---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000898173-21-000057"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "ORLY"
cik: "0000898173"
company_name: "O REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC"
filed_at: "2021-11-17T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-28T07:36:20.917698+00:00"
event_type: "other_material"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.55
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# O'Reilly appoints Fred Whitfield to board; boosts buyback authorization by $1.5B to $18.75B

## Summary
- Board expanded from 9 to 10 members; Fred Whitfield appointed as independent director effective Nov 12, 2021.
- Whitfield is President/Vice Chairman of Hornets Sports & Entertainment; will serve on Audit Committee.
- Share repurchase authorization increased by $1.5B, raising total to $18.75B; effective three-year term.
- Repurchases solely via open market; no obligation to buy any specific number of shares.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000898173-21-000057
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: ORLY
- cik: 0000898173
- company_name: O REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC
- filed_at: 2021-11-17T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: other_material
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.55
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.55
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 8.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/898173/000089817321000057/0000898173-21-000057-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/898173/000089817321000057/orly-20211112x8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000898173-21-000057
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000898173-21-000057.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000898173-21-000057.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Fred Whitfield was appointed as Director at O REILLY AUTOMOTIVE INC.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Director
  source text: On November 12, 2021, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. (the “Company”) increased the size of the Board from nine to 10 members and appointed Mr. Fred Whitfield as a director to fill the vacancy for a term expiring at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/898173/000089817321000057/0000898173-21-000057-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.