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Advance Auto Parts

Automotive aftermarket parts retailer

Senior Financial Analyst - Inventory

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/24/2026
No salary listed
Mid, Senior
Bachelor's, MBA
Raleigh, NC, USA
HybridHybrid schedule: 4 days in office and 1 day remote; based at the corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Finance & BankingCorporate Finance & FP&A

About the job

Requirements
  • Strong skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, AS/400, and PeopleSoft.
  • Ability to apply mathematical concepts to practical situations, including probability, statistical inference, plane and solid geometry, and trigonometry.
  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals or technical procedures.
  • Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
  • Ability to present information and respond to questions from senior management, department heads, managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
  • Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
  • A bachelor’s degree in Economics, Finance, or Business, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Three to five years of financial and business analysis experience.
Responsibilities
  • Provide guidelines for standard cost approaches used in business decisions and establish and monitor cost-reduction programs.
  • Provide root-cause driver analysis to support decisions, communicating results as business insights and actions.
  • Provide direction to functional counterparts in operating units as required, and advise operating and senior management on cost-determination problems, inventory valuation, overhead distribution, joint-cost treatment, and product pricing.
  • Conduct special studies and analyses, including make-or-buy decisions and cost impacts of proposed facilities or processes.
  • Identify and investigate issues related to assigned projects by selecting an approach from accepted methodologies or recommended alternatives.
  • Define assumptions for quantifying and analyzing investments, acquisitions, or divestitures.
  • Participate in developing long-range financial forecasts and related budgets, considering alternative scenarios and economic prospects.
  • Provide fact-based financial analysis, economic modeling, and ad hoc analysis to support business cases for proposed investments.
  • Present verbal and written reports on general economic trends, individual corporations, and entire industries.
  • Partner with internal customers to implement performance-management rhythms.
  • Provide appropriate input into test design to ensure results are reliable for investment decisions.
  • Provide external financial information on competitors and the industry.
  • Maintain knowledge of developments in industrial technology, business, finance, and economic theory.
  • Provide support and strategic direction for in-flight inventory and assortment projects.
  • Review inventory levels and associated key performance indicators to identify opportunities to reduce on-hand inventory and improve inventory turns.
  • Analyze the current assortment to identify improvements that can generate incremental sales.
  • Own a portion of the inventory forecast and review week-to-week changes to track progress toward the year-end budget.
  • Serve as a business partner to the inventory team.
  • Provide ad hoc support to the inventory and assortment team as needed.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience working in a retail environment.
  • A Master of Business Administration (MBA).

About the company

Advance Auto Parts supplies automotive aftermarket parts and accessories to both professional installers and DIY customers through thousands of stores in North America. Its product lineup includes replacement parts, maintenance items, and car accessories for cars, vans, and light trucks, sold in-store and online with staff guidance to help customers select the right parts. The company differs from many competitors through its extensive store network, broad product assortment, and ability to serve both professional businesses and individual customers with knowledgeable service and a nationwide distribution and retail model. Its goal is to be the preferred source for auto parts by offering a wide selection, convenient locations, and expert customer assistance.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Raleigh, North Carolina

Founded

1932

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • 2026 Q2 free cash flow turned positive $120 million year-to-date, fixing liquidity optics.
  • 2026-08-20: Pro sales grew low-single-digits, while Main Street outpaced the segment by 200 bps.
  • 2026 margin guidance rose to 3.8%-4.5%, with 2027 carrier savings targeting tens of millions.

What critics are saying

  • 2026-08-20: DIY comps weakened late Q2, exposing demand fragility in its biggest consumer segment.
  • 2026 Q2 EPS included $26 million tariff refunds; without them, margins look thinner.
  • 2026 debt and interest costs still pressure results; $210 million pretax interest offsets operating gains.

What makes Advance Auto Parts unique

  • 2026-08-20: 15 distribution centers and one warehouse system cut supply-chain complexity.
  • 2026-06-18: OneRail partnership broadens same-day fulfillment across 4,000+ locations.
  • 2026-09-23: Main Street Pro focus and 60 market hubs by mid-2027 create local density.

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Benefits

  • Performance Bonus

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

12%

1 year growth

14%

2 year growth

14%
Yahoo Finance
Aug 20th, 2026
Dow drops 703 points as Treasury yields surge past 4.7%, Walmart tumbles 9% on sales miss

Stocks fell Thursday as Treasury yields rebounded and retail earnings disappointed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 703 points, or 1.3%, to 52,759. The S&P 500 declined 0.9% to 7,641, whilst the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.0% to 26,067. Rising yields on the 10-year and 30-year Treasuries pressured equities after US debt crossed $40 trillion. Walmart led decliners, tumbling 9.2% despite beating earnings expectations. The retailer's same-store sales growth of 2.6% fell short of forecasts, and it issued soft third-quarter guidance. Advance Auto Parts plunged 24.6% after reporting revenue below analyst expectations, despite stronger-than-expected earnings per share.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 20th, 2026
Advance Auto Parts returns to positive free cash flow of $120M amid DIY spending slowdown

Advance Auto Parts reported positive free cash flow of $120 million year-to-date in Q2 2026, marking a significant turnaround supported by improved working capital management and tariff refunds. However, the company experienced a slight decline in comparable sales due to weaker-than-expected DIY spending during the quarter's final four weeks. The Pro channel met expectations, with Main Street business growth outpacing the segment by 200 basis points. Operational improvements included Net Promoter Scores rising to nearly 80 points and in-store attachment rates reaching 30%. The company completed its distribution centre consolidation, reducing from nearly 40 facilities to 15 locations. Management maintained full-year comparable sales guidance of 1% to 2% and reaffirmed a medium-term adjusted operating margin target of 7%. Advance Auto Parts plans to open 15 to 20 Market Hubs this year, reaching 60 locations by mid-2027.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 20th, 2026
Advance Auto Parts raises EPS guidance to $2.60–$3.30 despite DIY sales drop

Advance Auto Parts reported second-quarter sales of $2 billion, with comparable sales declining slightly. Low-single-digit growth in the professional channel was offset by a larger-than-expected low-double-digit drop in DIY sales as tighter household budgets weighed on consumer spending. Adjusted operating margin expanded to 5.6% and adjusted EPS rose to $1.03. The company benefited from product-margin gains and $26 million in tariff refunds. Free cash flow improved to $120 million year to date, whilst net-debt leverage fell to 2.1 times. The company reaffirmed its 2026 sales, margin and free-cash-flow outlook but raised adjusted EPS guidance to $2.60–$3.30, largely due to higher expected interest income.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 20th, 2026
Advance Auto Parts plunges 21% on $2B revenue miss despite $26M tariff refund boosting earnings

Advance Auto Parts shares plunged 21% to $44.33 after reporting second-quarter results that missed revenue expectations despite an earnings beat. The company posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.03, beating estimates of $0.81, but revenue of $2 billion fell short of the $2.04 billion forecast. Comparable sales declined 0.5%. The earnings beat included a one-time $26 million tariff refund worth $0.31 per share. Management noted the DIY channel weakened sharply in the quarter's final four weeks, whilst the Pro channel delivered low single-digit growth. The sell-off rippled through the auto parts sector. AutoZone fell 4% to $2,961, O'Reilly Automotive dropped 2% to $89.57, and Genuine Parts slipped 3% to $131.05, reflecting concerns about softening do-it-yourself demand across the industry.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 4th, 2026
Advance Auto Parts vs. Caterpillar: Which stock offers better value in 2026?

Advance Auto Parts and Caterpillar present contrasting investment profiles for 2026, balancing retail recovery against industrial stability. Advance Auto Parts operates in the automotive aftermarket, serving mechanics and DIY enthusiasts. The company recently expanded its AI-powered same-day delivery partnership with OneRail. FY 2025 revenue fell 5.4% year-over-year to $8.6 billion, with net income of $44 million and a 0.5% margin. The firm faces a 2.4x debt-to-equity ratio and negative $298 million free cash flow whilst implementing multi-year restructuring. Caterpillar serves construction, mining, and energy sectors through a global dealer network across nearly 190 countries. FY 2025 revenue grew 4.3% to $67.6 billion. Net income declined to $8.9 billion from $10.8 billion previously, yielding a 13.1% margin. The company is acquiring mining software providers to enhance digital services. Both face distinct macroeconomic pressures, making valuation critical for investment decisions.