Who Owns DieHard?
DieHard is owned by Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), which acquired the brand from Sears' former parent in 2019 for approximately $200 million. The name dates to 1967 when Sears introduced it as its house battery brand. Today DieHard batteries, tools, and automotive products are sold exclusively through Advance Auto Parts and Carquest stores and their online channels.
Parent Company
Acquired
2019
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
DieHard Timeline
United StatesOfficial Website
Who Owns DieHard?
- Parent Company: Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2019
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: AAP
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| DieHard | Advance Auto Parts, Inc. | Wholly owned |
Where to Buy
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History of DieHard
- Founded: 1967
- Founders: Sears, Roebuck and Co. (original brand development)
- Acquired by Advance Auto Parts, Inc.: 2019
Sears introduced DieHard batteries in 1967 as the premium offering in its automotive department. The name and early positioning emphasized durability and cranking power, and the battery developed a reputation that made it one of Sears' strongest house brands for decades.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, DieHard became among the best-selling car battery brands in America, supported by Sears' national retail footprint and aggressive advertising. The brand expanded beyond batteries into tools, chargers, and related automotive products, though the battery always remained the core identity.
Sears' decline weakened the brand's distribution through the 2000s and 2010s as stores closed and market share shifted to dedicated parts retailers. When Sears Holdings filed for bankruptcy in October 2018, its assets, including the DieHard brand, passed to Transform Holdco, the Eddie Lampert-controlled entity that bought them.
Advance Auto Parts acquired DieHard in 2019 for roughly $200 million, immediately making it exclusive to its stores. The company extended the line beyond batteries into tools, accessories, and car care products, and in 2025 began introducing DieHard to more product categories as part of the parent's private-label margin strategy.
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About Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
What does Advance Auto Parts own?
Advance Auto Parts, Inc. owns the Advance Auto Parts and Carquest store banners, the DieHard product brand, private-label sourcing arm Autopart International, and the ARGOS private-label motor oil. It sold its Worldpac wholesale business in November 2024.
Is Advance Auto Parts publicly traded?
Yes. It trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker AAP. It is a conventional single-class public corporation with institutional investors holding most shares.
When was Advance Auto Parts founded?
Arthur Taubman founded the company in 1932 in Baltimore, Maryland, as Advance Stores Company after buying three auto parts stores. It went public on the NYSE in 2001.
Who owns Advance Auto Parts?
Public shareholders own it. Shane O'Kelly has been president and CEO since September 2023, leading a turnaround focused on margin recovery and store network optimization.
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What is Advance Auto Parts' market position?
It is the third-largest US automotive aftermarket parts retailer behind AutoZone and O'Reilly, operating approximately 4,300 stores. Its margins trail both competitors, which defines its current restructuring strategy.
Does Advance Auto Parts own Carquest and DieHard?
Yes. Carquest came through the 2013 acquisition of General Parts International, and the company bought the DieHard brand in 2019 for about $200 million.
- Founded: 1932
- Headquarters: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: AAP
- Revenue: $8.6 billion (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 40,000
Where Is DieHard Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
DieHard Categories & Tags
DieHard Recalls & Controversies
DieHard's record contains no major safety scandal or product recall unique to the brand. As a sourced private label, product quality issues route through Advance's standard supplier and return processes. Battery defects, the most common category issue, are handled as warranty claims rather than recalls.
The most discussed chapter is ownership rather than product. The Sears-to-Advance transfer stranded the brand's original retail home: Sears auto centers, largely defunct, no longer sell the name they created. Some long-time consumers still associate DieHard with Sears and are unaware of the current exclusive retail home.
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Brands Owned by Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
Retail EcommerceAdvance Auto Parts
Owned by Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
Flagship retail banner of Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), operating roughly 4,000 automotive parts stores across North America.
auto-partsretailautomotive-aftermarket
Retail EcommerceCarquest
Owned by Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
Professional-oriented auto parts store network owned by Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), serving installer customers across North America.
auto-partscarquestprofessional-installer
DieHard Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Exclusive distribution through ~4,300 stores creates a protected sales channel
- +Decades of Sears-built awareness give it recognition most private labels lack
- +Higher margin than national brands at comparable retail prices
- +Brand extension potential across tools and accessories beyond the core battery line
- +Drives store traffic from consumers specifically seeking the name
Considerations
- -Brand equity is aging; younger consumers show weaker awareness than older buyers
- -No manufacturing control: quality depends on third-party producers
- -Competitors' private labels (Duralast, EverStart) have their own retail exclusivity
- -Extension beyond batteries risks diluting a name built on one product
- -Sears association cuts both ways: heritage credibility and declining-retailer stigma
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Frequently Asked Questions About DieHard
Sources & Further Reading
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Competitors to DieHard
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because DieHardoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
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carVertical is privately owned, unlike DieHard which is under a publicly traded parent company.
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Advance Auto Parts, Inc. Stock Information
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Jobs at Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
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