Exhibit 5.1
150 Third Avenue South, Suite 2800
Nashville, TN 37201
(615)742-6200
April 18, 2019
AutoZone, Inc.
123 South Front Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
Re: AutoZone, Inc. 3.125% Senior Notes due 2024 and 3.750% Senior Notes due 2029
We have acted as counsel to AutoZone, Inc. (the “Company”) in connection with the issuance of $300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.125% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “2024 Notes”) and $450,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.750% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes” and collectively with the 2024 Notes, the “Notes”), pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on FormS-3 (File Number:333-230719) (the “Registration Statement”), including a base prospectus, dated April 4, 2019 (the “Base Prospectus”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the final prospectus supplement dated April 4, 2019, filed with the Commission on April 5, 2019 pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (collectively with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”).
The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture, dated as of August 8, 2003, by and between the Company and Regions Bank, successor in interest to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., successor in interest to Bank One Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by separate officers’ certificates relating to the Notes, each dated as of April 18, 2019 (collectively, the “Indenture”), including the forms of global notes representing the Notes (the “Global Notes”).
In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon such records, documents, certificates and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to form the basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth. In all such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of signatures on original documents and the conformity to such original documents of all copies submitted to us as certified, conformed or photographic copies, and as to certificates of public officials, we have assumed the same to have been properly given and to be accurate. As to matters of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon statements and representations of representatives of the Company and public officials.
We have assumed for purposes of this opinion that (a) each of the Company and the Trustee is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (b) each of the Company and the Trustee has the requisite power and authority to execute and deliver and to perform its obligations under each of the Indenture and the Notes; (c) each of the Company and the Trustee has duly authorized, executed and delivered each of the Indenture and the Notes (except that no such assumption is made with respect to execution and delivery thereof by the Company under the laws of the State of New York); (d) each of the Indenture and the Notes constitutes a legally valid and binding agreement of the Trustee, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; and (e) the Trustee is in compliance, generally and with respect to acting as Trustee under the Indenture, with all applicable laws and regulations.
To the extent our opinion set forth below relates to the enforceability of the choice of New York law and choice of New York forum provisions of the Indenture and the Notes, our opinion is rendered in reliance upon N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law§§5-1401,5-1402 and N.Y. C.P.L.R. 327(b) and is subject to the qualification that such enforceability may be limited by public policy considerations of any jurisdiction, other than the courts of the State of New York, in which enforcement of such provisions, or of a judgment upon an agreement containing such provisions, is sought. We have also assumed that the Company has complied with all aspects of applicable laws of jurisdictions other than the State of New York in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Indenture. As to facts material to the opinion expressed herein, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company, public officials and others.
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