Framework Journal · one stock, one dated entry

Recorded 2026-07-19 · Permanent

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. logoAdvance Auto Parts, Inc. AAP

Outside both standards

An entry written while the outcome is still unknown. It will be scored by what the market does next, and it will never be edited to look cleverer than it was.

The label
Markup

read at $53.16

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. holds its Markup at $53.16.

PHINPOOPSC
  • PHPhase · the trend structure carries the Markup label
  • INInsiders · no filings inside 60 days, left as found
  • POPositioning · no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
  • OPOptions · no verdict drawn today, left as found
  • SCScreen · does not pass the values gate
  • edge confirmed
  • edge broken
  • edge forming

Each arm is one independent read. Conviction is not a single call, it is how many edges converge.

The investor read · the season, not the day

As held on the ledger · 2026-07-19
PhaseMarkup
Quantitative stateConsolidating, no directional conviction, held for 232 days
Price$53.16
Valuation47.46 trailing · 13.26 forward price to earnings
Values screenFAIL
Beta1.05

The opportunity · what the numbers say it is worth

Our framework reads AVOID — it trades at roughly a 32% discount to our $70.00 fair value, weak competitive moat, 1.20% revenue growth.

Read at
$53.16
47.46 P/E · 13.26 fwd
Our fair value
$70.00
32% discount
Analyst target (avg)
$61.00
+15% to current
Target low $35.00Analyst target rangeTarget high $70.00
▲ current $53.16 · | average target

Price history & projections · where it has been, where the models see it going

$187$112$37TODAY5y agoPROJECTIONOur fair value$70.00 +18%Analyst high$70.00 +18%Conservative$66.15 +11%Analyst avg$61.00 +3%

The valuation journey · where the price sits against fair value and the Street

Current
$53.16
you are here
Conservative
$66.15
+24%
Analyst avg
$61.00
+15%
Our fair value
$70.00
+32%
Analyst high
$70.00
+32%

Green marks levels above today's price, red below; the shaded band is the gap between the price and our fair value.

Reading the gap · Both our model and the analysts see meaningful upside from here.

Revenue growth1.20%
Profit margin0.51%
Debt to equity255.31
Analyst consensusHold · 19 covering

Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; target range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.

The values screen, explained · five checks, plain English

This company is excluded by both standards. There are two widely recognised ways to check whether a company is suitable for a Muslim investor. It fails on both:

The common standard · AAOIFI
Used by most halal investing apps
✗ DOES NOT PASS
Our stricter standard · asset-based
The one Titan applies
✗ DOES NOT PASS

Why it fails. The problem is its debt ratio. Because both standards agree on this, it is a clear exclusion, not a borderline case.

What these two standards are, and how they differ →

  • Business activity Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines — no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending. Pass
  • Debt load Interest-bearing debt is 185.4% of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows. Fail
  • Interest-bearing cash Interest-bearing cash and securities are 102.3% of assets, above the one-third limit. Fail
  • Receivables Money owed to the company is 0.0% of assets, under the 49% limit. Pass
  • Revenue purity Only 0.0% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources — under the 5% line. Pass

Every security is read against two recognised standards: our stricter asset-based screen (ratios measured against total assets) and the more widely used market-value standard (measured against market capitalisation). Where they agree we say so plainly; where they part ways — almost always on the debt check — we show both readings and mark it, because that disagreement is the finding, not a fault. We report the score; you and your scholar make the call.

The business, in plain words · what the numbers mean

Car parts chain buried by debt and weak returns

Walk into any Advance Auto Parts store and the shelves look stocked, yet behind the counter the business is barely turning a profit. Revenue edges up just 1 percent while net margins sit at 1 percent and return on equity is a paltry 3 percent. The forward multiple of 13.3 times earnings looks tempting for a cyclical name, but the weak moat and tiny growth tell us this is not a bargain, it is a trap. We pass.

The company also fails our ethical screen on its debt ratio, adding another clear reason to stay away. Nineteen analysts sit on a hold rating with a median target of 61 dollars, well short of any real recovery story. Low returns, thin margins and a consumer cyclical label point to earnings that could fall quickly when car owners delay repairs.

Risk sits in the combination of high leverage, minimal profitability and exposure to discretionary spending that can vanish in a slowdown. The 32 percent gap to our fair value number does not change the picture when the underlying business shows no sign of improvement. Analysis, not advice.

The fundamentals · plain-English read
Forward P/E13.3x
expensive even after accounting for its growth
Trailing P/E47.5x
expensive — the price assumes strong growth ahead
Revenue growth1.2%
slow but positive growth
Profit margin0.5%
barely profitable
Return on equity3.1%
a modest return on shareholder capital
Debt to equity2.55
heavy leverage — higher risk if revenue softens
Current ratio1.78
healthy short-term liquidity
Beta1.05
moves a little more than the market
Market cap$3.2B

The risks · The things to watch: it carries a real debt load, which raises the stakes if revenue slips.

Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.

Related securities · others in AAP's space worth a look

Screened names in the same industry · explore each on its own page.

Where & how to trade · wherever in the world you are

AAP trades on the NYSE. As a US-listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering US markets. New to this, or investing from outside the US? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.

The trader read · the latest dated commentary

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 6.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 27%. The street (19 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $60. Entered 2026-07-20 · Markup

The dated journal · newest first, never edited

2026-07-20 Markup $53.16 -6.4% Entry 5

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 6.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 27%. The street (19 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $60.

2026-07-18 Markup $56.81 +0.0% Entry 4

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 27%. The street (19 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $60.

2026-07-16 Markup $56.81 +0.0% Entry 3

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 14%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 27%. The street (19 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $60.

2026-07-03 Markup $56.81 +0.0% Entry 2

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.

2026-07-02 Markup $56.81 Entry 1

The framework reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns.

Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.

The insider ledger · Form 4 filings, as filed

Most recent filings · AAP
DateInsiderTitleTypeSharesValue
2026-04-24 LEE EUGENE I JR Director 346 $20,132
2026-04-24 WINDOM BRENT Director 27 $1,610
2026-04-24 SEBOLDT THOMAS W. Director 24 $1,465
2026-04-24 SEBOLDT THOMAS W. Director 28 $1,661
2026-04-24 BAILO CARLA JEAN Director 48 $2,825
2026-04-24 FERRARO JOHN FRANCIS Director 99 $5,792
2026-04-24 HILSON JOAN M Director 41 $2,422
2026-04-24 SMITH GREGORY L Director 27 $1,610
2026-02-17 OKELLY SHANE M Chief Executive Officer 61,685 $3,500,007
2026-02-17 GRIMSLAND RYAN P. Chief Financial Officer 16,744 $950,055

Public filings, recorded as found. The full tape lives at Insider Intelligence.

The political ledger · congressional disclosures

Disclosures naming AAP
DatePoliticianPartyTypeAmount
7 Feb2025 Tim Walberg Republican buy 15K–50K
5 Jun2026 Gil Cisneros Democrat buy 1K–15K
16 Jun2026 Matt Van Epps Republican sell 1K–15K
15 May2026 David Taylor Republican sell 1K–15K
15 May2026 David Taylor Republican sell 1K–15K

What holding actually paid · price plus dividends

If $1,000 had been placed · historical, not a promise
PeriodPrice thenPrice returnDivs per share$1,000 becameTotal return
1 month $51.83 +14.7% · $1,147 +14.7%
2 months $54.59 +8.9% · $1,089 +8.9%
3 months $52.43 +13.4% $0.25 $1,138 +13.8%
6 months $47.79 +24.4% $0.50 $1,254 +25.4%
1 year $52.22 +13.8% $1.00 $1,157 +15.7%
2 years $60.49 -1.8% $2.00 $1,015 +1.5%
3 years $59.92 -0.8% $3.00 $1,042 +4.2%
5 years $176.66 -66.4% $13.50 $413 -58.7%

Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever AAP does next, these words stay.

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. · AAP · Markup · $53.16
Recorded 2026-07-19 · before the outcome · scored mechanically

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