit equity investments.  The decrease in our effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2021, was the result of the higher excess tax benefits from share-based compensation and a greater benefit from tax credit equity investments.  

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Net income:

As a result of the impacts discussed above, net income for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased 24% to $2.16 billion (or 16.2% of sales), from $1.75 billion (or 15.1% of sales) for the same period in 2020.

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Earnings per share:

Our diluted earnings per common share for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased 32% to $31.10 on 70 million shares from $23.53 on 74 million shares for the same period in 2020.  

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2020 Compared to 2019

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A discussion of the changes in our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2019, has been omitted from this Form 10-K but may be found in Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 26, 2021, which is available free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov by searching with our ticker symbol “ORLY” or at our internet address, www.OReillyAuto.com, by clicking “Investor Relations” located at the bottom of the page.    

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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

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Our long-term business strategy requires capital to open new stores, fund strategic acquisitions, expand distribution infrastructure, operate and maintain our existing stores and may include the opportunistic repurchase of shares of our common stock through our Board-approved share repurchase program.  Our material cash requirements necessary to maintain the current operations of our long-term business strategy include, but are not limited to, inventory purchases, human capital obligations, including payroll and benefits,

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contractual obligations, including debt and interest obligations, capital expenditures, payment of income taxes and other operational priorities.  We expect to fund our short- and long-term cash and capital requirements with our primary sources of liquidity, which include funds generated from the normal course of our business operations and borrowings under our unsecured revolving credit facility.  However, there can be no assurance that we will continue to generate cash flows or maintain liquidity at or above recent levels, as we are unable to predict decreased demand for our products, changes in customer buying patterns or the impact of the uncertainty and disruption cause by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Additionally, these factors could also impact our ability to meet the debt covenants of our credit agreement and, therefore, negatively impact the funds available under our unsecured revolving credit facility.  

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Our material contractual cash obligations as of December 31, 2021, included commitments for short and long-term debt arrangements and interest payments related to long-term debt, future minimum payments under non-cancelable lease arrangements, self-insurance reserves, projected obligations related to future payments under the Company’s nonqualified deferred compensation plan, purchase obligations for construction contract commitments, uncertain tax positions and associated estimated interest and penalties, payments for certain deferred income taxes and commitments for the purchase of inventory, all of which are included on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.  We expect to fund these various commitments and obligations primarily with operating cash flows expected to be generated in the normal course of business or through borrowings under our unsecured revolving credit facility.  See Note 5 “Leases,” Note 12 “Share-Based Compensation and Benefit Plans,” Note 13 “Commitments” and Note 15 “Income Taxes” to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information on our leasing arrangements, share-based compensation payments, construction commitments and uncertain tax positions, respectively, which are not reflected in the table below.  

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The following table identifies the estimated payments for each of the next five years, and in the aggregate thereafter, of the Company’s debt instruments and related interest payments and self-insurance reserves as of December 31, 2021 (in thousands):