AutoZone, Inc.

Good morning and welcome to the AutoZone conference call. Your lines have been placed on listen only until the question and answer session of the conference. Please be advised, today's call is being recorded. If you have any objections, please disconnect at this time. The conference call will discuss AutoZone's first quarter earnings release. Bill Rhodes, the company's chairman, president, and CEO, will be making a short presentation on the highlights of the quarter. The conference call will end promptly at 10 a.m. Central Time, 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Before Mr. Rose begins, the company has requested that you listen to the following statement regarding forward-looking statements.

In this presentation are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically use words such as believe, anticipate, should, intend, plan, will, expect, estimate, project, position, strategy, and similar expressions. These are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors that we believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation product demand, energy prices, weather, competition, credit market conditions, access to available and feasible financing, the impact of recessionary conditions, consumer debt levels, changes in laws or regulations, war and the prospect of war, including terrorist activity, inflation, the ability to hire and retain qualified employees, construction delays, the compromising of the confidentiality, availability, or integrity of information, including cyber attacks and raw material costs of our suppliers. Certain of these risks are discussed in more detail in the risk factors section contained in item 1A under part one of the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 26, 2017. And these risk factors should be read carefully. Forward-looking statements are not guaranteed of future performance and actual results, developments, and business decisions may differ from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. and events described above and in the risk factors could materially and adversely affect our business. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date made. Except as required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Actual results may materially differ from anticipated results.

I would now like to hand the call over to Mr. Bilrow. Please go ahead.