On Monday, Telsey Advisory Group maintained its optimistic stance on Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST), reiterating an Outperform rating with a steady price target of $850.00. The firm's outlook is based on the expectation of a strong May 2024 sales performance for the retailer.
In the sales preview for May 2024, Telsey anticipates a total comparable sales increase of 6.8%, a notable improvement compared to the slight decline of 0.3% in the previous year. The forecast takes into account an expected net neutral impact from gasoline prices and foreign exchange rates for the month.
The projected growth is driven by a core merchandise comparable sales increase of 6.8%, up from 3.3% in the same period last year. In the United States, excluding gasoline sales, comparable sales are expected to rise by 6.5%, compared to a 1.7% increase a year earlier. In Canada, when excluding the effects of gasoline prices and foreign exchange, a 6.5% rise in comparable sales is projected, although this is slightly down from 7.9% last year.
For Costco's Other International segment, the forecast is even more robust with an 8.5% increase in comparable sales, excluding foreign exchange influences, which is a significant jump from the 6.4% seen in the prior year.
InvestingPro Insights
As Telsey Advisory Group highlights Costco's potential for strong sales performance in May 2024, InvestingPro data and tips provide additional context for investors looking at the bigger picture. With a market capitalization of $359.08 billion and a robust revenue growth of 6.16% over the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, Costco's financial health appears to be on solid footing. The company's gross profit margin stands at 12.55%, which, despite being considered weak by some InvestingPro Tips, has not deterred its ability to deliver a substantial 62.69% one-year price total return to its shareholders.
An InvestingPro Tip worth noting is that Costco holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, which is a reassuring sign of financial stability. Additionally, Costco has consistently paid dividends for 21 consecutive years, with a recent dividend growth rate of 28.89%, showcasing its commitment to returning value to its shareholders. For those interested in further analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips, including insights on Costco's valuation multiples and profitability predictions for this year, which can be found at https://www.investing.com/pro/COST. There are 17 additional InvestingPro Tips available to subscribers, providing a comprehensive outlook on Costco's financial standing. To take advantage of these insights, readers can use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.